STAR Carlton midfielder Chris Judd says the fact Mick Malthouse remains unsigned as Blues' coach beyond the end of 2015 is presenting no distraction to the players at the moment.
Carlton has made it clear it will not consider re-signing Malthouse until a significant part of the season has elapsed but the Blues coach told Channel Nine before the season started he was concerned about the effect such an approach would have on his assistant coaches and the players.
Malthouse said his experience at Collingwood told him that the longer uncertainty remained about whether or not he would coach beyond 2015, the greater the chance players would become distracted by the issue.
However, Judd told 3AW Malthouse's contractual status was not something the players spent a lot of time thinking about.
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"I think the players are playing assuming Mick [Malthouse] is going to be there for the foreseeable future, so I don't think that is having an impact on how we're playing for the time being," Judd said.
The veteran expressed support for the coach and said the Blues' current form had nothing to do with the coach being unsigned beyond the end of the year.
"He's a wonderful coach and the players support him, but there is only so much the coach can do," Judd said.
"The players are the ones who have to grit their teeth now and do the work and perform for our club."
Judd was Carlton's best player in the first quarter of Friday night's game against the Eagles but went out of the game after West Coast's Matt Rosa started tagging him.The Blues were outscored 16 goals to three in the last three quarters to go down by 69 points.
Judd said Carlton's culture was improving, despite what the results might indicate, after a period where the club was in "survival as opposed to achievement mode".
He said the overhaul of the list management department was necessary, but the club's recent drafting had been reasonable. However, he said the club was in the negative in relation to trading measures during his time at there.