The Wrap-Up | Carlton 2022
Season Synopsis
The one that got away. Another season has come and gone and it would be fair to say that this was the definition of a rollercoaster ride. Coming off the back of a terrible 2021, that led to nearly all the backroom and administration staff being flushed out amid mass upheaval at IKON park. The Voss, Cook and Sayers era had begun and many people didn’t know what to expect. With the additions of Lewis Young, Adam Cerra and George Hewett, many thought the Blues had to improve, but they didn’t know in what capacity these new additions were going to aid in that.
The season started like a house on fire, with the streak-ending win against the Tigers in Round 1, before an electrifying victory against the Grand Finalist from last year the following Thursday. The Blues held on to a win against the Hawks before stumbling against the Gold Coast. A little bit of inconsistency followed as after the first 6 rounds; the Blues were 4-2. This was almost a crossroads in the season for the Blues, as their next month was going to be the real litmus test. It started well, with two 50 points smashing’s against North Melbourne and Adelaide under the roof at Marvel, before venturing up to GIANTS Stadium and doing what no other Carlton team had done before, come home with the 4 points. This came before the real test, Sydney at Marvel Stadium. After a tense first term, the Blues put on a 9-goal second quarter, this scintillating football was enough to get the Blues over the line as after 10 rounds, they sat 8-2, comfortably in the top 4.
This was the best it got for the Blues, unfortunately. As the next week, they fell in heartbreaking fashion to the Pies, which started a win-loss-win-loss sequence that ended up costing them their season. From round 11 to 20, the Blues never won or lost consecutive games. In this, they were bullied at the MCG against the Cats, after bullying West Coast over in Perth. They proved their dominance against the Dockers before inaccurate kicking cost them against the Saints. After a horrid showing in Adelaide against the Crows, the equation was simple. Win 1 of the last 3 games, and the Blues will be playing finals. While they really shouldn’t have been in this position in the first place, this was where they were and this is what they had to do.
The first test was up in the sunshine state, as they versed Brisbane at the Gabba. The game was over before it started, the Lions led by 57 at three-quarter time, and despite a comeback that saw the margin reduced to 15 with 5 minutes left, the Lions held on to secure a 33-point win.
The next week wasn't much easier, as they versed the reigning premiers at the MCG. It was a horrid game. The Blues needed to make it scrappy, and they did. The scores read 4.6 to 3.4 at halftime, before the second half when the floodgates opened ever so slightly. The Dees took a 3-point lead heading into the last term When some Jack Martin brilliance and some Charlie Curnow magic saw the Blues have an 8-point lead with 3 minutes to play. This dissipated in heartbreaking fashion, as Jake Melksham took a mark in between 4 Carlton players to reduce the margin to under a goal before Kysaiah Pickett got boot to ball in a flash with 10 seconds left and broke Carlton hearts.
The final test, the old enemy. Beat Collingwood, and Carlton will play finals. After a first half that saw the Pies have the lion's share of chances, Carlton piled on 8 goals in the third quarter to lead by 25 points early in the last term. But the Pies do what the Pies do best, as they clawed their way back in the game, before hitting the front with 90 seconds left, through Jamie Elliot. The Blues couldn't manufacture a score in the remaining time, as the siren sounded leaving a deathly silence amongst all Carlton supporters. Carlton, after being 8-2, missed out on finals by 0.6 per cent, leaving fans devastated and players shattered.
How? Why?
After the horrendous way Carlton ended 2021, all Blues fans wanted to see was a united football club again. With the way that the club conducted itself over the pre-season, it was clear to see that this was going to be a completely different Carlton than what we had seen over the last decade. This transferred onto the football field. Hard, tenacious and exciting football gave Carlton fans hope that finally, the ship had turned around.
It was almost too good to be true. It seemed that nearly every problem had been fixed. We were no longer reliant on one player to carry the football club, we were a cohesive team that fulfilled the ‘next man up’ culture to the fullest extent. We had stopped, for the most part, being bullied by opposition teams who saw Carlton as an easy 4 points. No more 5/6 goal swings and we were able to pile on goals at will. Cripps had returned to his best and has made a real case for the Brownlow Medal, Charlie Curnow was back kicking bags of goals in his return season, winning the Coleman Medal with 64 goals. And despite the continuous horrid run of injuries, the likes of Lewis Young, Matt Cottrell, Jesse Motlop, Corey Durdin, Jordan Boyd and Zac Fisher all elevated their games to fill the holes that had been left by those unfortunately injured players.
