This is our CEO's take on the injury riddled year we've endured
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Carlton’s season was derailed by injuries, with over 10 players unavailable consistently across the season.
Sam Walsh was a late withdrawal with a back injury for Round 23, while the likes of Adam Saad, Adam Cerra, Caleb Marchbank and Jacob Weitering played through niggles.
The Carlton CEO gave his thoughts on whether the high performance team needed to come under scrutiny.
“I think we’ve been looking at that on an ongoing basis and we’ve had so many injuries this year it’s sort of out of proportion,” Cook said.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going on there and I’m not sure anyone does. From afar, Vossy’s brought a very combative style of game, lots of contest, lots of energy, and it has taken its toll a bit. I think that’s one thing.
“The other is that there is still a lot of younger players in that group and they’re evolving, that’s an issue.
“And the third issue, and if you looked at our injuries, you’ll find that the majority were actually collision injuries and not overuse injuries. That becomes an issue as well.
“Without doing some sort of investigation, that’s how I’m seeing it on the periphery.
“I think we need to have a little bit of a look at it, but I’m not too sensitive about it at this point of time.
“I think Vossy’s game will evolve in the next year or two and we’ll become an even more intense side, a more combative style, and maybe we have to think about the kinds of players we recruit – inside versus outside – but that’ll be up to the recruiting people as well.”