Carlton’s Midfield Dilemma and the Case for Patrick Cripps
Carlton’s former football boss, Brad Lloyd, has voiced his opinion on the club’s ongoing struggles, particularly in the midfield. He believes that instead of considering a trade for their contracted captain, Patrick Cripps, the Blues should focus on evolving their current setup to find a better balance around him.
Cripps’ position at Carlton has become a topic of discussion as the team faces a difficult season. This includes a 39-point defeat to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, where they led by 15 points in the third quarter but then conceded eight goals in a familiar second-half collapse. This performance has raised concerns about the future of out-of-contract coach Michael Voss.
The Blues are currently sitting third-last on the ladder with a 1-7 win-loss record. Cripps, who is 31 and under contract until the end of next year, had his worst performance of the season against the Saints, with only 14 disposals and four turnovers. His performance ranked among the lowest based on Champion Data’s AFL player ratings.
In response to these challenges, Carlton demoted reigning club champion George Hewett, an inside midfielder, to the VFL after their Good Friday loss to North Melbourne. This move highlights the desperate search for a solution to the club’s midfield issues.
Lloyd, who spent seven years at Carlton before leaving at the end of last season, encouraged the Blues to retain Cripps. He emphasized that Cripps has been a star for the club and that similar conversations about his form have occurred before this year. However, he has won two Brownlow medals since then, which speaks to his consistent performance.
Lloyd pointed out that whenever the team goes through a rough patch, Cripps often becomes the target. He believes that the club should support Cripps rather than consider trading him. The only scenario in which a trade would be considered, according to Lloyd, is if the team is completely out of options.
He also dismissed any comparison between Cripps’ situation and Melbourne’s decision to offload midfield veterans Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, who were seeking a fresh start.
Young Talent and Midfield Experimentation
Lloyd highlighted the potential of young gun Jagga Smith, whom Carlton traded up to select in the 2024 draft. Smith brings class and outside run to the on-ball brigade, but Lloyd feels the club needs more of both.
Carlton continues to experiment with their centre-bounce mix, including usual-defender Lachie Cowan, who tagged Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, having the third-most attendances behind Cripps and Sam Walsh on Saturday night. Zac Williams, Ben Ainsworth, and Ollie Florent were others to receive opportunities. Adam Cerra also had 10 centre-bounce attendances and is viewed internally as comfortably the club’s best two-way runner.
Meanwhile, Hewett is averaging 34 disposals, 16 contested possessions, and eight clearances in the VFL. His performance there shows promise, but the club is still looking for a solution to their midfield woes.
Potential Draft Pick and Cultural Impact
Carlton is willing to match any bid for generational midfield talent Cody Walker, son of ex-Carlton player Andrew, in this year’s draft. Walker is unlikely to last beyond the first three picks and boasts a lethal mix of speed, endurance, ball-winning nous, and work-rate that could immediately help the club.
Walker’s impending arrival was another reason why Lloyd felt the Blues should stick with Cripps. He praised Cripps for driving cultural standards and behavior at Ikon Park, highlighting his role as a leader.
“[Cripps] is a wonderful person, an optimist, and he’s the energy around the club,” Lloyd said. “He’s an old-school leader, in the Jonathan Brown mould, and he just wants it to be a family environment and atmosphere. He’s the one constantly thinking of ways the club can improve and grow. He puts everything into it, and has given every ounce of his energy for a long time.”
Support for Coach Michael Voss
Lloyd was also sympathetic to Voss’ plight as he fights to resurrect Carlton’s fortunes and save his own job. The fifth-year Blues coach comes up against his old club Brisbane at the Gabba on Friday night.
“No one puts in more effort, and no one cares more,” Lloyd said of Voss. “I feel for him with how they haven’t been able to play full, four-quarter games. It’s devastating, really, to see how the team’s fallen away in games. I’d love to see a [positive] result, and in particular for ‘Vossy’. A lot of people want things to turn for him.”
Former West Coast Eagles premiership coach Adam Simpson, now a part-time advisor to Voss, maintained that the three-time Lions premiership captain had the self-belief to solve the Blues’ problems.
“This looks like a big challenge for Vossy, but I think he is up for the fight. We’ll see what happens in the future – tough game [against Brisbane] this week,” Simpson told SEN.
Simpson expressed confusion over the second-half woes. “I can’t explain it either, other than you need a 10-goal win. You need to be up by such a margin, it doesn’t matter what happens… At the moment … being 12 to 25 points doesn’t cut it, if you are Carlton,” Simpson said.
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