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Opinion
Usually, surveys with a low sample size aren’t taken very seriously and whilst that’s got some merit, the results of asking a 28, 42 and 67-year-old Carlton supporter how they felt about their off-season, there was a collective non-concern not associated with the Blues in almost a decade.
From trading in Chris Judd in the late 2000s, to a late boom in Zac Williams, Adam Saad, Adam Cerra and George Hewett, the off-season at Ikon Park has usually consisted of splashes, promises and the collective over-inflated sense of optimism.
Cut to late-August and Carlton fans’ chins are scraping footpaths all over the country. Rinse and repeat.
Whilst the 2022 season ended with more (and rightly so) footpath scraping, the reality of a Carlton side relying on natural improvement rather than a “big fish saviour”, leads to a justified sense of 2023 leading to genuine production.
The key pillars of Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay are locked away for the foreseeable future, Patrick Cripps is a Brownlow Medallist, Sam Walsh has that potential and the weaknesses in the list have diminished, to just nabbing Blake Acres from the Dockers, whilst retaining their next four picks in the first two rounds (2022 & 2023 drafts).
Patrick Cripps after winning the 2022 Brownlow Medal. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The Blues’ key back and small forward stocks are still looming as the side’s weaker points, however in the case of the small forwards, Jesse Motlop showed flashes of brilliance and Corey Durdin went to work so there’s not nothing there, just the investment of another pre-season.
The key back problem still exists, even with Lewis Young being very solid in the back half of 2022. Mitch McGovern can’t seem to stay fit and there isn’t depth behind them, with Liam Jones off to the Dogs and Oscar McDonald being delisted.
Getting a key back in the draft would be the ultimate win, whether it’s if Jedd Busslinger slides to Pick 10, or if Josh Weddle or Lewis Hayes are still there in the second round (or the Blues trade up with the Giants at some point, who have a quarter of the picks in the top 20).
The overall theme for the Blues is they’re in as great a shape as a team who didn’t make finals can be. No fanfare, no over the top indulgence, just heads down, bum up, do the work and the reward will come. Just ask the coach.
We could be living in a world where Carlton (at least internally) allow themselves to fly under the radar a touch, just do what they can control and let the media fall over themselves if they so choose.
Expectation will follow this group and rightly so. Harry McKay deeming the season a success if they didn’t make finals isn’t the hard lined attitude that needs to be instilled into this group but the burn off being a point off finals will tell us all we need to know.
Footy’s a mental game and the psychological strength of Carlton will determine the fate.
Coach? Tick
Captain? Tick
Soldiers? Tick
To quote my ex co-worker (the aforementioned 67-year old) who’s loved the Blues for more than double the time I’ve been alive, “it’s nice to not be the centre of attention after the grand final, a breath of fresh air”.
I couldn’t agree more.
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