Carlton vice-captain Sam Walsh insists the Blues can rebound from a winless opening four rounds to play finals, but history shows it’s a narrow path to September.
Thirty-eight teams have started a season 0-4 since the turn of the century, but only two have recovered to make the finals, which means the Blues, and winless Melbourne for that matter, must overcome a major historical roadblock.
Time to lift: Sam Walsh says the Blues have the talent to turn their slumping season around.Credit: AFL Photos
The two teams since 2000 to have regrouped from 0-4 to be alive come September are Sydney, who were 0-6 in 2017, and Hawthorn from 0-5 last year.
“Nothing changes,” said Hewett. “I’ve been in a team that’s zero and six and we just missed top four, things change quick. Get a win, get that feeling back and it’ll be right.”
The pressure on Carlton deepens this week ahead of the clash against fellow strugglers West Coast in Adelaide, the Blues hopeful Harry McKay and Elijah Hollands are ready to return to the senior side after strong performances in the VFL on Saturday night. McKay was at Ikon Park and trained on Monday morning.
Walsh said the Blues were not thinking about finals.
“The problem is, sometimes if you look so far ahead, then you are just going to start forcing it. You’re like: ‘We are not where we want to be’,” Walsh said before training on Monday.
“The reality is, we have got this week to try and win a game, then get our season rolling from there. And from there you just keep chipping away. If we get better each week, then I know we’ll have a good finished product at the end of it.
“There is still a lot of footy to be played. We are definitely not the only team to be in this position before. We know that we have got it in us.”
Club chief executive Brian Cook said on the eve of the season that he expected the Blues to challenge for the top four, but they now join winless Melbourne and the Eagles at the foot of the ladder. Both the Swans of 2017 and the Hawks of 2024 made semi-finals from their winless starts, while last year the Brisbane Lions won the flag from a similarly sluggish 0-3.
Back playing: Harry McKay made a welcome return via the VFL on Saturday. The Blues hope he is ready to return to senior football this weekend.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Walsh said the Blues continued to search for reasons behind their second-half woes.
They led at the main break against the Magpies last Thursday but, for the fourth-straight week, were unable to run out the game. They have conceded a combined 29 second-half goals across the opening month of the season, but managed only 10 of their own.
Walsh said it was “definitely not a fitness thing”, but kicking efficiency and too many players ploughing in to win the contested ball could be factors. The Blues take tremendous pride in winning the up-for-grabs ball.
“In the game, you can actually start to force it a bit more, and go away from what actually works, and playing to your strengths as a team,” Walsh said.
Road to resurrection
The long way back begins now for Carlton and Melbourne. If wins do not materialise soon, a potentially treacherous run into the mid-season bye awaits.
The Blues appear to be on borrowed time, and must strike against West Coast, also winless, and the struggling North Melbourne over the next fortnight, before a tough run against premiership and finals contenders await.
For the Demons, a relatively friendly month awaits, with Essendon, Fremantle, Richmond and West Coast on the horizon. Then comes a potentially brutal reality check against Hawthorn and Brisbane.
The Blues scraped into the finals in eighth spot with 13 wins last season. If that return is still enough to forge a September berth this year, that means the Blues and Demons can only afford to lose another six games for the season.
Melbourne’s run to the mid-season bye
- Essendon (Adelaide Oval), Fremantle (MCG), Richmond (MCG) and West Coast (Optus Stadium), Hawthorn (MCG), Brisbane (Gabba), Sydney (MCG), St Kilda (TIO Traeger), Collingwood (MCG), Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval).
Carlton’s run to the mid-season bye
- West Coast (Adelaide Oval), North Melbourne (Marvel Stadium), Geelong (MCG), Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), St Kilda (MCG), Sydney (SCG), GWS (Marvel Stadium).
“Maybe that leads you to bite off things that you feel aren’t there, or we all try and collapse into the contest, and then it gives teams space on the outside, and it makes it look like you are not fit because you are chasing for four quarters.”
Walsh said the players continued to back coach Michael Voss and the overall game plan, amid a worrying 2-10 win-loss record since round 17 last year.
Voss delivered a “short, sharp critique” to the players after the loss to the Magpies, but did not seek immediate player feedback, as emotions were high.
“I feel like he assesses and sees the game really well and gives us a clear path forward. Now it’s up to us to keep on taking that accountability. At the end of the day, we are the ones out there,” Walsh said.
McKay has not played a senior game since round one because of personal issues, but returned through the VFL at Ikon Park on Saturday night when he booted two goals.
“His whole game, he was looking very active, providing a lot of options, which is all you can do,” Walsh said.
“I feel like off the field he has been really well-supported by the club. He has been thankful for all the support he has got. When he is ready to go, it will be good to see him out there.”
The 2021 Coleman medallist would add potency to a forward line that continues to struggle, having failed to pass 75 points this season.
The Blues will need to make at least one change to replace Lachie Cowan (hamstring).
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