ONE OF Carlton's three assistant coaches that spoke extensively to media yesterday, Aaron Hamill addressed the key discussion points around the Blues' backline and defensive structure leading into 2022.
This is what he had to say.
On Mitch McGovern:
"He’s going really well, ‘Gov’. He’s had the last 4-5 weeks of real good consistency in his body. The important part around that is he’s starting to get belief in his body now. There’s no doubt he can be an influential player down back or up forward, but he’s showing some real growth in the position down back at the moment.
"He’s starting to get some continuity with Jacob and Oscar in particular down there, and the other running backs. So far, so good: the main thing is his body is holding up, he’s in a really good spot physically and mentally. We’ll take that at this stage of the year."
On his first few months back at Carlton:
"It’s really good: it always has suited me, the Navy Blue! I’m enjoying the place. It’s been two decades since I’ve been back. The stories that have been told, we’ve had some past players through the place over the last couple of weeks. ‘Sticks’ has been through the door, Gleeson, Andrew McKay. It’s been really good in terms of seeing what the place means to them and it feels like yesterday I was here."
RESPECT THE JUMPER Hamill on return to Blues
"I’ve got a really good understanding of what the jumper means and what it represents and who it represents. The expectations of not only the members, but the hundreds of thousands of supporters around the country. I’m certainly aware of the responsibility and the part that I play in that. I’m enjoying working with new coaches and facilitating ‘Vossy’s’ philosophy."
On the changes undertaken over the pre-season:
"We’re embedding a new game plan, a new system and new environment. It does take time: they’re just the facts. We’re starting to make traction in what we’re seeing and we get feedback all the time around what we’re seeing at training, around the environment and we shape it accordingly. We want to keep evolving. We want to be a better side in Round 11 as opposed to Round 1, and Round 23 and so on.
"We don’t want to put a cap on anything but we’re well aware of the expectations, having a good understanding of where we’re at. How long that takes we don’t know, but what I can tell you is they’re really well-led from ‘Vossy’ and from the leadership group with Jacob and Sam and ‘Crippa’. They’re outstanding young men that want to win and want to earn the right to ultimately play finals footy."
On Sam Docherty:
"It’s been a real privilege to be part of his journey, albeit really small. I arrived - and a lot of the coaches - in October, and he shared his journey really early on. It was incredibly humbling for me, but also really grateful around the amount of trust he showed in the newcomers, which I was one of. We know that he’s really committed and determined.
WHO PLAYS WHERE? Voss on key 2022 positional changes
"How he’s built his body back up in a couple of months is such a credit to himself. Where that lands we’re still not sure, but he fully trained [on Tuesday] so he’s ticking another box. He’s a man of full integrity and outstanding resilience, which is a credit to himself but also for the playing group to absorb some of those characteristics."
On the team’s defensive approach:
"The hope will be the 18-man system, the relationship with ball-in-hand and team defence and vice versa. The boys were in the top four for kicking 85 points last year, and we still want to maintain that. We need to have good defensive integrity behind the ball, and we need to have a good relationship across every line.
"That connectedness and communication and relationship between each line will be what we’re after. Hopefully we see a system-based side that plays for one another and really enjoy their footy but also the hard work that goes with it."
On Charlie Curnow and external expectations:
"I like to think we can channel everything within. The external stuff is all well and good, but it’s the old saying — you’re never as good or as bad as you seem. I think Charlie is aware of that and aware of where he wants to take his footy. He’s in good hands with Ash [Hansen] looking after the forwards.
"He’s been really good to work with, and he’s really committed in his craft and has a really good understanding of what the jumper means and the expectations. He looks forward to putting on a show for the members and the general public. He wants to do what’s right for the team and what’s best for the team."
On having no time to waste in pre-season:
"We’ve got to use our time wisely. That’s the art of coaching, and ‘Vossy’ has been very good at it: what are they ready for, are we ready to progress to the next level, what do we want to stand for, what are the non-negotiables, how far do we deviate from things as opposed to adding different layers. As coaches, we want everything right now and we want an A-class system which is what we’ll hopefully get to.
"We’re really methodical in our approach, in terms of ‘this is where we want to get to’ and working backwards from it. We’re quite good at pushing the envelope. The communication with the players is a real safe environment to see where we’re at and how far we can keep pushing them. Every training session we get feedback and dissect training quite heavily. If we feel like we can progress more around where we’re at, then we will and we’ll keep throwing stuff at them."
