MICK Malthouse has moved to allay rumours of a rift with enigmatic forward Jarrad Waite.

 

Waite, who is out of contract at the end of the year, rejected speculation during the week that he and Malthouse were feuding. There has also been reported interest from other clubs in Waite. 

Waite was among Carlton’s best in Thursday night’s loss to Freo, with 19 disposals and three goals. 

 

Malthouse said Waite’s efforts this season had been “patchy”.

 

“But, of late, they have been highly encouraging,” Malthouse said.

Malthouse also praised the efforts of Chris Judd, who came from the field during the second quarter with what appeared to be injuries to both his knee and ankle.

 

He returned a short time later and continued to help drive the Blues midfield, gathering 22 disposals, including nine clearances, and laying four tackles.

 

But Malthouse refused to speculate on Judd’s future.

 

“He’s played terrific football tonight. If he did retire, he won’t be the first or last footballer that’s played some pretty good football and retired,” he said.

 

“But I don’t know whether he is or I don’t know whether he’s not.”

Malthouse rejected suggestions his side has been unlucky this season in losing six games by fewer than three goals.

 

Malthouse, whose side looked the likely winner for most of the night before losing to Fremantle by just five points, said he had noticed some trends during those losses.

 

But he said he wouldn’t reveal what those trends were.

 

“My theory on that is if you split small wins and losses, then it might be luck. When you lose consistently, then it’s deeper,” Malthouse said.

 

“That’s something we have to really address over the pre-season, find out exactly why we get close and don’t get over the line.”

 

Malthouse said Fremantle had several quality players who performed at a high level each week. But the key to its victory had been a simple one.

 

“They were a better side,” he said.

 

“They made fewer mistakes. They make fewer mistakes, they win the game.”

 

He also said Fremantle had been better at tackling.

 

“We are a club that doesn’t have a lot of tackles,” he said.

 

“So, what is the standard? Is that the standard, or is it better than that? They actually out-tackled us, so perhaps we’ve got to learn a bit about the Fremantle efforts in tackling.”