“YOU can have the best game plan in the world. If you don’t bring the brutality that the game demands, you’re going to get your arse kicked.”

“Obviously on the weekend, it was just unacceptable for what we stand for. As a playing group and as leaders, we felt like it was the right time to get the whole group in and have some home truths.”

Sam Docherty and Patrick Cripps said Carlton wasn’t going to let the weekend’s result slide.

And with a players-only meeting halting proceedings at Ikon Park yesterday, the captains were quick to get on the front foot.

As outlined by Harry McKay yesterday, the meeting (which was led by the captains) was a time to look teammates in the eye and attempt to rectify the weekend’s result.

The captains backed up the statements of the emerging forward to media late last night, stressing that it was the players who were to take ownership of the Club and its direction.

“‘Doc’ and myself really thought it was the right time to get everything off our chest, let the players talk,” Cripps said on 3AW Sportsday.

“We basically just opened the floor for everyone on the whole list to give feedback on each other and no-one held back. It was a really good meeting I think.“

Docherty backed up the sentiment of his co-captain: despite not being out on the field, the sidelined skipper was well and truly feeling the hurt of his teammates.

The 25-year-old said the need for accountability was matched by having to bring that aforementioned “brutality” to the contest each and every week.

“The quest we’re on at the moment is for more guys to take ownership of the football club: it can’t be left to too few,” Docherty said.

“I’d be lying if I hadn’t been racking my brain for the last 48 hours about what we can do as players and leaders to turn these performances around.

“If you don’t bring that contested work and that honest game style, that honest contest work on game day then you’re in a hole.”

Cripps said it was a collective approach that was key, and all involved in the Navy Blue were focused in making things right.

“I think the best thing about days like that are you’re here to front up, you have some really hard conversations… You reset and then all of your energy goes into preparing for the Saints game,” he said.

“We’re all in it together.”