Carlton slumped to 0-2 for the ninth straight year after losing to Collingwood by 21 points on Thursday night.
The Magpies raced to a 30-point lead early in the second quarter with the Blues defence all at sea against a rampant Jordan De Goey who kicked four first-half goals.
Collingwood took seven marks inside 50 in the first quarter after taking just five for the entire match in their Round 1 loss to the Western Bulldogs.
Kane Cornes took aim at Blues defender Lachie Plowman, who had multiple goals kicked on him, and the efforts of Carlton’s back six as a collective.
“New year, same Carlton,” Cornes told The Captain’s Run.
“They have invested in their midfield and running defence during the trade period, but perhaps they should have turned their attention to their key defenders.
“Jamie Elliott was matched up on the highly frustrating Lachie Plowman – and Plowman made Elliott look like Gary Ablett Snr in the first term.
“Plowman was moved off Elliott onto De Goey after quarter time – it took De Goey one minute to kick another goal on him and if it wasn’t Elliott or De Goey outmarking Plowman, it was (Will) Hoskin-Elliott.
“It’s perplexing how he retains his position in the Carlton side every week.
“It’s hard to think of a worse start from a defensive back six with so much riding on the result.
“Carlton’s midfield numbers didn’t help, the lack of pressure up the ground was stark, and most of Collingwood’s 13 first quarter entries were under little or no pressure.”
Carlton’s poor tackling pressure shocked Cornes given what was at stake.
“They laid only 41 tackles for the entire game and 10 players had one tackle or less. All this with the prospect of Carlton going 0-2 for the ninth straight year,” he said.
“Although the season is in its infancy and they have favourable match-ups against Freo and Gold Coast in the next two weeks, the stats would suggest they’re staring down the barrel of missing the eight again.
“From what we’ve seen so far this season - they’re miles away – the pressure is coming and rightly so.”
Carlton go in search of their first win of 2021 against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium next Sunday.