Carlton coach Michael Voss believes his team’s inefficiency in front of goal is a bigger problem than misfiring forward Harry McKay, but it is set to be a talking point at Ikon Park.
The Blues have dropped two games in a row – the latest a 22-point loss to high-flying St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday – and find themselves in a logjam in the middle of the ladder as inconsistency within matches plagues them.
Harry McKay attempts to mark for the Blues on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images
Voss drew solace from Carlton’s vastly improved contest work, after being beaten badly in that area a week earlier against Adelaide, but their inability to convert that on the scoreboard came back to haunt them.
McKay was a culprit with 1.2, on top of skying one snap so badly it went away from goal and passing the buck to a teammate outside 50 on another.
The 2021 Coleman medallist’s modest return through six rounds is 9.8, with Voss admitting his penchant for kicking around the body from most distances inside 50 would be reviewed.
“I ask the players to be able to look at their technique and how they finish and keep evaluating – but [to] have enough humility to know that if it’s not working and what do you need to adjust,” Voss said.
“Possibly [we need to look at how far out McKay is kicking snaps from], but that’s for us to review.
“That would be feedback that he needs to evaluate, and we need to get better in that area [but] I don’t think that that’s just for Harry – that’s for us as a footy team. Our front-half game, and efficiency around our front-half game, needs to improve.”
Carlton players leave the ground after the loss to St Kilda.Credit: Getty Images
Voss also described McKay’s first-quarter decision to give up a set shot and pass backwards outside 50 to George Hewett as the big Blue “trying to bring one of his teammates into the game”.
The second-year Carlton coach remains confident in the method behind their oft-criticised ball movement, believing execution was the concern against the Saints.
“I think the method actually looks quite OK, but you’ve got to finish your plays, and they’re incomplete [at the moment],” he said.
“I think it’s a bit of a theme for us at the minute … we have to get better. We’ve got parts of our game together, then it’s been inconsistent in others, so it’s not even so much a week-to-week [problem]; it’s been almost a half [that is good], then there’s a quarter where we drop away and don’t hold it together.
“There were some signs of progress in a few areas of our game, but there’s clearly things we still need to keep working on.”
St Kilda moved to 5-1 for the second-straight season, with coach Ross Lyon calling the victory over the Blues “a weight of numbers performance”, but he insists their expectations have not changed.
Bradley Hill looks to get the ball away on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images
“We don’t set any long-term goals,” Lyon said. “It’s self-evident in the AFL – everyone wants to play finals, otherwise you shouldn’t be in. We were exploring tonight. You get an audit every week you play at this level.
“The preparation by opposition is incredible, as it is for us to them … I don’t think expectation ever leaves AFL football because everyone puts it on you, anyway. I don’t think there’s more this week or next. Every day you wake up as an AFL coach, it’s there.”
Bradley Hill, who played career-best football under Lyon when they were at Fremantle, was one of the Saints’ top contributors as his impressive season continues, after copping his share of criticism since arriving at the club at the end of 2019.
Lyon dismissed those critics, saying he never doubted Hill and that his form in previous seasons being discussed so widely “doesn’t make it accurate”.
“He was second in the best and fairest to round 11 last year, and the club was going well. It was a challenging second half of the year … none of us is perfect,” he said.
“Brad had feedback for how he could get better. I think he’s got better, just like me.”
Lyon did not expect to have to manage any of his players for the five-day turnaround to Friday night’s clash with Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, but thinks captain Jack Steele will be better for the run.
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