CARLTON coach David Teague has conceded his players felt "the weight" of missed opportunities on Saturday night, as the club tossed away a golden chance to upset Geelong with its inaccuracy in front of goal.
The Blues missed 13 of their first 14 scoring shots at the MCG and finished with just one fewer scoring shot than the Cats for the match, but ultimately fell to a costly 26-point defeat.
BLUES v CATS Full match coverage and stats
Eight separate Carlton players missed chances as the side kicked 11 consecutive behinds on either side of half-time, going more than an hour without registering a major. It proved decisive, as Geelong ultimately eased clear to record victory.
"Some of it was shot-quality, but we just didn't make the most of the opportunities," Teague said afterwards.
"At one stage last week we were 10.3 (63), so we can do it. But we didn't do it today. There seems to be a bit of a trend for us that if we start missing early, whether the next guy feels the weight or the pressure of it … we've got to get better.
"You don't win games kicking at goal like that. I think at the end we had one less shot than them, but it was that supply and demand. They just had too much."
The defeat on Saturday night was the ninth time this season Carlton has missed more shots than it has converted, with Teague saying his players must address the issue and find a technique that works for them.
"It's really about players having a routine and taking out what's happened in the past," Teague said.
"The key to good goalkicking is staying in the moment and sticking with your routine and going through that. I know the guys will train it. It's definitely something, particularly from an individual point of view, that maybe they need to address.
"It's hard to replicate that pressure at training, so it's more psychologically that they need to prepare themselves and come up with a really strong routine that they're confident with and stick to it."
Geelong is hopeful captain Joel Selwood and experienced forward Luke Dahlhaus will return for next Thursday night's trip to Optus Stadium to face Fremantle, but coach Chris Scott says five-day breaks are unsustainable for the game.
While hinting the Cats will continue to need to manage players throughout the remainder of the season, Scott suggested the AFL should return to shorter 16-minute quarters to reduce the workload on players and teams.
"As a spectator, when I watch footy on a Thursday or Friday night, the game is way too long," Scott said after his side's victory.
"I don't really get a say in that, but the shorter games do allow you to play off shorter breaks. Five-day breaks, with the game time and the longer seasons … at least for us, it would be unsustainable to play the same 22 every week.
"If that's what we have to do, then so be it, but I don't think it's the best for the game. I think you want the best players out there as much as possible. I certainly like it when there's heat on the game and it's punchy, rather than drawn out.
"There is nothing the rule makers can do to stop the coaches controlling the tempo of the game. We'll win that one every time.
"With shorter game time, you've got a lot more flexibility. I love watching footy on a Thursday night and I'll enjoy the footy on Monday night as well. The options really open up with shorter game time and they drastically reduce with the game time we're enduring at the moment."
