FUNDAMENTAL skill errors and struggling under pressure cost Carlton dearly in its shock 13-point loss to Richmond, according to coach Michael Voss.
Voss wasn't dancing around the issues which faced his team, which led by 41 points in the second term against an unheralded and rebuilding Tigers side.
TIGERS v BLUES Full match coverage and stats
"It was pretty disappointing. Yeah, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. To be in the position that we were in early in the match and give up that lead and that position was – yeah, couldn't be more disappointed," Voss said.
"As the game went, you could sort of see clearly Richmond were gathering more energy. As they're gathering it, sometimes you've just got to stay in that fight when things aren't working for you, and we just weren't prepared to stay in that fight.
"Through error, through inefficiency, they were able to claw their way back, through probably increasing their pressure and capitalising on our mistakes and being a little bit inefficient when we went inside 50, so that was really disappointing.
"But the momentum in the game was certainly against us towards the second half, but what was it, nine goals to two in the second half? It shouldn't have happened that way."
Asked if his players had taken wooden spoon fancy Richmond too lightly, Voss was assertive.
"Gee, I really hope not, because humility has been a significant thing for us," he said.
"It may be talked about externally, but there's never a comment about where an opposition team are, other than it's round one. It's a start of the season. Everyone's got hope. Everyone believes they're a chance and you roll into round one and anything can happen.
"We also know the history of these games, Carlton versus Richmond in round one, they're close. So no matter wherever people have proposed that we're estimated where the teams have been, and how they've projected to be at the end of the season, the reality is, these games have been close. And gee, I would hope that wasn't the case. I really would."
Voss said Carlton will regain star forward Charlie Curnow (knee) for next Thursday night's blockbuster against Hawthorn, and remains hopeful Orazio Fantasia (calf) will also be cleared to play.
By contrast, you couldn't wipe the smile off Adem Yze's face amid a raucous Richmond changerooms that seemed more akin to a finals win.
The Tigers had kicked just one goal as the Blues galloped away to their biggest lead, with three majors just before half-time wrestling momentum back their way.
"You get a lot of belief in the things that've been training. We've trained a lot around our system, our method, but a lot around our mental mastery. So for our players, a young group, they've got to learn how to deal with momentum," Yze said.
"That was almost the most pleasing part of the game, not letting that scoreboard impact the way that we wanted to play. For them to reset and go back to their anchors and get back out there and execute.
"We knew it was going to take a little bit of time, just wanted to chip away at it, but to the boys' credit, their spirit and energy didn't waver at all, which is all I can ask."
Richmond fielded three debutants – No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor, forward Harry Armstrong and defender Luke Trainor – with the former finishing with 18 disposals and two goals and showing plenty of polish.
Lalor's performance was particularly impressive after having surgery on a fractured jaw less than a month ago.
"That's why he's a talented kid and he'll just get better, but that's what he does. When the ball's in his area, he knows how to play and he knows how to win and he knows how to fight," Yze said.
"Who would have thought a few weeks ago – he was getting surgery on his jaw, and now he's having a win on the MCG. [It's a] great opportunity for our footy club to celebrate with their families and it's just one step along that journey."
Yze said young key back Jacob Blight – who impressed in his first half against Harry McKay – was subbed out with a tight groin.
