Coach Michael Voss has urged Carlton to duplicate the depth of their 108-point drubbing of West Coast after they face a far sterner check towards the Brisbane Lions.
The Blues (4-1-2) acquired a well timed confidence enhance, with Charlie Curnow kicking 9 objectives as they feasted on the Eagles in Perth final weekend.
But fourth-placed Brisbane (5-2) are on a four-game profitable streak forward of Friday’s bumper conflict at Marvel Stadium.
“That’s probably the challenge; how do we replicate that same level of effort around the ball?” Voss advised reporters on Thursday.
“Playing Brisbane, and the formidable opponent that they are, they’ve got some genuine threats and challenges in their own team that’ll ask some questions.
“So we definitely know what’s coming. We’re conscious of the duty that is forward of us.
“We’re pretty determined to be able to execute the same way that we went about it last week.”
Charlie Cameron (22 objectives), Joe Daniher (16) and Eric Hipwood (12) are the principle threats in a potent Brisbane assault.
“Sometimes you can narrow in on one or two but the reality is, not only do the individual match-ups need to execute their own roles but our system needs to be able to stand up,” Voss mentioned.
“When you look at their forward threats, they have plenty of those.
“So it should be a job to make sure that any ball that does get down there may be pressurised and offers us half an opportunity.”
Ruck-forward Tom De Koning (concussion) is sidelined but Jesse Motlop will return from suspension and Matt Owies is in the mix to return from a hamstring injury.
Voss relished the opportunity of having his full complement of midfielders available to face Brisbane’s star-studded on-ball division, including the likes of Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley and Will Ashcroft.
Adam Cerra and skipper Patrick Cripps have been the only constants in Carlton’s midfield, with Sam Walsh, George Hewett and Matt Kennedy all having interrupted seasons.
“Clearly a technique has been for Brisbane to broaden that midfield depth,” Voss mentioned.
“They’ve added Dunkley, clearly Ashcroft as nicely, who’s come by means of as a younger expertise.
“So we’re going to have to be on our game around the middle of the ground, there’s no doubt about that. We feel like we’ve got our group largely together.
“Last week was in all probability the primary time we had all of them enjoying collectively, that I can bear in mind. So it’s going to be a very good problem by means of the center of the bottom.
“Every coach talks about that’s where it starts – well it certainly will start there for us on Friday night, no doubt.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
