Carlton v Fremantle: Goalless first half has Blues fans filthy

Tom Naghten

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Carlton v Fremantle: Goalless first half has Blues fans filthy image

With just the one win on the board for the season, Carlton might have fancied their chances at home against a Fremantle side who haven't won on the road in 2018.

As it turned out, they dished up their worst first half of the year to go into the main break down by a whopping 70 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

For their part, the Dockers recorded their biggest ever first half.

But it was the Blues, who kicked just 7 points, who the focus was on.

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Their lack of effort was evident as the visitors ran riot.

When Carlton did finally get the footy, their disposal let them down time and again.

Fox Footy's David King didn't miss in his criticism of the club.

"You question the whole rebuild now, you question the philosophy," King said.

"The Carlton footy club come out and say 'we don't need a priority pick,' not on what we're seeing, they absolutely need one, if not two.

"This is a club that's now got a percentage of 60 per cent right now, coaches get sacked on those numbers."

For long-suffering Blues fans who have seen their club play in just a handful of finals since the turn of the millennium, Saturday's performance was hard to take.










Even former Carlton player Rhys Palmer had a crack, suggesting culture and not talent was the issue.


Fremantle's midfield had it all their own way as Nat Fyfe picked up 19 disposals and two goals in his 150th game, while Lachie Neale had 22 and three goals in a huge first half.

The Blues' decision to extend Brendan Bolton's contract until the end of 2020 looked like a big show of faith at the time, but performances like this one only heap the pressure on the embattled coach.

Fox Footy pundit Cameron Mooney questioned the staff's address to the players at the break.

"It was quite funny when I walked into the rooms earlier, we were sitting around with all the players, all the coaches and no yelling, no ranting, it was very calm and sometimes a group just needs a bake," Mooney said.

"And this group right now needs a bake.

"They really need to stand up here for their football club.

"They good booed at half time by their supporters coming off the ground."

Dermott Brereton agreed that a more direct approach was needed.

"You just feel like the coaching staff is almost whispering at them in desperation...but perhaps they do need the rocket," Brereton said.

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.