Zac Williams has endured a stop-start beginning to his Carlton career.
Having joined the Blues from GWS last trade period on significant money, the 26-year-old has failed to hit the heights expected of him thus far.
He has had to deal with injuries and suspension which have restricted his output, but on Sunday he picked up just nine disposals as the Blues gave up a third-quarter lead to the Western Bulldogs, eventually going down by 16 points.
The former Giant spent the majority of the Bulldogs loss inside 50 after suffering a fresh injury early in the game.
With that in mind, Gerard Healy wondered whether it was time to send Williams from the midfield to the half-back flank where he excelled with the Giants.
“Surely Carlton have got to put Zac Williams onto the half-back flank,” the Brownlow Medallist said on Sportsday.
“I know they’ve got a lot of half-back flankers, but this is not working and it’s hurting them as a club, it’s hurting him as a player.”
Healy suggests shifting co-captain Sam Docherty from defence to the middle in a bid to get the best out of Williams.
“If they have to move one of their captains from across the half-back line, then move him,” he added.
“I’d play him in the middle. Docherty had a lot of touches on the weekend. I haven’t seen the game in its entirety but I’ve watched a lot of vision behind the goals and it is ugly in defence in that last quarter.
“Maybe he’s (Williams) got to go back there and you’ve got to try and get something out of Docherty because this is not working.”
Matthew Lloyd is also adamant that Williams must be played off half-back.
“Play players in their best spots,” the Essendon great said.
“They thought Williams was the answer as a midfielder. His foot skills aren’t good enough, he can’t run well enough.
“Cut your losses and send him to the half-back flank.”
SEN Breakfast’s Tim Watson is prepared to cut Williams some slack considering his interrupted start to life as a Blue.
“It’s too early to say he’s not going to be that (a quality midfielder) and he’s coming back from injury,” he said.
“He looked well underdone, but is he going to be a midfielder?
“You hitch your wagon to players on long-term deals and that impacts your ability to do other things and recruit other players.
“I’m not convinced that he’s going to be the midfielder they recruited, but I’m giving him a spell because he’s been injured.
“We’ve got to give him some time to find his feet in the position.”
Williams is averaging 18 disposals with Carlton in 2021, playing in just one win across five games so far.