BRENDON Bolton hasn't lost faith his message is getting through at Carlton, despite another drubbing.

The under-fire coach has registered just one win for the Blues this season, and only four victories from his past 43 games at the helm.

That horror run continued on Sunday with a 41-point defeat to Essendon at a wet MCG, with Carlton posting its lowest score of the season and managing only four goals for the game.

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Bolton said his belief in his plan is not wavering but admits the conjecture around his future is difficult to ignore.

"I'm human. I'm frustrated. I'm determined as ever and invested in trying to help our staff and players. My main worry is not about myself," he said post-game.

"What happens is if you're under pressure or feeling heat and all that, the easiest thing to do is just internalise. One of my strategies is to go and do something for somebody else and then you think less about yourself.

"So let it be a review with a player on Monday, or a conversation about their game, talk to a coach, go out and do some more touch with players … sometimes you have to do something for someone else and that'll be my approach."

Essendon counterpart John Worsfold offered his support for Bolton after the game, saying unity was important as a club takes a long-term build back to success.

Bolton said the Blues had taken a specific approach several years ago to rebuild via the NAB AFL Draft.

However, they are staring down their third wooden spoon in the past five years as they sit on the bottom of the ladder two wins behind 17th-placed Gold Coast.

"Every year we've gone younger because we had to go to the draft. In time, hopefully those young guys get into that 100-150 game bracket where they can really perform and we get more mature players around them," he said.

"That's the next step of that build. But to this point [our] age profile is going backwards every year. Most teams' age profile gets older. That hasn't been the case at Carlton."

Co-captain Patrick Cripps was tagged heavily by young Bomber Dylan Clarke and gathered only 11 disposals with no impact on the game, but Bolton said the Blues won't consider resting the midfield star, adding he had played a "selfless" role.

"He's been tagged heavily and that happens. You expect it with a big, strong player like him, but sometimes too you have to play sacrificial roles in positions around stoppages and 'Crippa' tried to do that for fair periods today," he said.

WATCH Brendon Bolton's full post-match press conference

"He can [continue] because he's a warrior. But do you want to come in and tell him he's not going to compete, play midfield and we'll rest you? It's not going to happen. He's captain of our footy club. 

"You count the numbers going through the midfield today for us and that signals the intent to build a young midfield to help Cripps. That's a deliberate strategy because we know we've got to build guys around Crippa."

Dale Thomas was a standout for the Northern Blues on Sunday after being banished to the VFL for drinking before last week's loss to St Kilda, but Bolton couldn't guarantee the ex-Magpie would be back next week to face Brisbane. 

"Considering the scenario we're in, I'm glad he responded that way. He let us down and he had to respond," he said.