I think our kicking long down the line to a contest was a very deliberate strategy to limit Sydney's turnover and running game and to take advantage of their terrible contested possession game.

I think we will see a bit of a change in the Melbourne game to suit our best opportunity to beat the Dees.

“Callum Mills and Patrick Cripps was pretty much even, but I just thought that Carlton's bottom six were huge.

“I think Brodie Kemp is a really good player, he did his role really well.

“Alex Cincotta is a player who just wins his one-on-ones. Matt Cottrell had 17 touches. He had two goals and 13 touches in the first half he was probably the most impactful player on the ground at that stage.

“Blake Acres was not going to play this game two weeks ago with his collarbone and ended up being significant, but I wouldn't put him in the bottom six.

“They left Zac Fisher out who'd been getting 30 touches a game off halfback, they left Ollie Hollands out who's a younger player to bring Sam Docherty in to play on the wing.

“Jesse Motlop played as the sub ahead of Paddy Dow, who's played a really important role.

“But the coaching staff at Carlton decided that we want the biggest, strongest 22 we possibly find.

“A team that we know is going to stand up in the contest. A team we know is going to go for second, third and fourth efforts and every individual is going to empty everything of themselves.

“There's not going to be any half efforts.

“I think that that was the primary reason that they were able to get the job done and it's a reason why they'll give themselves a chance against any opposition.”

Sorry I'm late. Go Blues! And all that.

Expected us to be a little sloppy, as were the Swans at times. The main thing was to get out of the blocks quickly and it paid off handsomely - we were never headed.

I was more confident of hanging on at the end than in our Dees game. This one didn't feel as brutal and they didn't have a Petracca. I didn't fancy us so much if extra time was forced but thought we had it covered. Their last goal involved a fair bit of luck. Weitering should've punched the clappers out of it but he, of any defender, is usually reliable in his grabs - didn't quite judge it. And the spilt ball running through Martin's legs - pure bad luck, blink and you miss it...and he did.

My initial call for BBOG was Walsh - brilliant return to form - but Acres gets over the line where the ball didn't - twice - in emphatically claiming the Hand of Marchbank Award, and in running himself ragged to make the line first for the sealer. Sorry for doubting you during our slump, Hectares. You haven't quite rid yourself of a tendency to spray it on the full but a pretty decent chunk, especially the back-end, of your season has been speccie. Special mentions to Martin, Cotters and Cerra for their efforts. Jeez, Cotts, great bullocking snap but we were almost into Saturday by the time it went through, thank Judd.

Yes, Harry stuffed up biblically - twice - but his game was otherwise solid and crucial to our early lead. Everyone played their part in one way or another. Did someone say Marchbank? Blinkers off, haters. He's not always the cleanest handler but he was a calming influence in more situations than others on here are giving him credit for. Pitto positioned himself well at times around the ground, not just in the ruck, and seems to be working on being more than a statue. I'd like him to hold onto some more of those marks under pressure though. Motlop got caught in the headlights at least once when options were on but his pressure was okay when the Swans were looking for the game breaker. The team will be better for the run.

Some outs for us could make the difference next week but maybe not as much as once expected. We're building and the once (almost) impossible is still possible.

We've already exorcised some demons this year so let's bring experience to the table this week.

i just love seeing this too. a coaching staff that seems to be fluid and strategise for the other team. every week in the 9 game win streak we saw a few wrinkles from the coaching box.

we're definitely headed in the right direction as a club.


i'm just greedy and impatient and want to win it all right now

Hey Braithy,

when the score was 6 points the diff with 25 secs to go, I was in standing position and bent over looking at the ground in disbelief. A young girl tapped me on the shoulder between the score and the ball up in the centre, so 30 secs. She asked if I was allright. I stood up and said, "yes, I'm in disbelief the Swans have come so close from so far back".

I was actually thinking..." Braithy, mate, I can see why you were not as confident as I was, and please please please don't be right". But you were. It was too close for comfort.

I know that noone from here would've been the Carlton supporter who abused Lil' Miss Wojee II's Sydney supporting friend at the game. She'd just been to the toilet and was making her way back to her seat alone when a grown man thought it appropriate to approach her and yell abuse. She said something along the lines of "Hey, I'm only 14" and started crying. After he wandered off a security guard came to see if she was OK.

What they should've done was escort the prick out of the ground.

There is nothing worse than arsehole supporters from your own team. @#$%&! that guy.

There is nothing worse than arsehole supporters from your own team.

haha! When we were out by 30-odd points, i thought bondi, the bastard. he sure knows what he's talking about, i owe him a red and an apology.


i'm just glad we won. and this friday, we go again.

I know that noone from here would've been the Carlton supporter who abused Lil' Miss Wojee II's Sydney supporting friend at the game. She'd just been to the toilet and was making her way back to her seat alone when a grown man thought it appropriate to approach her and yell abuse. She said something along the lines of "Hey, I'm only 14" and started crying. After he wandered off a security guard came to see if she was OK.

What they should've done was escort the prick out of the ground.

There is nothing worse than arsehole supporters from your own team. @#$%&! that guy.

I know that noone from here would've been the Carlton supporter who abused Lil' Miss Wojee II's Sydney supporting friend at the game. She'd just been to the toilet and was making her way back to her seat alone when a grown man thought it appropriate to approach her and yell abuse. She said something along the lines of "Hey, I'm only 14" and started crying. After he wandered off a security guard came to see if she was OK.

What they should've done was escort the prick out of the ground.

There is nothing worse than arsehole supporters from your own team. @#$%&! that guy.

Funny how all us tragics are connected in some way, even if we are disconnected in another way.

We won. That's all that matters. And when Newman took that mark, we all yelled simultaneously celebrating the only thing that matters: winning a Final, let alone The Final !!!!!!

That's pretty [REDACTED] up. I always thought Aussie Rules crowds were far more convivial than European football, but maybe we're slipping into that tribal hostility bullshit.

I still remember the day 25 or so years ago when I was the lone Carlton voice in a bay of Swans at the SCG, I'd been getting laughs for my self-effacing noisy banter all day (we were getting absolutely slaughtered), but then when Plugger was lining up to kick I blurted out "you fat cauliflower!" which got me a lot of dirty looks and undid all my good work... I apologised immediately and was very embarrassed, it just slipped out I swear! But you go to a Premier League match and you'd have six year olds screaming stuff like that all game.

That's pretty [REDACTED] up. I always thought Aussie Rules crowds were far more convivial than European football, but maybe we're slipping into that tribal hostility bullshit.

I still remember the day 25 or so years ago when I was the lone Carlton voice in a bay of Swans at the SCG, I'd been getting laughs for my self-effacing noisy banter all day (we were getting absolutely slaughtered), but then when Plugger was lining up to kick I blurted out "you fat cauliflower!" which got me a lot of dirty looks and undid all my good work... I apologised immediately and was very embarrassed, it just slipped out I swear! But you go to a Premier League match and you'd have six year olds screaming stuff like that all game.

Beautiful summary.

Great team effort. Players who have had their critics in the fan base stood up and played an important role in our win.