WITH a host of key players out with injury, Brendon Bolton has backed his system to get the job done against North Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues are due to call on four inclusions this weekend, with Matthew Kreuzer, Mitch McGovern, Nic Newman and Kade Simpson coming out of the side through injury.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Bolton believed that Carlton’s game plan will allow smooth transition for players coming into the team.
“We back the system,” Bolton said.
“In really strong systematic teams, you lose a player and someone else fills it.
This is exciting!
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) May 3, 2019
Liam Stocker will debut in the Old Dark Navy Blue on Sunday.#BoundByBlue
“From time to time, you lose a star and they never fill it to that degree. But if they can play the role, they can hold it together.”
With 313-game veteran Simpson expected to miss three weeks with a hamstring complaint, attempting to replace such experience may present difficulty.
Bolton is confident that on-field voice will not be an issue, with the likes of Liam Jones and Jacob Weitering growing in the leadership stakes by the week.
“There’s always a void with an experienced guy going out, but the others will pick up that load,” he said.
“He is a terrific leader, but what we have been doing over the last two or three years is building other leaders and Kade has been pivotal in educating others.”
Could the Blues Brothers reunite in Ed’s 150th? #BoundByBlue
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) May 2, 2019
Without Simpson or Newman, responsibility rests on Jones to lead Carlton’s defence this weekend, tasked with nullifying the impact of the Kangaroo’s key forwards.
In exciting news for Blues fans, draftee Liam Stocker will make his AFL debut for the Club and with Charlie Curnow set to make his return, Bolton had belief his side has the ability to bounce back.
“We will miss some individuals but we’ll replace them with what we think is quality that also understands how to play that system,” he said.
“That will be exciting if that holds up for us and we are confident that it will.”