Patrick Cripps has helped drag Carlton into the wildcard round after a dramatic draw completed one of the AFL season’s most unlikely recoveries.
The Blues secured their place in the top 10 after finishing level with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium, with Francis Evans’ late goal helping produce an extraordinary 12.10 (82) apiece result.
Carlton entered the final minutes knowing a draw would be enough to guarantee a wildcard berth with one round remaining.
Once that message reached the players, the Blues retained possession instead of risking the result by attacking.
It was an unusual finish, but Cripps was not interested in style points after the heartbreak Carlton suffered when it narrowly missed the finals in 2022.
“I was thinking about it, trying to actually save the game when it was a draw,” Cripps told Carlton Media.
“After 2022, I don’t really care how we get in, we’ve just got to get in.”
Blues Complete Remarkable Recovery
Carlton’s qualification appeared almost impossible when Michael Voss departed following a 1-8 beginning to the season.
Interim coach Josh Fraser has since overseen a stunning revival, leading the Blues to 10 wins, one draw and only one defeat across his first 12 matches in charge.
The turnaround has taken Carlton from the bottom four into the new wildcard round, while making Fraser an increasingly compelling candidate for the permanent coaching position.
Cripps said qualifying felt especially satisfying because of the distance Carlton had travelled during its turbulent season.
“That feels as good as a win,” Cripps said.
“To be honest, I thought it was a great contest. The way the Bulldogs played really challenged us in a lot of ways. To qualify for finals is huge.”
The captain also praised Carlton’s composure once the players realised they only needed to protect the draw.
“I saw the sign, but one of the backs took an intercept mark and ‘Weiters’ was really loud with it,” Cripps said.
“We practice that a lot at training. It was pretty good the way we did it in transition.
“It was a weird feeling, but we recognised that we only needed a draw to get in. I thought we executed the last few minutes well.”
Cripps Leads From the Front Again
Cripps was instrumental against the Bulldogs, finishing with 26 disposals and a game-high 12 clearances as Carlton’s midfield stood up in another high-pressure contest.
Sam Walsh collected 33 disposals, while young midfielder Jagga Smith continued his impressive campaign with 25 touches.
The result moved Carlton six premiership points clear of St Kilda and Greater Western Sydney, ending both clubs’ hopes of reaching the wildcard round.
Carlton will now face ladder-leading Fremantle in the final home-and-away round before beginning its postseason campaign.
Cripps believes the Blues’ younger players will not be intimidated by the occasion.
“Jagga is up and about, you can’t wipe the smile off his face,” he said.
“Those young guys, it’s great exposure for them, but they’re going to have a big say for us.”
Carlton Is No Longer Satisfied With Qualifying
Reaching the wildcard round is a considerable achievement after Carlton’s disastrous beginning, but Cripps made it clear the Blues do not consider their work complete.
“To put ourselves in the position we are now from the position we were in at the start of the year, it’s awesome,” he said.
“I’m really proud of the group and the club in general.
“The whole job of the year is to qualify for finals. We’re in there now and we want to make some noise.”
That final warning should interest every club Carlton could meet.
The Blues have already demonstrated that they can survive adversity, win close matches and respond when their season is on the line.
Carlton may have entered September through the wildcard door, but its remarkable revival means nobody should dismiss what could happen next.
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