FORWARDS coach David Teague says it's imperative Carlton gets the most out of its final three games of the season.
The Blues sit on just two wins ahead of their clash with Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Sunday, with home games against the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide to round out their 2018 season.
“We’ve got three more games left and game day is the best practice, so we need to keep getting better and the players as individuals need to keep getting better and making good habits,” Teague said.
“We need to use our training as well. We have three weeks to go – it’s not long. We need to get the most out of it.
“Hopefully going forward, we can continue to work on our defence and use the ball going forward. It’s nothing new, but footy is about winning the contest and defending or using it depending on what happens.
“They are our areas of focus for the rest of the year.”
Carlton endured a tough afternoon in its last meeting with Fremantle in Round 13, having a goalless first half in a 57-point loss at Etihad Stadium.
Teague said the Blues were ready to redeem themselves.
“Fremantle touched us up earlier in the year, so we need to respond. We can’t think too much about that game. It’s what we can control,” he said.
“We will review the game heavily from the weekend as well and make sure we bring a better appetite to compete. GWS (Greater Western Sydney) beat us in the contest. We need to compete a lot harder and make sure we spread hard from there and use the ball well and defend with intensity.”
David Teague is in his first season as an assistant coach at Carlton. (Photo: AFL Media)
Carlton had 43 inside 50s in Sunday’s 105-point loss to GWS, but only converted from just under a quarter of those opportunities.
While a heavy defeat on the scoreboard, Teague said there were positives to take from the encounter.
“We got some good supply, particularly in the third quarter. They were in our entries, so the numbers were back. We got the ball in there but lacked in our ability to win the contest and then finish our work,” Teague said.
“We missed some shots on goal that we would have normally kicked. That’s an area for growth, but I thought there were some really promising signs.
“We probably need to do a little bit more on the ground. GWS were really good at getting numbers back and then working the ball out.
“I thought Harry McKay really stood up in his contested marking, and I thought some of the ball-use going inside 50 was good."
Carlton faces Fremantle from 2:40pm AWST at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
