Brendon Bolton proud of Carlton after scrappy win over Essendon at the MCG

CARLTON’S coach Brendon Bolton said he felt a sense of pride when he saw No.1 draft pick Jacob Weitering’s brave act in defence on Sunday.

Marc Murphy in action during Sunday’s clash against Essendon. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

CARLTON’S coach Brendon Bolton said he felt a sense of pride when he saw No.1 draft pick Jacob Weitering’s brave act in defence at the MCG on Sunday.

The 18-year-old lunged at a loose ball in the second quarter to punch it over the line for a rushed behind, colliding face-first with the left shin of Essendon’s Mitch Brown in the process.

“A coach rides every bump and bruise of every player,” Bolton said after the Blues recorded their second successive win, giving them a 2-4 record ahead of Saturday’s clash with Collingwood.

“I understand AFL players don’t live the life of a normal person. They’ve got to go above and beyond.

“They’ve got to put their bodies on the line and they have to endure. They make incredible sacrifices.

“That was a pretty desperate lunge from a first-year (player) wasn’t it, right on the line in what could have been a goal.

“It was more a sense of pride actually. Our whole group just lifts from those little moments.”

Bolton described Weitering’s injury as a “slip of the shoulder”.

“We’ll assess during the week how much strength he’s got,” Bolton added.

“We’ll know a bit more in a day or two.”

Bolton said he was unaware if Weitering had failed a concussion test with the club’s medical staff.

“I didn’t ask that question. I asked about the shoulder,” Bolton said.

The first-year coach said he was pleased with Carlton’s inside-50 dominance (63-47), although the Blues lacked system going forward at times.

“Forward of centre, some of our decisions, we make the easy look hard,” Bolton said.

“I thought, (Marc) Murphy, (Bryce) Gibbs, (Kade) Simpson, (Sam) Docherty, (Dale) Thomas, that crew played pretty well when the game was on the line.

“We’re proud of the effort of our team by and large, but we make it look hard.”

Dale Thomas celebrates Carlton’s win. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Bolton was reluctant to discuss whether Thomas, a third-year Blue and a former All-Australian at Collingwood, was back to his best.

Thomas had 31 touches, seven tackles and kicked a brilliant first-quarter goal.

“I’m not making comparisons in terms of what he used to be,” Bolton said.

“It’s what he is now, that’s all I’m interested in.

“Fundamentally he is being judged on effort and I thought he gave that today.”

Small defender Simpson says the pacy Thomas, who has battled injuries at Carlton, is showing the benefits of doing a full pre-season.

“He’s still a star,” Simpson said.

“So when he gets plenty of the ball like he did today, he’s going to make teams pay.”

Bolton expects 2015 club champion Patrick Cripps (calf-muscle tightness) to be fit to play against Collingwood.