Carlton footy boss Brad Lloyd says the Blues have done everything right off the field as he moved to clarify what the club wants to achieve in 2023.
Carlton has emphatically stated its goal is to play finals this year as football boss Brad Lloyd launched a strong defence of the club’s board and administration.
The Blues have lost four of their past five games and were the subject of a savage attack from club powerbroker Bruce Mathieson leading into their latest defeat against the Western Bulldogs.
Coach Michael Voss said the club’s ball movement in the second half looked much more Carlton-like but bemoaned the Western Bulldogs winning big moments as they overran the Blues.
The club’s only big scalp this year is Geelong after victories over North Melbourne, West Coast and GWS, with Sunday’s home clash against Collingwood a perfect chance to snap that run.
Ruck-forward Tom De Koning missed a second week with concussion so will likely return through the VFL.
But after a week of debate over whether missing finals would be a failure, Lloyd said on Sunday there was no confusion from the club’s football department.
“We want to play finals. There is no doubt about that. We are here to play finals. We think we have got the personnel, the structure and resources. We want to play finals, that is our focus and we think we have got all we need to do that,” he said.
“I think the (scrutiny) is fair to a degree. It is fair to have some expectations on the team this year to compete and play well against the good sides. We have been a bit off in that area, so I can understand the frustration internally and externally. I think it’s fair.”
Mathieson said he was disappointed in Brian Cook’s performance as the club’s CEO and questioned Lloyd’s performance, but the Blues football boss made clear Mathieson was ill-informed.
“I read the article, I have only met Bruce once, back in 2018, so I don’t know him very well at all. I think the board has been outstanding in my time,” Lloyd told SEN.
“They are functioning really well. We are pretty lucky to have (president) Luke Sayers. He has been sensational for myself and the playing group.
“I look at Brian Cook, to work with him in the back end of his career, we are so fortunate.
“He is such an unbelievable person and then I look at Vossy and the credentials he has got, one of the best things to have happen to the club was for him to come in.
“People can have their opinions, but I just think the club is in really good shape and really focusing on staying united. The heat is going to come on.
“I understand the expectation but I couldn’t feel more supported, and the club is in really good shape. We just need to get moving a bit on the field. There are some good people at the club.”
Originally published as AFL 2023: Carlton footy boss Brad Lloyd backs club board