Carlton draws on Richmond mantra in effort to defy odds and keep finals hopes alive against West Coast

It’s been dubbed Carlton’s ‘Mission Impossible’ — but, it’s been done before. The Blues only need to reflect back to 2019 to realise what’s possible even with the odds stacked heavily against you.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 03: Blake Acres of the Blues celebrates kicking a goal during the round 21 AFL match between Collingwood Magpies and Carlton Blues at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on August 03, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Michael Voss has taken one straight from the Damien Hardwick playbook.

Rather than show any sign of panic after losing six players — including two Coleman medallists to injury — Voss has spent the week talking about excitement and opportunity.

If it sounds familiar, it might be because you remember Hardwick singing from the same songbook in round 4, 2019.

Richmond travelled to South Australia without the suspended Dustin Martin and injured trio Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin.

It was the first time since Martin’s debut nine years earlier the Tigers had not had one of the star quartet in their side.

Jack Ross had 25 disposals and five tackles on debut.

Tom Lynch announced himself as a Tigers hero with six goals in his fourth game in yellow and black.

Jack Ross and Sydney Stack enjoy their first win as Tigers. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

And Dylan Grimes, who would later that year be All-Australian for the first time, withstood a late barrage of Port Adelaide pressure as Richmond sealed a seven-point victory very few saw coming.

“We built it up as an exciting opportunity for our boys and we set that theme earlier in the week and they delivered. It’s amazing when you sort of don’t put limits on players and they come out and they perform like they did,” Hardwick told reporters post-match.

At his weekly press conference, Michael Voss said: “It’s different and it’s exciting. We come into the back end of the season and you can sort of tend to focus about what’s not there or what’s right in front of you and the job (we have got to get done).

“There’s a lot to look forward to. When you look around the energy is great amongst the playing group. We’ve got to get a job done … the stage of the season and where we’re at, I only find that to be really exciting and something to look forward to.”

That Tigers team had a host of players in the infancy of their careers.

Charlie Curnow in pain after injuring his ankle against Hawthorn. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Shai Bolton had 11 disposals and kicked a goal in his 10th AFL game, while Jack Higgins (24th game), Liam Baker (fourth game), Jack Graham (27), Connor Menadue (34), Sydney Stack (second game) and Noah Balta (three) had yet to play 40 matches.

Carlton’s team will feature mid-season draftee Cooper Lord and last year’s No. 29 draft pick Ashton Moir on debut, Jaxon Binns in his second match, Jack Carroll in his 20th appearance, Lachie Cowan in game 22, Jesse Motlop in his 38th match and Ollie Hollands in his 40th.

Port Adelaide was 2-1 to start 2019 and Richmond had just been demolished by Collingwood (44 points) and GWS Giants (49 points) in the two weeks prior.

Tom Lynch produced the type of performance Patrick Cripps or Sam Walsh will need to against the Eagles.

Carlton was left stinging by a 74-point loss to Hawthorn last week, dropping out of the top eight little over a month after it sat second and was being billed as Sydney’s biggest premiership threat.

Then the news got worse.

Charlie Curnow (ankle) would miss. So would Harry McKay (quad). Adam Saad’s hamstring would rule him out for at least a week. Maybe two.

Jordan Boyd’s adductor was so bad he was ruled out for 3-6 weeks, Jack Martin was sidelined again with a hamstring and Lachie Fogarty’s campaign ended by a collarbone blow.

The stakes weren’t as high for the Tigers as they are for the Blues on Sunday against West Coast.

But Richmond’s against-the-odds win should give Carlton hope its patchwork side can defy the bookies and keep the club’s finals hopes alive.

Ashton Moir will play his first AFL game on Sunday. Picture: Michael Klein

Jaxon Binns is another inclusion after starring in the VFL. Picture: Michael Klein

The bookmakers were quick to react to the Blues’ injury list of 17, winding a West Coast side which has steadily improved under caretaker coach Jarrad Schofield to favouritism for Sunday’s do-or-die clash.

It hasn’t quite become mission impossible – but more mission improbable for Carlton.

“I don’t listen to any of that. As you can imagine I tend to focus on what the job needs to get done and the effort we need to be able to bring, the strategy we need to be able to play,” Voss said this week.

“And then how do we go about executing it, building the confidence (in) the players and the belief that we can go over and get the job done. I don’t spend a hell of a lot of time reading through newspapers to try and find motivation.”

Five weeks ago the Eagles were 16th and the Blues second.

Sunday’s game was supposed to be a feast for Curnow on his way to a historic third Coleman Medal after kicking 19 goals across two games last year against West Coast.

Now, like the Tigers four years ago, Carlton has travelled with a ragtag bunch led by a few remaining stars who will need to defy the odds to keep their finals dream alive.

After Richmond’s 2019 triumph, Hardwick said: “I think if you logically sit there and no one thinks we can win, (there’s) some element of underdog there that you look at. It’s the ability for our guys to take that and play with the intent they did.”

Over to you Carlton.

Originally published as Carlton draws on Richmond mantra in effort to defy odds and keep finals hopes alive against West Coast