CARLTON was forced to call a media conference on Friday after its former assistant coach Tony Liberatore made fresh claims the club were 'tanking' at the end of last season.

Liberatore, who was part of the Blues coaching staff during that time, told the Nine Network's AFL Footy Show on Thursday night that winning "wasn't the be all and end all" for the club during the final matches of the year.

Asked if he felt that constituted tanking, he said: "I would have to say yes."

The club issued a statement on Thursday night, once again saying there was no substance to the allegations.

"The Carlton Football Club emphatically denies the claims made by Tony Liberatore on The Footy Show this evening," the brief statement read.

The press conference was held at MC Labour Park, where head coach Brett Ratten and chief executive Greg Swann fronted the media.

The Blues lost their final 11 matches in 2007, eventually meaning they had a priority pick in the NAB AFL Draft, which they used to select talented young ruckman Matthew Kreuzer.

Brett Ratten took over from Denis Pagan as caretaker coach for the final six games of last season, before being given the job permanently.

Liberatore was an assistant for four years under Pagan, but Ratten opted not to renew his contract once he took over as head coach.

Liberatore said the coaching staff had never talked about tanking, he believed the players were always trying to win and he was not aware of any directive from Blues executives to lose matches.

"I never heard (a directive to lose), but I could feel it, if that makes sense," Liberatore said.

"Nobody ever said we're not going to win today but the feeling in the group was that it was a bit of a laugh."

He said he did not believe the club picked sides to win in the final rounds, but admitted other coaches might disagree.

"Another coach might say `yes' because we're looking to develop young players," he said.

Ratten always vehemently denied the club tried to lose matches on the frequent occasions the tanking issue was raised during the Blues' losing run last season.

A Carlton spokesman told The Footy Show Liberatore's view was nothing more than a personal opinion.

It is the second time in a matter of weeks Liberatore has taken a swipe at one of his former employers.

Last month, the 1990 Brownlow Medallist who played 284 games for the Bulldogs said that club's chief executive Campbell Rose should be sacked and its coach Rodney Eade should also get his marching orders if he could not guide the club to the finals this year.