How did we get here? Why are we here? These will be the questions that will burn in the minds of all Carlton supporters until round 1 2023. It all seemed rosy. Even when the Blues didn’t play well, they managed to get the job done, something many Carlton fans had never seen before.
There have been positives, no doubt. No fan can come out of this season and say Carlton hasn't improved, or that this isn’t the best season since 2013. But that lack of finals football, especially from where we were after 10 rounds, will sting fans until this group eventually makes the breakthrough and plays September football.
It almost feels like it didn’t happen, the final month of the season almost didn’t happen. Because despite it being the most Carlton way to break their fan's hearts, we had all thought those days were behind us. We had all thought that the ship had turned and the Blues were back. However, for a curse to end, it must haunt its victims one last time in the most heartbreaking, cruel and tortuous way possible. I hate to think if this curse wasn’t broken on Sunday 21st August at 5 pm.
While the rest of the AFL has now gained more respect for the Blues, there is no doubt we have a long way to go. The inexperience of this list has turned out to be its downfall, and despite Carlton not being the rollover they once were, they are still quite a bit away from being the team everyone thought they were at round 10.
By virtue of Carlton missing out on finals by 0.6 per cent, there is not one person/match/moment at fault. Everyone can talk about the miss shots in the final quarter against Collingwood or the capitulation in the final moments against Melbourne, but really, if you’re playing that game, there are millions of things at fault.
The 6 behinds kicked in the third quarter against St. Kilda, coughing up multiple 30+ points leads against Sydney, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide. Letting West Coast pile on 7 goals in a quarter. All these moments can be at fault if you want them to be, but in the end, it just comes down to the list not being ready. Because if they were ready, these things wouldn’t have happened.
They are still, to an extent, the laughingstock of the competition. Although, not for the same reasons that they have been for the past decade. Despite the promise, despite the ecstasy, this season ended in agony, and proved to be the one that got away.
Best Performance - Vs Sydney (H)
From start to finish, a magical night at Marvel Stadium. This match shows what this group is capable of if everything clicks. Truly a night that, although to a lesser extent considering the circumstances, will live in infamy for many Carlton fans.
Worst Performance - Vs Adelaide (A)
The worst loss of the season by a country mile. While Carlton played worse games, Brisbane and Gold Coast spring to mind, this game should’ve been a gimme. Go over to Adelaide, break another curse against a struggling Adelaide side, and return home with finals all but confirmed. But the Blues did what they do best and capitulate. A tougher and hungrier Adelaide outfit bullied the Blues in an embarrassing fashion.
Best Player(s)
The return of Cripps and Charlie. Cripps, after a horrid 2021, turned his career around and returned to being the contested ball bull that we had seen in 2018/19. A real smokey for the Brownlow, although his unselfishness in the middle third of the season could cost him. And Charlie, after not playing a good chunk of football for the best part of 2 years, he returned with a bang. 64 goals, Coleman Medal, All-Australian.
Most Improved player
Very difficult sections this one, as many players elevated their game in 2022. Lewis Young, Zac Fisher and Tom De Koning are all within a good shout, however, it would be hard to go past Matt Cottrell. A man that many fans wanted de-listed last year, has now established himself in the best 22 and a crucial role in Micheal Voss’ system.
Surprise Package
Hard to go past Lewis Young. Pre-season he wasn't in the best 22, only got a game because of Oscar McDonald’s injury, before becoming the backline general after Weitering’s injury. He really surprised a lot of people and has established himself as a more than the serviceable key defender, who is destined to go a long way with this group.
The Glaring Problem - Areas of Improvement in 2023
Bridging the gap. The gap between Carlton's best and worst is still way too big. Although has improved drastically from last year, it still needs major improvement. This could be the difference between winning and losing a game, and thus, making or not making finals.
Strengths
Carlton's best is one of, if not the best in the competition. Looking back at some periods of games last year, Carlton's best is one of the best in the competition. Tough, contested, fluid, exciting but structured, it looked at times as if Carlton were on their way to a premiership. At times, it was magical watching Carlton play football.
Season Rating
B-
