The ‘frustrating’ stat that has characterised Carlton’s disappointing 2025 season so far

Jimmy Bartel has highlighted a statistic that encapsulates Carlton’s ongoing difficulties this season, which is likely to frustrate fans.

A visibly “pissed off” coach, Michael Voss, specifically addressed this issue during his post-match conference following the team’s defeat to Sydney, expressing his disappointment that his side had the game in their grasp for a half but ultimately let it slip away.

The Blues held the lead at half-time and dictated much of the play, yet they could only manage three goals in the second half while conceding six.

This pattern has become all too familiar for Carlton supporters. Bartel noted that the team has held the lead at half-time in every game except one this season, despite only securing four victories.

“Out of ten matches, they have been leading at the main break nine times, yet they have only turned that into four wins,” Bartel shared on Nine’s Footy Furnace.

“The sole occasion they trailed at halftime was against the Adelaide Crows, who thoroughly dominated them.

“They tend to fade away, and their grinding style of play makes it challenging for them to score when they fall behind. They generally land in the mid-70s since they play a contest-to-contest style, which is commendable; we appreciate it. However, modern football emphasises forward handballs, chains of play, speed, and transitioning quickly into attack.

“This is the trend among the top teams in the league.”

Host Tom Morris added, “It must be incredibly frustrating for Carlton supporters.”

This season, Carlton have only managed to score 100 points on two occasions, against North Melbourne and West Coast.

Their best performance so far was a score of 94 in a win over Geelong in round seven; apart from that, their highest score was 77 points against St Kilda.

In their losses this season, they’ve recorded scores of 69, 60, 75, 46, 50, and 62 points.

The Blues will be looking to improve when they take on GWS in round 11.