Senior Coach Mick Malthouse refused to blame Jarrad Waite’s lack of discipline for his side’s seven-point defeat to the Brisbane Lions.

At the 22-minute mark of the fourth quarter and with the Blues three points up, Zac O'Brien was awarded a free kick outside the fifty, too far out to consider a shot at goal until Waite pushed over Tom Rockliff and gifted the Lions’ debutant a first goal in front of the sticks.

Malthouse refused to blame the enigmatic big man though, insisting there were many areas that could have stopped his team falling to 4-6.

"One ill-disciplined act generally doesn't lose you the game," Malthouse said.

"There was that and there was others.

"There was wrong use of the football, the ease of which they moved the ball out of contested areas, etc, etc. There's a whole host of areas.

"(But) I get disappointed with those things whenever they happen."

Malthouse was more angry with the Lions’ next goal from Josh Green which rubber-stamped victory, which came after Chris Yarran was “grabbed by the legs and dragged down" after seemingly taking a mark in the goal square.

The veteran coach brought up Carlton’s poor start and the fact the team were far less efficient than their counterparts.

“They adjusted to the weather far better than us, they murdered us in the first quarter, we were second to the footy and paid a big penalty,” Malthouse said. 

“(We made a) good comeback, then gave up two late goals which got them back in the game. Third quarter (was) okay.

“Last quarter we led and just didn't have the legs in the end. Our discipline was ordinary and they were harder (for) longer, simple as that.

“They just ran it better than we did and they used the ball better. Clearly they were able to score at a better rate. It was 28 from 49 entries so they exposed our backline, and when we went forward we didn't score."