THE FIRST step forward.
It’s been a big week at IKON Park, with Interim Coach Josh Fraser admitting he hasn’t had the chance to reflect or enjoy that he’ll be coaching his first game of AFL football this weekend.
After Carlton parted ways with Michael Voss on Tuesday, Fraser said his respect and regard for the former Senior Coach had him mindful of his position, but also needing to get on with the job at hand when the Blues host the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
Wednesday marked the chance for the Blues to put a flag in the ground and turn their attention towards their next game, with Fraser saying it provided the chance to “do a few things a bit differently”.
However, he said there wouldn’t be wholesale change across the board.
“We thought that was important for the group, to fell like we were embarking on something slightly different, without flipping things completely on its head,” Fraser told Carlton Media.
“There’s so much to gain. What we’ve been able to do up to this point hasn’t been good enough in terms of wins and losses, but there’s still plenty for us to chase. [Wednesday] represented a bit of that.
“For me, it’s being well-aligned with the Club and where we’re heading. It’s presenting and showing up for the players and staff every day to the best of my ability. And it’s to continue to be curious with the way we keep evolving and the way we keep getting better - and maybe being prepared to change things up.
“That could look like a change in training, that could look like a change around selection, but we’ll be pretty considered with what that looks like and take a week-by-week approach.”
Having coached four teams throughout his journey - Gold Coast in the NEAFL, the Northern Blues, the Northern Bullants and Collingwood’s VFL side - Fraser offered an insight into his coaching philosophy, which is consistent with his development background.
Saying the Blues would continue to chase the offensive side of the game which they’ve dedicated a lot of their pre-season to developing, Fraser said it all came back to the fundamentals of the game.
“I think there isn’t enough time broadly spent on those parts of the game, but they need to stand up under the harshest conditions. That’s something we’ll be driving really hard, but also creating an environment where you’ve got genuine care and connection and prepared to challenge standards and drive them as high as you can.
“We’re going to get after parts of the game that we need to continue to get after, we’re going to challenge individuals that we need to challenge and we’re going to find out about everyone as we move forward.
“We’ve been trying to play that [more attacking] way… to the players’ credit, I think they’re really embracing trying to play a different way. We’ve got to double down and continue to train it. We’ve got to continue to educate the players on what that looks like, and fundamentals are very much a part of that.”
Fraser stepped into IKON Park a decade ago, becoming the latest person to coach the Blues at both senior and reserves level. In that time, he saw the likes of Harry McKay, Sam Walsh and Jacob Weitering enter the football club, who he’ll now be coaching on Saturday night.
After a hectic week, Fraser has been buoyed by the positive energy that has continued at IKON Park, and is excited to see 23 players run out in Navy Blue on Saturday night when the time comes.
“I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with the players I’ve had things to do with in the past. The footy department and the Club more broadly have been amazing, and I think there’s so much opportunity here at the Club moving forward.
“One thing that has jumped out really clearly is the passion our supporter base has, what they bring and how important they are to us on game day. We’ve got a responsibility to turn up and play a brand of footy that energises and excites them.”
