Carlton fans caught a glimpse of their future at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, and they might have liked what they saw.
The Blues fielded a side containing seven players with fewer than 25 games experience and they fought bravely to go down by 19 points against a well-oiled Gold Coast Suns.
Hudson O’Keeffe of the Blues and Jarrod Witts of the Suns.Credit: Getty Images
The Blues trailed by 45 points at three-quarter time and looked down and out for the count.
But they finished with the extra legs, belying a trend of fading late in games. Maybe it was the exuberance of youth.
They closed to within 13 points in a pulsating final term, and there was a whiff of St Kilda’s barnstorming finish over Melbourne.
But after Blues forward Lachie Fogarty missed two straight-forward chances it halted the momentum and star Suns spearhead Ben King steadied the ship with his sixth goal of the night at the 28-minute mark.
It topped off a huge match for King, who also took a mark-of-the-year contender in the first term, sitting on the head of Lewis Young to pull in a screamer.
“It was pretty good, wasn’t it?” Suns coach Damien Hardwick said after the match. “But I’m biased.
“I have been really pleased with his season. He doesn’t get beaten in contests, brings the ball to the ground for our smalls, he’s had a wonderful year.”
Blues coach Michael Voss said his leadership group had embraced nurturing young talent at the club across the past month, including the seven young Blues to take the field against the Suns – Cooper Lord (in game 22), Matt Carroll (game 15), Will White (game 13), Ashton Moir (game nine), Flynn Young (game six), Hudson O’Keeffe (game three) and Billy Wilson (game two).
“Clearly, the depth of our list needs to get better if you are talking about a bigger picture,” Voss said.
“We are going to see it through some of these guys. They’ll take positions of older players and that’s when you know you’re really progressing as a footy team.
“We’re going to invest the time in that. We’ve been investing it over the last few weeks and growing that out, but it takes a more particular focus over this last month.”
Francis Evans celebrates a goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
To Voss’s point, the Blues’ depth has been stretched to breaking point considering the quality of players who were missing on Saturday night: No Sam Walsh, no Charlie Curnow, no Mitch McGovern, no Adam Cerra, no Nic Newman, no Jack Silvagni, no Sam Docherty (retired) and no Jagga Smith.
The Suns for their part had probably done enough by three-quarter time to take their foot off the pedal and can set their sights on a big clash next Saturday against GWS on the Gold Coast.
If they can win that encounter, they are a big chance for a top four finish.
“Our guys thus far have had a pretty good season, what are we 14 and six?,” Hardwick said.
“But there’s some more wins to come, and that’s what we’re looking forward to. We’ll celebrate the win (tonight), but as soon as tomorrow comes, we move forward – next shift mentality.”
The Blues walk off Marvel Stadium.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The Suns were well served on Saturday night by ruckman Jarrod Witts and midfielders Touk Miller (25 disposals) and Matt Rowell (30 disposals), while John Noble (24 disposals) was solid across half-back.
For the Blues, Francis Evans continues to push for a career extension with four goals in a small forward role while tall timber Harry McKay booted three.
Voss was impressed with the way McKay was jumping at the ball and felt he could have added to his goal tally if had been better looked after by the umpires.
“He should have got more free kicks than what he did,” Voss said. “Don’t know how we missed those particular moments, but he just kept showing up.”
Oliver Hollands had 29 disposals off half-back but needs to improve his disposals. Patrick Cripps hurt his shoulder in the first term and was taken down to the rooms for attention, but the lion-hearted skipper returned to chalk up 27 possessions and help spark the last-quarter comeback.
“I think he’s okay,” Voss said of Cripps. “I mean, you saw the same vision that I saw (on his shoulder), so I’ll get a report based on that.”
The Blues host Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium next Saturday afternoon.
