CARLTON’S football department is about to be put under the microscope but midfielder Sam Walsh says the Blues’ playing group believe the external review is a positive.
The Blues relieved some pressure on themselves and coach David Teague with a 10-point win over Adelaide on Sunday.
It was a timely victory with the review – by the panel of Geoff Walsh, Matthew Pavlich and Graham Lowe – starting on Monday.
“No, I haven’t noticed anything different at all, it’s probably something we haven’t really spoken about as a playing group,” Sam Walsh told reporters on Monday.
“We have addressed it in terms of the review will be going on behind the scenes, but we’re not too heavily involved as such as yet.
“So it’s more us just focusing on what we can control – which is trying to play good footy.
“I feel like good organisations are always looking to review what what they’re doing and what they’re doing well and what they can improve on, and that’s how we’re going to move forward as a club because we’re probably not in the position we want to be in at the moment.
“So I think we’ve got to see it as a positive as a playing group.”
Walsh dominated as Carlton snapped their run of three losses against Adelaide but emphasised a need to kick on.
“We’re pretty aware that we’ve still got a fair bit to work on,” he said.
“We’re under no illusions that we’re not in the position that we want to be and that’s for a variety of reasons.
“So it’s up to us to take a bit of ownership and keep going forward… it was a good win on the weekend but it’s only one game.”
Harry McKay recently signed a two-year deal while co-captain Patrick Cripps re-signed until the end of 2027.
Walsh is contracted until the end of 2022 but said he hadn’t “really thought of” making an early call on re-signing.
“I’m just worried about trying to play my role as best as I can for the team and whatever happens from there happens,” he said.
“Obviously I’m still contracted till the (end of) next year.
“But it has been great to see Harry and Crippa and the likes of those guys commit to the club because we do believe in what we’re doing here, and we’re starting to build a strong group but we’ve just got to start showing that out on the field.”
(C) AAP 2021
