Ratten says he has changed a little this year, ramping up the amount of time he interacts with the players.

"It's about the people. Sometimes you get too much into the analysing and the science. It's really about me knowing you and when I look at you eye to eye and I ask for your effort, there's a bond. I've gone back to the people skills this year. Relationships."

Is it working?

"Yeah, I feel like I'm coaching well. That's the hard bit about coaching, you can actually coach well and lose."

Sadly for Ratten - and his 16 counterparts - it's all about winning and losing ... and in Carlton's case, getting a crack at another flag.