Carlton has started hub life in Queensland with a bang, beating the Western Bulldogs by 52 points at Metricon Stadium on Sunday night.
If the impressive performance wasn’t enough, the win sees the Blues sneak into top eight for the first time since Round 12, 2013.
Obviously ladder positions don’t count for much after six rounds but that won’t matter to Carlton supporters who have been starved off success for the last decade.
So how does the current team compare to that of seven years ago?
Carlton Round 12, 2013
FB: Zac Tuohy, Michael Jamison, Josh Bootsma
HB: Bryce Gibbs, Lachie Henderson, Heath Scotland
C: Jaryd Cachia, Chris Judd, Kade Simpson
HF: Mitch Robinson, Levi Casboult, Andrew Walker
FF: Eddie Betts, Jarrad Waite, Jeff Garlett
FOL: Matthew Kreuzer, Marc Murphy, Brock McLean
INT: Ed Curnow, Dennis Armfield, Sam Rowe, Kane Lucas
Bold = Played in the win over the Bulldogs
Carlton Round 6, 2020
FB: Lachie Plowman, Liam Jones, Kade Simpson
HB: Sam Docherty, Jacob Weitering, Sam Petrevski-Seton
C: Jack Newnes, Patrick Cripps, Marc Murphy
HF: Jack Martin, Levi Casboult, Michael Gibbons
FF: Eddie Betts, Harry McKay, Mitch McGovern
FOL: Marc Pittonet, Matthew Kennedy, Ed Curnow
INT: Will Setterfield, Sam Walsh, David Cuningham, Tom Williamson
The 2013 side had an abundance of running halfbacks with the likes of Tuohy, Gibbs, Scotland and Simpson rotating through those positions.
Fast-forward to 2020 and that remains a strength of the current side with Docherty, Simpson, Petrevski-Seton and Williamson using their foot skills to kick-start attacking plays.
Both midfields match-up similarly with Judd and Cripps as the standouts.
It’s in the forward line where the major differences lie.
Eddie Betts (Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Carlton opted for a much smaller attack in 2013 with Betts, Garlett, Walker and Armfield all looking to keep the game flowing quickly once the ball hit the ground.
Their fast hands, sprint speed and tackling pressure got fans off their seats.
Even Waite was very agile for his size.
The current Blues side have a different approach.
Carlton back in McKay, McGovern, (Charlie Curnow when fit) and Casboult to use their height to advantage and take valuable contested marks.
Jack Martin is no slouch overhead either, having taken three contested marks against the Dogs.
It’s a different type of exciting forward play.
Slower in nature as the midfielders wait for the right opportunity to kick it to their tall forwards, but if it results in more wins, no Carlton fan will be complaining.
There may only be five players remaining from the Carlton side in 2013 (six if you include the injured Kreuzer) but some things never change.
Betts kicked seven goals across both games and Simpson continues to throw his skinny body at everything without hesitation.
Seymorebutts
Guest
''The last time Carlton were in the top eight''.... Menzies was Prime Minister?
Cracka
Roar Rookie
They have made the 8 already? They played in Melbourne in round 1, 2 and 3, their performance against Bulldogs was a highlight for the year so far, Carlton is playing in QLD not WA, I think the heat will be on coaches, but yes your right Teague is under the heat, but he is coaching an AFL side in the biggest game in OZ. JONboy please try to make a points in your chats.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Yep, they probably are front runners. Definitely lost that toughness that they had a few years ago.
Winnie the Pooh
Guest
Carlton won the flag in 1914 and 1938 on the eave of both World Wars too. The end is nigh!
Chief Keeffe
Roar Rookie
No doubt Carlton are a huge chance for the 8 this year. Will be very good in a couple years time. All the talent in the world, just need to put it together consistently. Their best has already shown to be amongst the elite.
Kaniel Outis
Guest
They made your Dogs look sad and tragic...Matty.
Wayne Kerr
Guest
We beat your mob in Perth last year, champ! In fact our record against the Dockers is better over there than down here.
Wayne Kerr
Guest
I am still pi55ed that we lost to those Demon clowns. Teague has us playing an exciting brand of football that has been lacking since Ratten got the boot.
fractal pixie
Guest
Not against the Port downhill skiers it won't. Carlton have beaten us, the Dogs, and they are the only team to beat Essendon so far. I think Geelong, Footscray, and Essendon are better opposition than the party trickster hipsters at Port.
Wayne Kerr
Guest
Doesn't that make you front runners? That's nothing to be proud of. Port Adelaide are renowned for this dishonest style of football, hence they have little respect among opposition fans. Sides that are admired are ones that play well in wet conditions due to their physical toughness. Sides that are admired are ones that go both ways (offense and defense). If Carlton bring this intensity against Port Adelaide they will knock them off, as Port only go one way.
Macca
Roar Rookie
So you are saying we will never know ( ie time won’t tell) but you already know? And first you said “Carlton can’t maintain the level of pressure they brought on Sunday” which implies the whole game but now you say “they couldn’t even do it for a whole game” which means you were only referring to a part of the game? You might be right the blues might not be able to bring that level of pressure every week, but they may not need to – there are plenty of teams they haven’t played that are worse than the bulldogs and they don’t have to win every game by 50 points.
Macca
Roar Rookie
8 & 9 wins won't get you to 8th.
2dogs
Roar Rookie
100% record interstate so far isn’t it?
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
No it won't. No-ones ever maintained that level of pressure - they couldn't even do it for a whole game, they won't be able to do it week in-week out.
Macca
Roar Rookie
The week before was McKay's first game back and it turned out Casboult had been told he had 24 hours to find somewhere else to live just the day before - possibly could have been factors?
Macca
Roar Rookie
Not playing in Melbourne could be better for us, not games at Marvel.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
The doggies backline is very ordinary to say the least !
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Carlton have absolutely no chance of making the eight. They are unlikely to play in Melbourne for a long time just for starters .There performance against St Kilda was dismal at best, even a undermanned Freo team who lost two in the first half accounted for them.They won’t win a game in a hub in Perth. But you have to hope of course. There still the Carlton of old and the heat will arrive for Teague sooner than later.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Not yet Macca. Will try before weekend
Stix
Guest
Casboult and McGovern both provided marking targets up the ground, marking and contesting at half back and kicking into the centre and straight up the middle - that made a big difference. All 3 big forwards looked fit and mobile on Sunday. The week before McKay, Casboult and McGovern were a non factor.