Carlton coach Michael Voss has confirmed a 731-day absence from the AFL will finish on Sunday for David Cuningham, who will add one thing a “bit different” to the struggling Blues.
Looking to finish a six-match dropping streak after they face the Gold Coast Suns, the Blues will play Cuningham for the primary time since spherical 9, 2021.
Cuningham has endured a raft of accidents to his knee, calf and shoulder however earnt a call-up after back-to-back stable outings within the VFL.
Voss mentioned Cuningham’s return was sheer reward for effort.
“What I can confirm is David Cuningham is going to play,” Voss mentioned on Friday.
“He’s had a long time out of the game, and for him to be able to go through what he’s gone through in the last two years … we feel he’s ready to go.
“He had a really good game last week … he’ll add something a bit different to what we’ve had in there recently.”
It would be the first time in additional than 4 years that Carlton’s first-round draft picks from 2015 – Jacob Weitering, Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow and Cuningham – play in the identical staff.
Carlton followers had been vicious on the gamers after final week’s loss to arch rival Essendon which dropped them to fifteenth on the ladder, their finals probabilities extinguished.
After a number of gamers declared this week the group was as unified as ever amid discuss of unrest, Voss, who has been assured his job by membership officers, declared the group was in for the battle collectively
“We have absolutely felt that and that’s been something since the start of the year that has been a big focus for us,” he mentioned.
“When we talk about creating the environment, that’s the environment that we want to keep cultivating.
“What we want to see is that full transfer, so the environment that we’re trying to provide, can we do that out on the ground, under pressure, and that’s something we haven’t got quite right so far but it won’t stop us encouraging the environment so hopefully it carries to game day.
“It’s not going to be on the back of one person. We’ve talked about having that squad mentality, we’ve talked about leaning on each other and teammates and it’s going to take everyone to make sure we stick together and that’s still the focus for us.”
Having conceded final week captain and Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps was out of shape, and with questions on his management. Voss mentioned the skipper remained extremely “valuable” to the battling Blues.
“‘Crippa’ has so much experience in this area and developed enormously as a leader and a player over time,” he mentioned.
“He’s had a bit of a rough spot over the last month but he’s so valuable to us and he brings so many other intangible things to us.
“The players love playing with him, so if he keeps bringing that energy, that leadership, that’s what we’re after, because some of those intangible things are really important to us.”
Originally revealed as David Cuningham will play his first recreation for Carlton since 2021
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
