Brisbane Lions great Jonathan Brown has labelled prized Carlton recruit Zac Williams "one of the laziest footballers going around" after exposing the defender's poor performance against former side the Giants on Saturday.
Williams was traded from the Giants to the Blues in the off-season and inked a lucrative six-year deal worth $800,000 a season at Ikon Park but has failed to lift the ailing club from the AFL's doldrums.
The weekend's six-goal loss to GWS continued a dour losing stretch for David Teague's side that sees them clinging onto 14th spot on the ladder with a 4-9 record, following another pre-season filled with promise.
With a review into the club's football department now ongoing, Teague is under increasing pressure to hold his job as coach while there have been widely laid calls for underperforming senior players to be dropped from the team.
Carlton's poor work rate in defence has been firmly placed in the spotlight this season and was again evident in the defeat to GWS, where they laid on 41 tackles to the Giants' 78.
Sharing a range of vision on Fox Footy program On The Couch, Brown highlighted a number of times Williams was caught out of position pushing up into the midfield "trying to get a kick".
Brown then declared it was clear the Giants had a plan to work Williams over, before launching an attack on the halfback's effort in defence.
"I know they did. I tell you what, Zac Williams is one of the laziest footballers going around at the moment," the three-time premiership Lion said.
"Don't worry, there's about 100 pieces of vision we've left on the cutting room floor. We could've gone through it for the next half an hour and showed it. We could've really hurt his reputation. I'm just verballing it for you.
"That bloke has come to the Carlton footy club, paid that sort of money, he needs to turn up in better shape and get himself fit and turn up and put in a better effort, especially on defence."
Brown highlighted Williams' effort was indicative of a greater problem at Carlton, which was the ease with which teams can play through them between defensive and forward 50.
“Their team defence system or method, combine that with a lack of workrate, no wonder GWS were able to take 90 marks between the arcs. They were able to just march it from end to end far too easily – and this happens week-in, week-out,” Brown added.
Nick Riewoldt recently urged Teague to axe senior Blues such as Marc Murphy and Sam Docherty to drive higher defensive standards within the young squad with his job on the line.
On Monday night, the St. Kilda great said it was time Carlton's younger brigade gained a bigger voice and changed the culture at the club.
“You’ve got high-paid players, you’ve got the core of the Carlton side and their really good young leaders – it’s (Patrick) Cripps, it’s (Harry) McKay, it’s (Sam) Walsh, so younger players that probably are a little bit more introverted," Riewoldt said.
"If I’m David Teague I’m bringing them in, getting them in and I’m saying: ‘OK, the senior players they’re not leading the way with their defensive efforts.
“They have to drive it. These young players that are the core, that are the real honest workers within that football club, they’re the ones that have to drive it. Otherwise guess what? They’re not going to be a good football side for a long period – and those young blokes, they want success.”
