For over a decade Carlton fans have been dreaming for their beloved Blues to return to the on-field juggernaut they once were.
Last year they got a taste, this year the football world will be watching to see whether the Blues will stop ‘coming’ and finally arrive.
2011 Overview:
2011 was a case of so close, yet so far for Carlton. While they showed patches of dominance and began to look the goods for September, they couldn’t quite beat the best, which ultimately shaped their season.
Carlton started last season with a solid 20 point win over rivals Richmond, backed up by a 119-point footballing lesson to newly included Gold Coast Suns. Yet, at their first major hurdle – facing the reigning premiers Collingwood, the Blues’ tripped up, going down by 28 points. Wins over Adelaide, Sydney and St. Kilda began to stir some optimism at Princes Park, yet a two point loss to Geelong brought this to a halt.
The Blues’ had a solid season, including big wins over Richmond and Essendon, yet their inability to beat any of the eventual top-four in Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn and West Coast summed up just how far off the pace they were.
Carlton finished fifth at the end of the regular season, and gave the fans immense joy with a strong win over the arch-rivals Essendon in the first round of the finals. Yet the semi-final trip to the West was too much for the Blues, as the Eagles beat them in a close contest by three points; and brought their season to a close.
Key Player:
Chris Judd. The Blues’ captain and multiple Brownlow Medallist will continue to be the catalyst within their midfield. Yet his injury woes of the past have been a major cause for concern. Judd underwent surgery in December after injuring his right shoulder at training, putting him out of action until January.
He returned to face the Lions in round three of the NAB Cup but after a string of scratchy performances there are doubts surrounding his match fitness heading into the home-and-away season.
3 most important games:
Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn. Carlton failed to win a game against last year’s eventual top three, with an average losing margin of almost 20 points from five games.
If the Blues are serious about joining the competitions’ elite, beating the best is the next step they must take.
After five consecutive defeats nothing will please the Carlton faithful more than breaking the drought against arch-rival Collingwood.
Beating the best is what the Blues have to do, or else top four aspirations and the premiership dream will be shelved for yet another year.
Prediction:
Failing to register a win in the NAB cup it is unlikely to concern those at Carlton who know only too well the misfortune a successful pre-season can bring (2005 and 2007 pre-season flags were followed by finishes of 16th and 15th respectively).
The premiership dream at Princess Park rests on the fitness of several key players.
An A-grade midfield is enough to see the Blues into the top-eight but without Jamison and Waite on the park Carlton does not have the size, strength or firepower to challenge Collingwood, Hawthorn and Geelong.
However, a fully fit Matthew Kreuzer is mouth-watering prospect for the Blues and with fellow young guns Bryce Gibbs and Marc Murphy enjoying full pre seasons the young brigade is set to fire.
It is simply top-four or bust for Carlton. Should they keep their injury list to a minimum the Blues have the speed to burn on the MCG that will make September glory a realistic dream for the first time in over a decade. Ladder Position: 3-6
William Botoulas is a third-year Bachelor of Journalism student at La Trobe and upstart’s football writer. You can follow him on Twitter:@botoulas43
