PATRICK Cripps' awe-inspiring on-field impact is obvious, but Carlton coach Brendon Bolton has given a rare insight into how his biggest star is trying to change his team for the better.

The Blues suffered their 29th defeat in the past 32 games on Saturday in a 19-point result against Sydney where they were again competitive for large periods of the contest.

Bolton, as he has stated ad nauseam this year, is not interested in honourable losses – and that's fair enough, too, after an extended barren run.

SWANS EDGE BLUES Full match coverage and stats

"Close enough is not good enough," the coach told reporters post-match, an attitude, he says, is driven as much by him as his playing group.

Co-captain Cripps might just be the key to that, with his herculean individual performances matched only by his want to drag his clubmates along for the ride.

The 24-year-old, already a dual club champion, is thriving in his leadership role, which he shares with Sam Docherty, who is again facing a season on the sidelines recovering from a major knee injury.

"What I'm so pleased about with Cripps' captaincy is he's driving with this young group, the now. Make a decision now that you're ready," Bolton said.

"I think he decided in his second year, did he not? Won a B&F (best and fairest), I think.

"You can wait forever to be good in this caper, but he made those calls this week and messaged it before the game, because there are young guys in our team, but you're ready now when you decide to be.

"That's leadership. So are his numbers on the deck, by the way."

WATCH Brendon Bolton's full post-match media conference

Bolton went out of his way to describe the sombre nature of the Carlton changerooms after this latest loss, speaking of an "awkward silence" and a want to return to work next week.

"It was loud and clear that they're really driven now to train well on Tuesday and Thursday to try and get a result next week (against Gold Coast), because they, like us, are not liking these close losses," he said.

"We're right in it, but we can't be satisfied with being right in it – and we're not.

"Their mind was really steely about now going to action some things at training to move forward next week."

Part of what is letting the Blues down, according to Bolton, was the inability to consistently string together the "basics and fundamentals".

In this loss, it was a failure to adjust mid-match to the hectic pace and that was demonstrated in the large discrepancy in uncontested marks between the sides.

There was Carlton's goalkicking, which saw it nail just four goals from 10 set shots.

Exciting second-year midfielder Paddy Dow will also rue some of his finishing – two of them wayward shots at goal – because he was otherwise impressive.

Small forwards Mick Gibbons and Cameron Polson had only four disposals apiece, while Mitch McGovern (tight left hamstring) barely played in the second half.

Among the major positives were Cripps' brilliant effort, Liam Jones' excellent job on Lance Franklin, Sam Walsh's tremendous work ethic and composure, plus Harry McKay's contested marking.

McKay snaffled six such marks on the day and has an AFL-high 15 through the first three rounds.

The Suns are next on the Gold Coast on Sunday week and the expectation of a Blues win will be high inside and outside of Ikon Park.

"Listen, we're chasing a win as hard as anything," Bolton said.

"There's no blurriness around what I've already said. But we can't let that just distract the process of how to get a win.

"There are so many examples of teams in the past, where (they are) so close, so close, so close, then when it cracks, it opens up and goes in their favour."