“As a coach you’ve got to keep encouraging them to take risks, the worst thing we can do is go into our shells” – that’s what Blues assistant coach John Barker told Radio Sport National on Wednesday morning.

Carlton has started well in most of their games this season, but hasn’t been able to get the job done after half-time. Brisbane overran the Blues during the last two quarters on Sunday scoring 7.8 to 5.5 and subsequently took home the four points.

With the likes of Zach Tuohy, Dylan Buckley and Andrew Walker running off the half-back line, Barker said they need to encourage their dash through the corridor.

“We’ve probably seen over the last few weeks, when the game has been on the line, we haven’t played with that same dare and we need to,” Barker said.

“We’ve got a good set of half-backs who can use the ball, who can use their legs, and we need to make sure we make the most of that and not go back into down-the-line, stale footy."

With only one win for the season so far, Barker conceded confidence is low among the players. In turn, he said, their ball use has suffered, so instilling confidence is the challenge.

“The ball use shows a little bit where the boys’ heads are at and as a group of coaches, and a group of players, we need to drive a bit of energy back into the place – the players need to feel good about themselves. They use the ball really well when they’re confident about themselves,” he said.

The Blues will need as much pace as they can get on Saturday when they take on Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium. It will be a giant task, but the Blues look set to regain up to eight experienced players including Michael Jamison, Lachie Henderson, Kade Simpson, Troy Menzel and Matthew Kreuzer.

“We’ve got some really good players coming back in, we’re only six weeks in and we want to get something really solid out of this season,” Barker said.