I BELIEVE in you, and you should believe in yourselves, too.

David Teague's first few days as Carlton's caretaker coach, in the wake of Brendon Bolton's sacking on Monday morning, were largely spent getting that message across to the players.

The Blues have won only four of their past 43 matches and sit rock-bottom this year with nine losses from 10 games, so Teague felt delivering a dose of confidence was his top priority.

FULL FIXTURE Every round, every game

"To be honest, the biggest thing right now I wanted the players to do is believe in themselves," he told reporters on Friday, a day out from his senior coaching debut against Brisbane.

"I want them to go out and believe in themselves and play the game the way they want to play it and back themselves in.

"It's been a short period of time, but the way they trained yesterday really excited me and it's not just going to happen on Saturday.

"But if they bring the effort they brought to training yesterday, I'm really excited by the opportunity we've got in front of us here."

Dale Thomas's situation has become the perfect scenario for Teague to prove his elevation truly is a "fresh start".

Thomas played in the VFL last week on a club suspension for drinking alcohol two days before the round 10 clash with St Kilda.

That ban was initially indefinite and Bolton offered no guarantee the former Magpie would be back this weekend, but the change of coaches has altered the thinking.

"(The decision) became pretty clear to me once I knew what I stood for," Teague said.

"I wanted a fresh start and my first address to the players was about a fresh start, then when it came to selection, the more I thought about it, it was a simple answer.

"The leadership group gave him a week off, he served that, he went back and he played very well, and more importantly he led really well and he's a leader in this football club.

"Then I come in on Tuesday and say I want a fresh start, so I had to give him a fresh start, otherwise it would have been hypocritical of me. I believe in him as a footballer, and I think this week he'll go out there and get his job done."

Find Trends on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Teague is short on senior AFL coaching experience, but steps up after a decade-long apprenticeship at Carlton and three other clubs: West Coast, St Kilda and Adelaide.

He also coached the then-Northern Bullants, the Blues' VFL affiliate, to consecutive Grand Finals in 2009 and 2010.

Teague said he would weigh up at season's end whether he was ready to apply to be the Blues' long-term successor for Bolton, but he does have senior coaching aspirations.

He opted this week not to follow North Melbourne caretaker coach Rhyce Shaw's approach in taking players and staff off-site to let them air their feelings about the emotional toll of Brad Scott's exit.

The biggest thing right now I wanted the players to do is believe in themselves - David Teague

However, the former Kangaroos and Blues defender did simplify the weekly structure to accommodate for the circumstances.

Now, it's over to the players to prove Teague is right to believe in them.

"I know the way I want to coach is giving them belief to believe in themselves and really back themselves in regardless," he said.

"That's always been something I've wanted to do, so I'm hoping that tomorrow each player who runs out on the oval knows I believe in them and I want them to bring their strengths.

"I really want to see whatever they know. I want the tough guys to be tough, and I want the skilful guys to be skilful and back themselves in.

"If we get the right mix of guys together doing that, we're going to be very tough to beat."

Find AFL Exchange on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.