Star leg-spinner Michael Archer on his role in Carlton’s stunning Premier Cricket premiership

Carlton’s fourth-innings blitzkrieg will be the focus for decades but the heist of the highest order started with the leggie from Tatura. Michael Archer tells his story.

Michael Archer. Picture: Graeme Diggle

Michael Archer stood at the top of his mark ahead of the first ball after tea and told himself to “take the parachute off”.

Carlton was on the canvas in the Victorian Premier Cricket grand final and the ball was in the hands of its off-season recruit.

The Blues needed two wickets – and needed them fast.

He ended the stubborn innings of Nathan Lambden (27 off 84) and removed Harry Hoekstra in successive deliveries.

“I can get pretty down on myself at times so I think it was ‘take the parachute off, have a crack’,” Archer said.

“It’s not so much doubting myself, it’s more I am very hard on myself but coming here the group is so confident and we think we can win from any situation.

“Being in that sort of group where everyone backs themselves and thinks they can win every week, it rubs off.”

Michael Archer celebrates one his two post-tea scalps. Picture: Graeme Diggle

Archer passed the baton to his batters and did “absolutely everything and anything to not think about it”.

Only when the target was less than 50 did Archer believe the Blues had the flag.

Archer said he would describe the result in 10 years as “just the most absurd thing I have ever been a part of”.

Something similar can be said of the leggies’ rise after crossing from Greenvale Kangaroos at the end of 2022-23.

Archer became a Blue with 39 games, 30 wickets (at 48) and six wins in tow.

He finished 2023-24 with a premiership medal after doubling his wickets (37 at 16) and wins tally.

The 27-year-old schoolteacher was desperate to be immersed in a winning culture.

“There were no promises and nor did I deserve any,” he said.

“I was just happy to come, work as hard as I can to try and earn a spot, then once I earnt that spot, sort of try and contribute as much as I could.

“I was lucky in my first game, I went alright, so it sort of calmed the nerves and set up the year.

“I was just happy to get across to a successful club and I sort of took a punt on myself that I could perform at the level.

“I am bloody glad I made the move.”

Michael Archer came to Carlton with "no promises".

Having played at Greenvale and Tatura, in both football and cricket, Archer said big finals were always a distant dream.

He said he had to ride the emotional rollercoaster of a three-day grand final, both on and off the field.

“I said after Friday I will probably retire my phone if I ever play in another one of these, you get so many messages and waste so much mental energy,” he said.

“After day 1 I think I was asleep at 9 o’clock because I was so spent and then to get to 1-90, I was pretty confident, then yeah … what happened happened.

“I was the last wicket yesterday so I was a little bit of an emotional boy going into the rooms at tea time yesterday.

“Luckily enough we took those two poles in the first over and that opened up the game for us for the boys to come out and bat beautifully.”

Archer said emotion got the best of him after being dismissed in the first innings. Picture: Andy Brownbil

Archer hopes the tale of this year’s grand final spreads fast to save him having to describe what happened at Windy Hill.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting it to pan out like this … there’s no words for it,” he said.

“Luckily all our games are recorded now I will just show them the video.”

The Blues’ fourth-innings blitzkrieg will be the focus for decades but the heist of the highest order started with the leggie from Tatura.