Bryce Gibbs has defended his former club Carlton after Kane Cornes heaped pressure on the Blues ahead of 2023.
After assessing the 2023 AFL fixture, Cornes implied that the Blues have a fairly handy draw of games with some nice commercial gain to be had.
He says Michael Voss and his side simply must deliver next year after an era of underachievement.
It comes on the back of them narrowly missing playing finals in 2022 when they seemingly had September action on the agenda throughout the campaign.
“They are the big winners of this fixture, certainly commercially,” Cornes said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“I want to ask the question whether this group is up to the extra pressure that will be placed upon them as a result next year.
“The AFL are seat 1A on the Carlton plane, sipping champagne next to Michael Voss and the Carlton supporters.
“Seven prime time games in the first 15 weeks, 10 free-to-air games, the season opener, Good Friday, the first game of Gather Round and six games at the MCG in the first 15 rounds.
“It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Cornes can see why the AFL has handed the Blues such a fixture as they are on the verge of achieving success, provided they can handle the pressure.
“I understand why. The momentum around Carlton is strong and I’m certainly optimistic of what they are able to achieve next year with the group that they’ve got,” he added.
“But the facts are, this group haven’t been able to handle such pressure. They started the season 9-3 and looked an ominous threat before coughing up the last four, some in just unbelievable circumstances to miss the finals.
“Every move that this group makes next year will be amplified by this exposure they have from the fixture.
“And the pressure might just be unbearable.
“This is a team that is all-in. They’ve got the Brownlow Medallist (Patrick Cripps), they’ve got Coleman Medallists (Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow), they don’t have a dime to spare with their salary cap, they’ve recruited heavily and they don’t have any excuses.
“A top four finish on the back of this fixture is a must for the Blues.”
In response, Carlton 231-gamer Gibbs criticised Cornes for suggesting the club should be in the gun.
He believes the Blues have only now edged their way into contention and it is imprudent to place them on such a hefty pedestal.
“It just means that more people are probably watching,” Gibbs said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“That’s the only difference that’s going to change.
“I certainly understand Carlton this year, they had a couple of missed opportunities. Especially late in the season, they needed to win one of their last three games and they couldn’t get it done.
“But Carlton are just coming on the scene here. They’ve been bad for a very long time. They’ve gone out and recruited well, they’ve got Coleman Medallists and a Brownlow Medallist, they are in their prime.
“They’re going to be in the window for the next four to five years. I think there are a few more teams that are going to come under more pressure next year than Carlton are.”
Gibbs floated the clubs he believes will receive more spotlight than the Blues in 2023, naming frequent finalists Port Adelaide and Brisbane.
“Let’s talk about Kane’s Port Adelaide, to start with,” he added.
“Have been up thereabouts in the last four to five years. They came out publicly last year and said it’s Grand Final or bust for us this year. I think Ken Hinkley was quoted in saying that.
“It’s all on Port this year. I think they’re under more pressure than what Carlton are in terms of having a successful year and bouncing back into the top four.
“They’ve had three or four years of opportunity and Carlton have maybe had one year, last year, and are building and in a lot better position than what Port are.”
Of the Lions he said: “The other team who I reckon have more pressure on them than Carlton is Brisbane.
“They’re another team who have been up and around that top four for a number of years now having made prelims.
“They go out and get Josh Dunkley, who is an absolute superstar, Jack Gunston, Conor McKenna, they get arguably the no.1 pick of the draft in Will Ashcroft. They lose Dan McStay up forward, but they can cover him.
“If they don’t do anything this year and don’t live up to expectations… I think those two teams go into the season under more pressure.
“If you’re going to base a team under pressure on the fixture and prime time games they get, that’s rubbish.”
The Blues finished ninth in 2022 by 0.6 per cent, losing their final home and away game to Collingwood by one point in heartbreaking fashion to a late Jamie Elliott goal.
They kick off the 2023 season with their customary opener against Richmond at the MCG on March 16.