Luke Hodge isn’t reading too far into Carlton’s demolishment of West Coast in Round 7.
In the most comprehensive win of the year, the Blues ran riot at Optus Stadium to put a 108-point margin on the Eagles.
It could be seen as a return to form for Michael Voss’ men after consecutive losses to Adelaide and St Kilda.
But Hodge says the clash says more about West Coast than the Blues and has the stats to back it up.
“Leading into Gather Round when everyone was saying Carlton was up and about, I threw up that they lose those games against Adelaide, they’re the ones people expect them to win,” the four-time premiership player said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“They lost to Adelaide, they lost the following week, they had to beat West Coast but I wouldn’t be looking too much into it.
“If you look at the stats, +120 disposals, +150 uncontested possessions, 80 more marks, 25 more marks inside forward 50 and they had 22 more inside 50s, so I think that’s more of a what is West Coast doing than the Blues.”
Adam Simpson’s Eagles have only won one game in 2023 and have lost their last five by an average margin just short of 60 points.
Instead, a clash that could define the fortunes of Carlton this season is the one Hodge will pay most attention to.
Apart from beating a Geelong outfit who lost to Gold Coast a week later, Voss’ troops have failed every big test this year. It’s what makes Friday night’s game against the Brisbane Lions so important.
“You can’t fault them, they only played against who they were against,” Hodge continued.
“But it’s this week I’m looking at. Friday night, big game of football against a team that has hit their straps.
“They (Brisbane) have won their last four, let’s see what the Blues can do this week before we get too excited.”
Nathan Buckley shared a similar sentiment.
“You know, Carlton and Melbourne (over North Melbourne) had the jobs and did the jobs well on the weekend,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“But I don't think we learned anything about those two sides after those results.”
With games against the Lions, Western Bulldogs, Magpies, Swans and Bombers to come in the next five weeks, Carlton could find itself in an uphill battle to make finals if the cards don’t fall the right way.
Voss fell agonisingly short of making the finals in his first year at Carlton as the Blues slumped to four straight losses to end the 2022 season.