CARLTON coach Mick Malthouse has refused to speculate on a possible finals berth from ninth place, instead fuming over the missed chances against Essendon that cost his team a chance to overtake eighth-placed Port Adelaide.
With reports suggesting the Bombers could be stripped of premiership points by the AFL Commission on Monday as punishment for their 2011-12 supplements program, the ninth-placed Blues remain in finals calculations.
But the veteran coach declined to buy into the speculation following the six-point loss at the MCG, which came despite having nine more scoring shots.
He did, however, share his disgust with his team for kicking 9.22 at the dismal conversion rate of 29 per cent.
"Not one little bit interested," Malthouse said.
"We came here tonight to win, and we didn't win.
"I don't know what's going to take place [between Essendon and the AFL Commission], I don't care what's going to take place.
"We play Port next week, and technically we can't make the eight.
"We came here tonight to bridge the gap, take Port on next week in a mini-final, and have an opportunity to replace them in the eight, and we lost that opportunity."
Malthouse had no explanation for the bad kicking for goal, with six players kicking multiple behinds, while Chris Yarran and Troy Menzel, with two goals each, were the only multiple goalkickers.
Eddie Betts and Zach Tuohy both kicked 1.3, Nick Duigan kicked 0.2, and Yarran's two goals also came with three behinds.
"Bad kicking is bad football," Malthouse said.
"It's an old cliché, but it's very, very right. We were terrible.
"You take responsibility, and when that responsibility is yours, you've got to finish off, and we didn't do it.
"No one means to miss, but when you miss that many times, it becomes contagious."
Asked if not making the final eight made his first season in charge of the Blues a failure, Malthouse was philosophical.
"It depends on certain things," he said.
"Some things worked out well, some things didn't work out well.
"A crunch game like this against Essendon, we got beaten on two occasions by under a goal.
"We got beaten by Richmond under a goal, we got beaten by St Kilda by nine-odd points.
"So these are the things that are disappointing.
"Was it a failure? I don't know what our expectations were."
Carlton lost Brock McLean with an injured right quad during the first quarter.
Malthouse said the midfielder would be assessed on Sunday.
He was unsure if former captain Chris Judd would be fit to face the Power next week.
If the Bombers are disqualified from the top eight, Carlton will need to defeat Port Adelaide to be assured of making the finals.
North Melbourne, West Coast, Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions could all overtake the Blues if they lose.
