Autopsy 2023 Preliminary Final Blues brave season comes to an end

[AndyLucimitis]

What a ride.

I’m 58 and whilst disappointed tonight, what these boys have given me the last three weeks I will take to the grave.

Was fortunate to be at both Friday night games with daughters who had only ever seen failure and to share this two epic wins with them was so special.


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[TerryWallet]

Absolutely no complaints. Great year.

Bold decisions to play Marchy and Boyd and they were both fantastic. Dutchy also held up well for fantastic experience.

We just couldn't hold them when the ball spilled to the outside during the middle quarters.

A+ effort and results since the bye. Enormous 15 weeks. We are the real deal again

 

[thylacine60]

I reckon Dow was on the right trajectory too but the MC refused to see it

yes, that's what happened........

 

[tarczonandjane]

Some will probably disagree with my comments. But I have supported Carlton since 1982. My view is that this side has played with more heart than any other iteration of our team that I’ve seen, and they’ve probably shown the most pride in the guernsey that I’ve seen in that time too.

That’s not to denigrate those other teams in the 80s and 90s. They just had an aura about them that they would win, and the star power to boot.

This team were just workhorses who applied their nose to the wheel. In the second half of the season, they just got the job done.

I am glad Cook and the team have identified the weaknesses in our list. And I am keen to see how they address them.

 

[KoutaGnome]

Wow what a season!! From being 15th at round 13. To finishing 3rd at season's end in a preliminary final interstate. Incredible.
That's 12 spots ascension, or a 2/3rds ladder jump in a few short months. Phenomenal effort and accomplishment
Kudos and HUGE respect to all at the club who dared to believe and committed to the Herculean effort of turning our season around.
Thanks for making us so proud and for bringing joy back to us supporters and a new generation of younger fans.
2023 has been a hell of a ride. Here's to 2024 being even better!! Love ya Blues. Carn the Baggers

 

[The Fantom]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but the game turned after Acres touched the ball with his head…. That was the Footy Gods saying that’s the last bit of luck we’re giving you this year.

 

[rp84]

Cripps two huge goals but barely sighted otherwise.

Hollands and Cottrell non existent

 

[jj1978]

Need to find another key defender, crafty forward and a pacy mid. Need to focus on forward 50 immensely in the off season and figure that out better not kicking 10 goals in too many games this season hurt us.

It’s like a kick in the nads right now…. Let’s smash Richmond round 1.

 

[rp84]

Get some size into Dutchy and he will be a gun

Absolutely, but clearly wrong choice in hindsight tonight

 

[thylacine60]

Cripps two huge goals but barely sighted otherwise.

Hollands and Cottrell non existent

wut? did you have your television switched to the "on" position?

 

[Hands On]

Very proud of the boys, I think fatigue caught us out at the end. Lets thank the team for the ride these last 3 months and i am looking forward to what next year brings.

another preseason, Tweek the game plan and the list and who knows? Go blues

 

[Irish BlueBagger]

It's been a memorable season for this club, our best one since 2000 at that. We showed fight and spirit to even make the finals when all seemed lost.

Those qualities were also on display when we beat the Swans, and also in that epic win over Melbourne.

The Lions at the Gabba just proved to be a bridge too far in the end. To be this close to making the big one, only for us not to make it is disappointing.

That disappointment will eventually subside though, and we'll see that serious progress has been made this year. Our players now have experience of playing in three finals games.

That'll do them the world of good in the long run. We just need to have a look at the areas where we need to improve, and target a top four finish next year.

I think the bad news for the opposition fans, is that this is as bad as it's going to get for this Carlton team! This team will be up and about and challenging for flags over the next couple of years.

Oh well congratulations to the Lions. You better beat the Pies in the grand final now.

 

[setantypants]

Cripps two huge goals but barely sighted otherwise.

Hollands and Cottrell non existent

Hollands was literally everywhere

 

[bmaurizio]

Great effort by the boys throughout the finals campaign , gained much respect from the competition.
Lion are a highly talented team, Cameron, Coleman, Ah Chee , Rayner just to many skillful players to guard and home ground advantage too.
We should all be rooting for the Lions next week, couldn’t cope if the Pies win another flag, they’ll be on 16 flags too.

 

[JuddgementDay]

Disappointed that we didn’t make it to the GF and we would have beaten the Pies too - but, proud of the boys - they’ve awaken a sleeping giant

We’ll learn from this and come back stronger and better in 2024 - I can’t wait for another wonderful ride

A proud Blues supporter here

 

[rp84]

Lost clearances 44-30 with probably 12-15 in the first.

 

[Prem17]

Interesting that Harry, Boyd and Hollands and Martin to a certain extent all looked fresh. Just shows how gassed we were as a group

Thought Harry was really good, Boyd in the best and Hollands never stopped trying.

Martin had an almost game


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Yeah, Martin was almost out there.
Probably the worst he's ever played for a 2 goal return

 

[BlueTongue]

Whilst I'm disappointed, I'm not devastated.

