Carlton is ready to begin its rise up the ladder after disappointing 2018 season, Dale Thomas says

Carlton might have seemed allergic to scoring in recent years, but Dale Thomas is confident that’s about the change in a season he believes will see the Blues cause a few boilovers — and he’s feeling as fit as ever, ready to be part of it.

Greater scoring potency will be at the heart of Carlton’s improvement this year, according to Dale Thomas.

And going into Thursday night’s season-opener against Richmond, Thomas said the Blues had as much motivation as anyone to show what they’re capable of after last year’s miserable two-win season.

“You say Richmond has a point to prove (after losing a preliminary final); I think we’ve got as big a one as anyone given where we finished last year and some of the games we dished up,” Thomas said.

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“I think … we’ll probably surprise a few. We know how we’re going internally. We’re certainly confident of the work we’ve put in.

“Winning two games really isn’t good enough and we know that. It’s probably driven a few of the boys. You can see the way a few of them came back … they’ve probably taken that step forward they didn’t last year.”

Dale Thomas has been buoyed by Carlton’s pre-season form. Picture: Michael Klein

Thomas admitted the Blues’ newly-formed forward line of Mitch McGovern, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Alex Fasolo would continue to take time to gel.

But he said the club had been buoyed by its scoring in the JLT series, albeit from a limited sample size.

The Blues kicked 100 points against Essendon and while they only reached 73 against Collingwood, they had 24 scoring shots — only one fewer than the Bombers game — in a narrow four-point loss.

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“I think the biggest point already has been our ability to kick a score,” Thomas said.

“We really struggled to hit the scoreboard last year and if you can’t score it‘s going to be hard to win matches.

“It’s only the pre-season, so hopefully Thursday night we can do it again on the big stage.”

On the eve of his sixth season at Carlton, Thomas said he’s feeling as good as he ever has after an excellent 2018 campaign across halfback saw him finish fifth in the best and fairest.

No.1 pick Sam Walsh in action at Carlton training on Saturday morning. Picture: Sarah Matray

Co-captain Patrick Cripps hits the training track. Picture: Sarah Matray

He said the sprinkling of injury setbacks since crossing from Collingwood had hit him harder than he expected, but added the decision in 2017 to remove the much-discussed games-played contract clause was a blessing.

“I probably took for granted the run of good years I had and the blocks of training and blocks of games I had early in my career,” he said.

“I didn’t realise how much an injury would set me back and compounding it, one or two years out of the game. It did really affect me for a bit and my ability to do what I knew I could do.

“For me it wasn’t as big of a deal in relinquishing it (contract clause) as it was externally. But it seemed as soon as I did it everyone stopped talking about it and I was left to play footy.

“There’s no doubt not be talked about every second minute was refreshing and it translated into better form.

“At the minute I feel I’m somewhere back to feeling and moving as well as I have.”

Originally published as Carlton is ready to begin its rise up the ladder after disappointing 2018 season, Dale Thomas says