'Not up to standard': Blues players rinsed as 'ugly' thrashing heaps pressure on under-fire coach
Carlton's finals hopes are in tatters after suffering a 50-point thrashing to the Power at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.
Needing a win to keep in touch with the top eight, the Blues were blown off the park in the 16.14 (110) to 8.12 (60) defeat.
The Blues had faced intense scrutiny following their 11-point defeat to the Kangaroos in round 15, and the back-to-back losses, to go with their 6-9 record for the season, now make a September berth extremely unlikely.
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During the onslaught North Melbourne legend David King called it "ugly" for Carlton.
"I'm shocked to be honest because Carlton's effort has been good the last few weeks," King said.
"You can be critical of their execution and their skills, but their effort has always been there."
Patrick Cripps of the Blues and Jacob Weitering lead the team off. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Adelaide great Mark Ricciuto also questioned the effort of the players.
"It doesn't really matter what the magnets (on the coach's board) are going to do. It's the effort the players put on," he said.
"It's just not up to standard at the moment."
Carlton could only manage one goal in the first half as Port Adelaide key forward Mitch Georgiades kicked his second bag of five or more goals in three weeks.
The pain on the scoreboard was felt all the more by defender Adam Saad, who was subbed out of the match with a concussion at half time after taking a heavy shoulder to the jaw in a block by opposing ruckman Dante Visentini.
As Visentini attempted to lay a shepherd on Saad, he made contact with Saad's jaw. However, in the act, his feet did not leave the ground.
Charlie Curnow of the Blues fights with Lachie Jones of the Power. Getty
The incident could attract the attention of match review officer Michael Christian. However, most pundits suggested that the act was accidental and Visentini could escape suspension.
"They are the ones you've got to be so careful there when a player does have eyes for the ball and suddenly turns," three-time premiership Tiger Jack Riewoldt said in commentary for Fox Footy.
"I don't think there's any malice in it — just caught him in the wrong spot.
"But if you choose to bump, you wear that, if you do get them high, you will get scrutinised."
Blues coach Michael Voss watches the nightmare from the bench. AFL Photos via Getty Images
The crucial win for Port Adelaide keeps its finals chances flickering with a climb to 10th place on the ladder.
Ahead of the first bounce, Power coach Ken Hinkley swung the axe with four changes to his side.
His counterpart Michael Voss is well and truly feeling the heat despite being contracted for next year.
AFL icon Buddy Franklin this week called on the Blues to sack the coach immediately, while Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd predicted he will at least see out the remaining games this season.
