Voss bemoans ‘contrast’ after second-half horror show

Michael Voss has lauded Sydney's blue chip midfielders for their influence on a contest that simply got away from his charges.

The Swans sent an early warning shot across the bow of the competition with a scintillating 12-goal outburst in the premiership quarter.

It was a marvellous turnaround from Dean Cox's men, who were soundly beaten at the source in a first half that pleased Voss.

But the first half is where the pleasure ended. Voss is effectively coaching for his football life this season, out of contract at year's end, and under siege after just one match. The Lions legend is one of few coaches in the modern game to be granted a second crack at a senior coaching gig after an initial failure, and with just two finals victories in five years, the walls could be closing in.

“The game was looking really healthy for us. We were winning some really important battles that we'd assigned to people to do," Voss said.

“(In the) first half, we had some great footy, but we really let ourselves down. Sometimes, you've got that real contrast between showing what really defines us, and then what doesn't.”

Alarmingly for Carlton faithful, Voss seemed bereft of answers regarding a real-time solution for the onslaught that came after the main break.

“Our intensity dropped. We kicked the first two goals after half-time, (and were) thinking the game's in pretty good shape, but for the next 20-odd minutes, we were just watching the ball go through the opposition's goals. No matter what we did, we couldn't stop it.

“We lost some important territory around stoppage, and their important players really got going; we couldn't stop it...they were just able to dominate field position and they were kicking them from everywhere.”

There were storylines aplenty in the contest, but the talk of the AFL landscape centred around rockstar key forward Charlie Curnow's first game for the Swans, which fittingly came against the side he spent almost a decade representing. As such, sparks were expected to fly, and they did, with multiple skirmishes and melees populating a humid evening in the Harbour City.

Voss, an infamously confrontational player himself, refused to back away from this aspect of the contest, imploring his side to take similar actions should the need arise in future.

“What's important for us, and what I'll always maintain first and foremost, is that we'll defend ourselves and we'll protect our own.”

“What I do want to see is the Carlton jumper defending their own jumper. I'm never ever gonna ask my players not to do that.”

Ultimately, however, Curnow got the last laugh. The dual Coleman Medallist registered three majors to begin life as a Swan, all of which came in the second half barrage.

Justin McInerney was a real catalyst for his side, kicking three majors himself, all in the third quarter, and registering 14 score involvements from his 31 disposals. Errol Gulden appears primed for another All-Australian campaign, with his uninterrupted summer culminating in 27 disposals, 11 tackles and 10 score involvements. 

Isaac Heeney shrugged off a head knock to post 20 disposals and two goals of his own, while Nick Blakey and Chad Warner customarily registered significant metres gained for their side.

The recently re-signed Sam Walsh, debutant Jagga Smith and Marc Pittonet were among the Blues' best from an evening Voss is keen to review heavily.

“We've seen a lot of good stuff over the course of the pre-season that gives us great confidence that we can correct it quickly. We've got work to do, we're not stepping away from that. (It was) hugely disappointing. I know the boys were looking forward to doing a heap better than that.

“We'll review it pretty hard, and correct what we need to.”

The Blues will also be sweating on the availability of flanker Adam Saad, who will be sent for scans after reporting hamstring awareness.

The Blues' first chance to respond to the poor performance comes next Thursday, when they meet Richmond in what was traditionally the season opener. Imagine how loud the jungle drums shall beat if fans are treated to a repeat of last year's stunning upset...