“Why is Carlton Football Club so crap at the moment?”

I Asked AI “Why is Carlton Football Club so crap at the moment?”

Here is the response and it’s hard to disagree with a lot of the points, particularly a lack of quality small forwards and speedy, accurate delivery of the ball all over the ground.

Carlton Football Club is indeed going through a tough patch in the 2025 AFL season. As of early June, they are sitting 13th on the ladder with a 4-7 win-loss record, well outside the top eight after being touted as a potential flag contender.

Here's a breakdown of some of the key reasons for their current struggles:

1. Inconsistent Performance and Second-Half Fade-outs:

• A major issue for Carlton this season has been their inability to sustain their performance for four quarters. They've often started games well, even leading at half-time, but have then been emphatically overrun in the second halves of matches.
• This points to a lack of composure and an inability to handle pressure when opponents lift their intensity. Coach Michael Voss has acknowledged this, highlighting issues with decision-making and consistency throughout the game.

2. Efficiency and Ball Movement Issues:

• Despite getting the ball inside their forward 50 a decent amount (ranking fourth for inside 50s), Carlton is among the worst in the league at converting these opportunities into goals. They rank 18th for efficiency by foot and only 16% of their inside 50 entries translate to a goal.
• There's a sense that their forward entries are often "straight lines" and "impatient," allowing the opposition to intercept. While they have two Coleman medallists in Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, their forward setup might be better served with only one dominant key forward, as they sometimes struggle to co-exist optimally.
• They also lack polish and outside run compared to elite teams, focusing heavily on contest-based football which can wear thin week-to-week.

3. Injuries to Key Players:

• Carlton has been hit with some significant injuries, particularly to players who could provide the outside run and ball-carrying ability they lack.
• First-year player Jagga Smith, who was expected to add vital run, suffered a season-ending ACL injury before the season even began.
• Nic Newman, a premier half-back and key ball user out of defence, has also been ruled out for the season with a ruptured patella tendon.
• Brodie Kemp (Achilles) is also out for the season. Other players like Lachie Cowan (hamstring) and Matthew Cottrell (foot) have also had stints on the sidelines.

4. List Profile and Depth Concerns:

• The Blues have a list built heavily around prioritizing contest and strong players through the spine (Cripps, McKay, Curnow, Weitering, Walsh, De Koning). However, the modern game demands more transition, speed, and ability to punish turnovers.
• They are seen as lacking small forwards with speed and tackle pressure, and also aggressive half-backs who can free wheel and create.
• Their squad is on the older side, and they haven't been able to blood much top-end young talent in recent years due to their draft picks. This could impact their future list management, especially with Tom De Koning considering a significant offer from St Kilda.

5. Coaching and Game Plan Scrutiny:

• While Michael Voss has acknowledged the team's struggles, particularly with consistency, questions are being asked about the overall direction and game plan.
• Despite some statistical improvements in defence compared to last season (e.g., better at limiting scores from clearances and opposition intercepts), the overall execution and ability to put together a full game remains an issue.

In essence, Carlton's current "crap" form stems from a combination of persistent issues with consistency, inefficient ball movement, key injuries exposing list deficiencies in critical positions, and ongoing questions about how their game plan aligns with the modern AFL landscape.

Despite my team underperforming this year, I still have faith that on their day they can match it with the best. Their day just doesn’t happen often enough this year.

For all of your AFL memorabilia, Carlton and other clubs, take a look at our website https://brenita.com.au/collections/gifting-1/AFL for a variety of products or in store at newsXpress Sunbury, 3/74-78 O’Shanassay Street, Sunbury, Victoria 03 9740 9023