There is a real sense of urgency at Princes Park following yet another disappointing season.ย
Failing to make finals for the eighth year in a row, the pressure is mounting on both the playing group and those staff members who have somehow escaped the boot.
Following such a poor year, the Blues looked to the off-season to try and bolster their stocks.
Throughout this time, not only did the Blues replace David Teague with Michael Voss, but they also added Adam Cerra and George Hewett to the mix.
With Blues fans eager to see how their new-look team fares, Carlton will be one of the most intriguing teams in the competition with all rival fans watching with anticipation.
Off-Season Moves
Ins:ย Adam Cerraย (Fremantle),ย George Hewettย (Sydneyย Swans),ย Lewis Youngย (Western Bulldogs),ย Jesse Motlop, Domanic Akuei.
Outs:ย Michael Gibbonsย (Delisted), Sam Ramsey (Delisted),ย Liam Jonesย (retired),ย Eddie Bettsย (Retired),ย Marc Murphyย (Retired),ย Levi Casboultย (retired),ย Sam Petrevski-Setonย (West Coastย Eagles).
Weaknesses
There are a variety of separate issues at the Blues which must be addressed by coach Voss in 2022.
The most glaring problem of them all is their defence which struggled to hold up to the better sides in the league. Whether this was as a result of a lack of personnel or a poor defensive system or both, it must be addressed urgently. Adding insult to injury, one of the club's best defenders, Liam Jones, retired at the beginning of their pre-season after having the best year of his career to date.
The Blues ended up conceding the second-most goals in the league in 2021, behind only North Melbourne, with 188 goals against.
Another major problem for the side from Princes Park is their lack of grunt and desperation in the contest. Boldly delineating this, the Blues finished 15th in both tackles and clearances. Since they were unable to get first use of the footy on a regular basis, it became very difficult for the defence to stop opposition forward lines from finding open space.
With the additions of ex-Docker Adam Cerra and ex-Swan George Hewett, the Blues will be looking to really improve in this area.
