AFTER an impressive win against Collingwood last week, the Carlton Reserves came up short in an up-and-down clash with the Brisbane Lions.
On Friday at IKON Park, the Blues were overcome by 24 points against an experienced Lions line-up: Carlton Head of Development Brad Ebert had this to say following the result.
On his emotions post game:
“It’s a bit of a frustrating loss. We were coming up against some strong opposition – you look at Brisbane who have got 18 AFL-listed players – but going into the game we felt confident about the way we were playing.
“We showed some really good signs of being able move the ball with some freedom off the back of good defence. But they were able to get a good ground ball game going, where they got it out on the outside and weren’t able to match it.
“When they got their opportunities, they went forward and scored with some potency. At the end of the day we’re disappointed, but there’s still some positive signs.”
On the positives of the game:
“As a group we’re starting to realise what makes us tick, what makes the guys play well as a collective - I think they’re really finding that through their great team mentality and having that defensive-first idea, from there we can play with a bit of freedom in offence.
“The boys have been buying in, there’s really good cohesion between the AFL and VFL-listed players and I think that has really helped build that nucleus of what we’re trying to achieve.
“All in all, [the result] was disappointing but we want to keep building on that momentum and consistency. Three of the last four [games] have showed we’ve been able to stay in games and win some close ones. Even in [Friday’s] game where you go down by 24 points, we still really fought it out for that last quarter.”
On standout performers:
“Ethan Phillips was unbelievable. In terms of standout performers, 18 marks, 15 intercept marks, just an incredible game: if he wasn’t on that last line of defence, who knows where it would’ve been. He was just so strong, consistent and used the ball really well when he got his chance.
“Frankie Evans was another one that really performed well today - he kicked three goals, but it was more his contest and pressure. I think he had eight tackles and was really, really strong over the ball.
“’Boydy’ was another one that looked to really accelerate the game from the back half. I thought he had some nice opportunities to take the game on and did quite well with that. You can name a number of them, but they were a few that stood up.”
On VFL players getting AFL experience:
“It’s been really good.
“You see guys like Ashton Moir coming up now, getting his opportunity and taking it with both hands - Hudson O’Keeffe a few weeks ago, the same thing.
“There’s a lot of guys who are going through that VFL program, that are coming out of that going into the AFL system with confidence. They are starting to put some really strong consistent performances together and I think that’s what’s really giving them those opportunities at AFL level.
“Build a chunk a work, really show that as a team we’re collectively playing well together, and they will look to get their opportunities as time goes on. I’m sure in the next six weeks there will be other guys in that same position, where their consistency is really building up a bank of form to then be able to transfer that to the AFL.”
On the focuses for the coming weeks:
“Just one week at a time!
“We’ve got a nine-day break so the boys get a chance to get together spend a bit of time together. A couple of days off, and then come back and really reset ourselves for those last few weeks.
“Yes, finals is an option and hopefully if we’re able to stack up those consistent performances then that’s the outcome - but at the same time for us, we’re really staying in that week-to-week idea. That what’s gotten us to this point in terms of being able to build up those consistent habits, so we will certainly stay in that space for sure.”
