Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps says the club can be ‘scary’ as it builds momentum under caretaker coach David Teague

Patrick Cripps has sounded a warning to Carlton’s rivals, declaring the improving Blues can be “scary” in coming years and his best football is still to come.

Having served what he classes as a “long apprenticeship”, Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps is relishing the wave of momentum the Blues have generated under caretaker coach David Teague.

Midfield bull Cripps, who will play his 100th match for Carlton on Saturday against St Kilda, has featured in only 23 wins in his first 99 games.

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Five of those victories have been since Teague succeeded Brendon Bolton as coach.

“It has been tough, I’m not going to lie,” Cripps said.

“There’s been some moments where you sit back and think ‘jeez, it would be nice to win a few more games’.

“I think that’s going to be really important going forward.”

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In an ominous warning to the Blues’ rivals, the 24-year-old said his best football was still to come.

Considered one of this year’s Brownlow Medal contenders, Cripps has averaged 28 disposals and six tackles.

Patrick Cripps will play his 100th game for Carlton this weekend. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

“When this things turns it’s going to be really fun and it’s going to be pretty scary. I’ve felt that energy start to turn the last eight weeks,” he said.

Cripps said this year had been his best since being drafted in 2013 due to the challenges he faced holding the club together during a torrid run which led to Bolton’s departure.

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“There has been a lot of tough times but this year was really tough,” he said.

“We thought we were really going to jump at the start of the year and it didn’t quite happen.

“But myself and (co-captain Sam Docherty) and the whole club in general, (it was our) ability to stay strong and not crack as well as keep the place fun.

“With a lot of young guys the challenge is keeping morale up when you’re not going so well.”

Cripps said he would be “over the moon” to welcome in-demand free agent Stephen Coniglio, who has this week been linked to Carlton, to the club next year.