Stuart Waitley

It's been just a familiar pattern.

We're getting these huge run against us.

So defensively we're not strong enough for long enough.

It's holding us back.

We've just got to be better at holding up.

And that's not a back six question.

That's an intent from the whole team to get that done.

So, you know, across the whole year, you know, based on the transition of the game, it wasn't at the level it needs to be.

We're clear on that, but we've got to get some shift on it if we're going to shift as a footy team.

The guys are now quite familiar with what we're trying to get after.

So there's some fundamentals that we clearly need to be able to clean up, but we've got to be far more defensively stronger than what we currently are against any side.

So when a side presses, stand up.

But our ability to be able to do it for a longer period of time is not at the level it needs to be at.

And when the game is against you, you need to defend and you need to fight.

And we are not doing it well enough.

I can't be any clearer than that.

That's about as prescriptive and unvarnished as a coach ever is.

What we heard is precisely what the players heard.

There's no point hiding it from public view at this point.

What Carlton can't muster is what fuelled Richmond's victory earlier in the day.