Asked if Docherty’s analysis was close to what Voss himself would have said to his players, Voss replied: “All of those have accountability when you don’t finish the game that you want. You set the game up and don’t finish the way we want. So what that does do is give us feedback as a group.
“It [the third-term fadeout] caught us a little bit by surprise, I have got to say, because I guess the information we had before that was, certainly not that. We have found moments to be able to fight when it was needed, and we didn’t through the third quarter when we needed to.
“I imagine we are going to have some imperfection in the earlier days, as I said we are going to step into the new, and with that we are obviously chasing a game model we want to play, and we want to do it more consistently.”
The Blues led by 10 points at half-time and 22 points soon after against the Swans, before the home team went on a stunning tear in the third quarter when they dominated possession 108 to 56.
Docherty was later critical of the Blues’ inability to maintain control when opponents matched them in the contest.
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“Basically, what happens – and exactly what happened again last night – is the same shit that happens every other game; when the game’s hot and contested and pressurised, Carlton’s good in that environment. But as soon as some team can do somewhat good in the contest, the rest of the game just f—ing falls to pieces,” Docherty told Gorringe.
Voss wasn’t asked directly about that comment from Docherty, but agreed that the Blues needed to do better in open space.
“The only way we can change that is going about what we do next. It’s been something that we have done a hell of a lot of work with over the pre-season, so not just how we defend, but also how we manage the ball. That’s going to be an important part for us moving forward.”
While many commentators – and even Carlton fans – had not expected the Blues to make the finals this season, the third-quarter fadeout had all the hallmarks of last season’s woes when the team was supposed to have challenged for a top-four berth.
Running defender Adam Saad (hamstring) will not face the Tigers, Voss adding Lachie Cowan and Matt Carroll were in line for a recall after proving their fitness in the VFL.
Voss brushed off reports that the Blues had approached Craig McRae to replace him late last year, a claim Blues chief executive Graham Wright – the man who signed McRae at Collingwood – has denied.
“I don’t worry myself about those … things,” he said.
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