It’s safe to say that Carlton’s victory over Geelong will be the focal point of many footy forums during the week.
It’s easy to harp on the positive results of the victory, like the fact that the win signified the Blues’ first win over the Cats’ at Etihad in fifteen attempts or the fact that Carlton have the fourth-easiest run home in the league.
All optimistic views aside, it’s important to acknowledge that this win wasn’t a lucky one.
It wasn’t a case of the Cats having an off day, or them simply playing bad footy – it was the case of a unified, inspired and rejuvenated young Blues outfit, under the guidance of their beloved coach, ‘Bolts’.
Brendon Bolton may be a pint-sized ball of optimism, but underneath, lies his admirable ability to instil core values and effective structures into his young group.
The players are certainly reaping the rewards of this, as they sit 11th on the ladder, a distant seven spaces from where they ended up in the dreary season of 2015.
Bolton’s exquisite coaching has not only inspired the players, but also the supporters.
They’ve rallied around him and immersed him with passionate pats on the back and cheers of rejoice when he races down the stands to reaffirm his boys of their good work, whether it’s resulted in a win or a loss.
Despite the result, it is obvious that the Blues are playing for their coach and not just implementing his structures or playing their role within the team, but actually playing for him.
The young players, the leaders, the ones that float in and out of the side week by week- they’re all doing their bit to ensure that the supporters remain faithful, enabling them to sniff that breath of fresh hope as they enter the latter half of the 2016 season.
Brendon Bolton has created undeniable unity among the players and the coaches in only his first season leading the troops.
Although Bolton’s coaching has been a unique sort of revelation, his intelligent techniques and exciting optimism would go unnoticed if it weren’t for the players implementing his structures.
The 2015 Carlton looked deflated and lifeless – they were a team of individuals who desperately wanted to be the shining light in a glum season.
The 2016 Carlton? Not fazed by the hot form of the premiership favourites, not disheartened by the hefty losses, not willing to give up on their journey.
The spirit instilled in these young players is quite remarkable, considering the deep hole that Malthouse left them in last year.
The Blues are a club on the rise and should be taken seriously, as they showed immense poise and composure over the weekend, despite a rampaging Cats outfit who were determined to snatch the victory- and reclaim their dignity from the tight grasp of navy blue warriors.
The next month sees the Blues play Brisbane, St Kilda, Collingwood and Adelaide.
With their captain, Marc Murphy, set for a stint on the sidelines, the pressure on the Blues mounts as they face the exciting prospect of having eight or nine wins by the end of June.
Their leaders – both young and old – will be required to step up to the plate and follow in Murph’s footsteps in order to make this possibility an exciting reality.
Murphy has battled the immense speculation – and the risk of not being able to captain Carlton in 2016 – to take the captaincy by the reigns and lead his side through his gutsy determination, his brilliant decision making and also his ability to create opportunities for his teammates.
It wasn’t just Carlton’s skill or poise that got them over the line on Sunday – it was their strong sense of belief that helped them defy the odds and reclaim the respect of the competition.
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