ANOTHER week, another challenge.
Carlton takes on Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon and AFL Senior Coach Michael Voss is adamant that his side have kept consistent preparation front of mind, keeping high training standards and high spirits.
Speaking on inclusions, focuses for the week and the strength of the Suns, here's what he had to say.
On the current vibe amongst the playing group:
"They’ve maintained their spirit, there’s no doubt. We’re pretty clear on what we need to get done, focused on what we need to be able to achieve.
"We’re playing against a team who - coming into their own bye - were playing some really good footy and playing a really contested brand of footy. It’s good to know what’s coming: our job is to get after our own style and play the way we want to. We’ve gone about doing that."
On learnings from the Essendon game:
"If there was one thing we’d like to have a little bit more of, it’s the pressure around the ball and a more consistent approach as a footy team.
"If you look at the entirety of the game, we didn’t stick at it long enough - we certainly fought it out to the end - but didn’t stick it out long enough.
"There was a really isolated part of the game that we couldn’t get right that night, but you have to work on our system and what gives you those opportunities. We’re focused on those processes that allow us to do that and we think if you continue to get those opportunities, the rest will take care of itself."
On gradual changes in phases of the game:
"The execution has become better and probably a little bit more consistent to where we need it to be. Last week, we had change to one phase of the game when it came to that dare and that bravery to take the game on when you need to, but it still has to be built off the back off our contest and defence.
"How we maximise the opportunities back the other way will be a constant conversation, but it will be reinforcing the most important part of the game for us right now, and that’s making sure we’re putting ourselves in the contest and putting ourselves in more assertive positions on the field when it comes to our defence.
"If you look at the first half of the year, we weren’t able to generate the opportunities. What we’ve been able to do is give ourselves more chances, so now that we're able to make those opportunities, we have to take them."
On the close-knit nature of the group:
"We have absolutely felt that and that’s been something since the start of the year that has been a big focus for us. When we talk about creating the environment, that’s the environment that we want to keep cultivating.
"What we want to see is that full transfer, so the environment that we’re trying to provide, can we do that out on the ground, under pressure, and that’s something we haven’t got quite right so far but it won’t stop us encouraging the environment so hopefully it carries to game day.
"If you execute well enough, some things come your way. Some are a little bit more confidence and a bit of form and that’s what we’re after. It’s not going to be on the back of one person. We’ve talked about having that squad mentality, we’ve talked about leaning on each other and teammates and it’s going to take everyone to make sure we stick together and that’s still the focus for us."
On David Cuningham:
"He’s had a long time out of the game and for him to go through what he’s gone through in the last two years and had a really good game last week, we feel like he’s ready to go. He'll add something a little bit different to what we’ve had in there most recently."
On Patrick Cripps:
"'Crippa' has so much experience in this area and developed enormously as a leader and a player over time.
"He’s had a bit of a rough spot over the last month but he’s so valuable to us and he brings so many other intangible things to us. The players love playing with him, so if he keeps bringing that energy, that leadership, that’s what we’re after, because some of those intangible things are really important to us."
On the mindset coming up against Gold Coast:
"What I can absolutely assure you is that every team we play gets our full 100 per cent commitment. Whether they’re in form, or not in form, top of the ladder or bottom of the ladder, we prepare the exactly the same way and that’s what we try to establish – that consistency of mindset and having humility in our approach.
"If you just look at recent form, they’ve been a strong contested team, they’ve had some recent wins, so there’s some challenges for us that we have to get after."
