Fox Footy pundits Gerard Healy and Garry Lyon have revealed damning footage of Carlton’s backline that left the team badly exposed during the Western Bulldogs’ stunning comeback victory.

The Blues led by 27 points late in the third quarter before conceding eight consecutive Bulldogs goals, resulting in a 16-point win for Luke Beveridge’s side and leaving Carlton 13th on the ladder with a 3-5.

The Bulldogs’ surge was the latest example of Carlton’s inability to stop opposition sides from kicking mass goals in a short amount of time. According to Champion Data, the Blues have conceded 14 three-plus goal hauls – ranked 14th in the competition.

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

“If you can hang with the Bulldogs for three quarters, you‘re not that far away if you address your defence. And their defence, it stands out,” Brownlow Medallist Healy told Fox Footy’s On The Couch.

“They concede so many consecutive goals week-in, week-out that they haven‘t got a plan to go back and get stability behind the ball.

“If you have a look at some of this vision on defence, there is clearly an issue with the defensive coach, which then shoots back to the senior coach.”

Healy then pointed to behind-the-goals vision from Sunday’s game, highlighting how co-captain Sam Docherty left his Bulldogs opponent after the Blues won a centre clearance but didn’t run with him when the Bulldogs won the ball back on turnover. The decision created a domino effect, with other Carlton defenders leaving their men to man up other free Bulldogs players.

Instead of sprinting back into his defensive 50 to provide an extra number, Docherty hung around centre half-back. Ultimately, Bulldogs forward Josh Bruce was left alone inside 50 and took an uncontested mark in the forward pocket.

“He (Docherty) needs to start understanding – and he would know this but he doesn’t act – he has got to charge back there because, inevitably, you‘re going to be one man short – and that’s how it plays out,” Healy said.

“This is pretty basic stuff, I would’ve thought, that you need to find stability behind the ball. You can‘t be left with an extra forward that you’re not able to grab hold of.”

Healy’s second example featuring Liam Jones, however, was more damning.

As the Blues launched a counter-attack play from defence, Jones was covering space at centre half-back. However he didn’t appear to look behind him into the defensive 50, where Bulldog Pat Lipinski was unmarked and the closest player – of any team – to goal.

“That needs to be addressed by Liam Jones and yet he’s observing and observing and they’ve got this loose man in the forward line that’s unheard of,” Healy told On The Couch.

“This is unforgivable – and I look at this and why I don’t think Carlton are that far away. These are fixable issues because it’s not about ability, it’s about concentration.”

Melbourne champion Lyon was particularly scathing of Jones’ effort.

“I think Liam Jones, one-on-one, does a wonderful job. But how long do you keep going to the well with someone that is in a situation where it‘s game-defining and … that is a staggering piece of a vision for a man who’s supposed to be the cornerstone of your defence,” Lyon told On The Couch. “He doesn’t turn his head. All he had to do was turn his head.

“I don’t want to make Liam Jones the scapegoat, but it can be fixed by doing what an Under 12 kid is taught to do. When the ball’s in dispute and it‘s a game on the line and he’s the full-back, you don’t wander aimlessly out to centre half-back with no awareness of what’s behind you.

“Carlton supporters are sitting at home going: ‘Why? Why? Why? How’s it happened?’ Well because you’ve got dumb instances like that. That’s why it happens.”

Triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown added it was “indefensible”, while Saints legend Nick Riewoldt said Jones had broken the “golden rule for defenders”.

“There’s a lot of heat on David Teague at the moment and the defensive system is not allowing the Carlton players to best the best version of themselves. Well I don‘t care what system you’re putting in place, if you’ve got players that can’t execute a simple turning of the head – which is the number one rule for defenders in that situation to know what’s around you – then how can you lay the blame at David Teague’s feet?” Riewoldt asked.

“The players, both of those in Docherty and Jones in those cases, are to blame.”

LISTEN TO THE LATEST EDITION OF THE FOX FOOTY PODCAST HERE, OR TAP HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES OR SPOTIFY

Brown pointed out that the Blues lost the centre bounce clearance count to the Bulldogs by -16 on the weekend and conceded 21 points for the game, but said the defenders were just as much to blame.

“Your backline and your defensive structure has to be your insurance policy,” he said.

“Yes your midfielders get beaten – and David Teague said the midfielders put their hand up and said ‘it’s our fault’ – well I hope the defenders are watching that. They’ll certainly be getting shown that vision because boys you’re letting your midfielders down.”