Our boys pulled a season that was all but gone out of the ashes, dusted off, and won through 2 Finals.
We would have beaten Brisbane in the Elims had we of played them, but we looked largely spent tonight.

Jordan Boyd, & Marchy really stood up in defence, and Oliver Hollands did not put a foot wrong.
That Kid is unbelievable for a first year. Also, doesn't shirk the hard contests like Daicos (did it again last night).

Not only have we shown we belong in the Top 4, but we have exorcised some demons getting into the finals, and the group will believe again next year.

Thanks for an awesome season boys, best season I've seen them play since '99.
Also gave some younger supporters a taste of what we are as a big successful club that teams fear.

We didnt win a GF but we're back!
Go Blues!

 

[Blues_1864]

Props to the Match Committee for picking a side to try and win it - and to the players that came in, Boyd and Hollands were especially encouraging.

Outplayed by a better side - that can happen. Disappointing to be beaten so badly in the middle of the ground, I didn't even want to say McInerney's name in the lead-up, but he monstered us again. Dunkley on Cripps again, ouch. But I don't think there's much point trawling the negatives at this stage.

It has been a wonderful ride, it has been so exciting, and I am very proud of the whole Club for getting this far. Voss speaking well right now, take the pain and get hungry. Brisbane have done it, Collingwood too after being on the wrong side of a Prelim one-pointer. It's how you respond - so over to you, 2024 Blues.

For 2023, the best two sides will be there on the big day - we weren't good enough for long enough tonight, which was our 2023 in a nutshell too. Onwards and upwards.

 

[bluemahogany]

Proud, hurt, it’s a long way back, there’s improvement in us but we need to have a smart off season.

Thought Marchbank was incredible and brave.

* im shattered

 

[Blue__Balls]

Let's be honest - if anyone here was asked at the start of the year, "Would you consider it a pass if we made a prelim and ended up getting knocked over by Brisbane in Brisbane", the answer would be a resounding YES. There were parts of the season that were frustrating and disappointing, but the sum of the season is probably more than we could have seriously expected.

It hurts to lose that one after a hot start, for sure. If I had to pinpoint the difference, it was Brisbane's concerted effort after quarter time to spoil and punch the ball as far forward at every opportunity. We had players at the base of the pack and around the stoppages, and the ball kept bypassing them into space for Brisbane's quicker players to run onto. I'd just about have McInerney best-on for them, he adjusted and took away one of our key strengths almost by himself, very underrated ruckman.

Quietly pleased with a few individuals tonight. Harry shrugged off some serious external noise and put in a solid game. Marchbank bounced back from an underwhelming game last week to be one of out better players, hopefully a full preseason and a bit of luck will have him fulfil his potential. Boyd defended well and seriously took the game on with ball in hand. Hollands, if we can start getting the ball in his hands more often, will be just as impactful as Acres has been. Acres, for the moment of the match with that head-spoil.

A few banged up key players just couldn't get going. We needed Cripps to fire up in the midfield and he barely touched it - props to him for getting forward and taking his chances there though. Charlie's looked spent the last few weeks. That spell without Harry genuinely took it out of him, I reckon. Pittonet looked proppy - makes you wonder if we'd have been better off rolling the dice on JSOS.

Ultimately - a fantastic platform for the preseason and 2024. No major injuries carrying over into the break, bit of rest and rehab for the walking wounded and they can hit the track hard. This group now know that they can beat anyone, and that pressure and workrate are the key factors in that happening.

We'll crack the top 4 next year, I reckon, and it'll be a different story.

 

[champorado]

It was an incredible start, but not something we could sustain. Clearances weren't a differentiator for us after the first quarter, and the speed of ball into their 50 made it difficult with the way we defend. The play on at all costs style is a double-edged sword, too, where they accumulated a lot of I50s from turnover. Cameron could've hurt us more on the scoreboard, but we also missed some set shots. Besides the consolation to Martin, think the margin is reflective of where we are, and the improvement we need to make to get to the last weekend of September.

To get this far after a decade in the wilderness is still amazing to me, despite the disappointing note the season ended on. So proud of the boys, not just in the 23 tonight, but everyone who took on a squad mentality to turn around the season and get us as far as we got. A whole season of our second half form should have us pushing properly for Top 4, and we hopefully have an off-season to figure out how we optimise our ruck setup and getting the best out of two Coleman medallists. Lots to look forward to.

 

[rp84]

Hollands was literally everywhere

Calm down, he had 11 touches playing nearly a whole game.

I think he is Andrew gaff mk 2 but not ready for tonight.

 

[Korn]

Pitto was poor, more of a scrapper than a tap ruck.

Both of our ruckmen taps the ball to no one - that's if they win the tap.

 

[ferrisb]

Not making excuses (Brissy just too good) but wanted to note they only had 4-5 players under 100 games. And one of those was in the high 90s. We had ~10.

They are a talented list, cherry ripe for success.

We aren't that young any more, but we aren't at our peak yet either.

I think we will get better over the next 2-3 years.