Scott Gullan speaks to Carlton powerbrokers after semi-final victory over Melbourne
Carlton’s powerbrokers reveal the special traits which have carried Michael Voss’ side to a preliminary final as one star declares “anything can happen” in Brisbane.
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Luke Sayers looks out at the mass of bodies crammed into the Carlton rooms and says simply: “Oh my God.”
The Blues president actually looks like he’s just played 120 minutes. His shirt is wet, the navy suit ruffled from all the hugging which is never-ending.
“It’s just euphoric, I’m just rapt for all Carlton people, to win it like that it just shows they have got some grit,” Sayers says about the incredible last-minute victory over Melbourne.
“I like a bit of that grit, that’s what Carlton is, blue-collar Carlton. We just keep fighting it out.
“They are gritty, determined players. They have faced a bit of adversity throughout the year, we have all had sort of the outside world turn on us and we’ve been able to work through that.
“We’re sticking pretty fat, we are just going to keep working hard.
“We are seeing men grow before our eyes here, I kid you not and it’s just magnificent.”
Just to his right CEO Brian Cook is also getting mobbed. He came to Carlton as the messiah administrator after winning premierships at West Coast and Geelong.
“It’s unbelievable isn’t it? I thought we were off our feed, I thought we were too injured in the last five minutes but they kept coming back,” Cook says.
“They have a bit of courage (this group), they don’t give it up, they just keep at it.”
Cook has been at the pointy end of September many times but there is something different about the late season transformation of the Blues.
“It is (as exciting as the others) because of where we came from three months ago you know,” he said. “I have never been a part of a journey where you’re in 15th spot in Round 10 and now you’re in a prelim final.”
What happened?
“I don’t know, I don’t pretend to know,” Cook says. “I can give you all the stats but that’s not what you want. I think it is a fair bit to do with connection and trust with the players but what does that actually mean?
“It means they actually work for each other, they don’t always put themselves first, they let other people in first so when it is their turn to go in the contest for the ball they do it, it’s all those little things.”
The Blues boss describes coach Michael Voss as “magnificent” and the power of the Carlton faithful as unique.
“There is this uniqueness about them, this real passion and it is no natural, so organic,” he said.
Cook then puts his administrator hat on and sees a golden opportunity:
““The other thing about this, as a CEO the way I look at it is it can be commercialised but I’m not so sure it has been thought that way here.”
The suit jacket has been dumped by football director and club legend Greg “Diesel” Williams and the shirt is untucked.
His voice is scratchy but the pride he’s feeling for this team is obvious.
“It is so exciting and I am just so proud of the boys,” Williams says. “I don’t know where that came from, just courage and guts.”
Forward Lachie Fogarty epitomises what’s happened to Carlton in many ways this year. He was on the outer for most of the year before getting recalled in Round 14 and the team has only lost once since.
“Three months ago it was looking a bit grim,” Fogarty said. “I always had the belief that if I did get the opportunity I could play at the highest level but just whether that opportunity was going to come.
“I remember speaking to Vossy a couple of weeks before I got picked and I said, ‘Mate, I feel like I can play a role so if you do pick me I’ll be ready’.
“You just have to have that belief during that time. I had nothing to lose. I kept training hard and kept trying to play well in the VFL and you get rewarded.”
Fogarty, who started his career at Geelong before joining the Blues in 2021, said the belief among the players had skyrocketed.
“There is just so much belief right now, we have been in a couple of these experiences before now,” he said.
“We had another close one with Melbourne a month ago, a close one with Collingwood so we feel like whether it is to win the game, or come from behind or whether we are leading, we feel like we can get the job done at the moment.”
Can they get the job done in a preliminary final against Brisbane at the Gabba?
“Anything can happen, bring on Brisbane,” Sayers says.
Cook agreed: “It’s going to be bloody hard but you never know. It’s amazing what pressure does to any club.”
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