The blues must engage in these simple acts to save their season

Despite their poor start of the season, the blues should win on Saturday against the West Coast, which are also without victories in this campaign. Carlton has won the last four meetings between these teams, all of at least 10 goals.

True, this is not a typical interstatal correspondence. It is a neutral place, both teams are visitors. But for the blues, it is a golden opportunity to break the cycle in which they were.

When I played Geelong, we often used interstat games to restore our season and reaffirm our connection as a group.

Being traveling together brought us closer to us as a team. There were less distractions. It was only us – 22 players and our coaches. Our attention was sharpened, our exchange rooms were clear. There was a sense of quiet calm on how we prepared for the games.

Brian Cook-The Godfather of the AFL CEOs, now in Carlton-Ara at a loss when he interrogated 3AW last week about what was the main cause of the struggles of his team’s first season. “They could be 20 things. The fact is that I don’t know,” he said.

This is the crucial point of the challenge that Carlton now faces. They must resist the temptation to try to solve all their problems in a blow. It would be overwhelming.

As they go up to the plane for Adelaide, each group within the Blues team should have a focus blocked on what will be responsible for Saturday. They should have a maximum of three simple objectives that can present to the rest of the team and that coaches can continually strengthen them.

I am talking about non-negotiable completely stripped. They could be simple like:

Defenders: Your opponent is your starting point, so win the competition from there – See what Jack Silvagni and Jacob Weitering did. When we win the competition, everyone joins our attacker on the exit, then returns to their starting point; their opponent.

Midfielders: Distribute, spread, spread. If we were to pause the video of this game at any time, we want to see Jumper Carlton more in each. Be brave with every decision.

After you: Sets a high goal: each striker must throw two contrasts to the fourth. This focuses on the hard race and on multiple competitions. He will create energy for the team and help play the game in our half.

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Hard love and reflection on the areas that need improvements have their place in football, but if I were in Carlton this week my attention internally would be proactive and positive. I would let each player know what their strengths are and how the team needs those attributes: “We appreciate you so much when you do x, Yez for the team”.

In Geelong we would celebrate our key striker Tom Hawkins creating regular competitions in the air and level of the soil. Small attackers Mat stokesShannon Byrnes and Trav Varcoe knew that it was their task to break the tail to keep the ball inside our 50m striker. In defense, the goal of Tom Longan was to put the terminals on the best opposition striker, while Andrew Mackie and Mitch Duncan had to make sure they were available to receive a handball, so that the rest of us could benefit from their clean use of the ball.

We understand this in Carlton.

Charlie Curnow: “We want you to work the internal arch of 50 meters as hard as possible”.

Adam Saad: “Go down from the last line of defense, we want you with the ball in hand from the media contract”.

Mitch McGovern and Nick Haynes: They must be on the rear shoulder of their opponent, then go to their votes, be intransigent.

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Lacie Fogarty: It must be in front and square to any forward marking contest and must aim at eight contrasts in the match.

Sam Walsh: It should target six voices within 50m, which will force him to run and have an overlap, which is when it is more harmful.

Adam Cerra: He has the ability to be one of the elite players of the competition. His statistics are good, but to become better than those they need to have more impact on the scoreboard and make fun of and games.

A victory over the West Coast may not seem a significant result at the moment, but for the match of Carlton Saturday is over the four points offered.

The blues can conquer impetus and trust.

If they receive a reward for their effort, energy and positivity within their group will return, and this could simply bring their season back to the track.

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