Lauren Arnell says trust between Carlton players helped them overcome GWS at Ikon Park

TRUST is Carlton’s greatest asset and paid dividends in the team’s hard-fought win on Saturday, skipper Lauren Arnell believes.

Lauren Arnell marks in front of Maddy Collier. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

TRUST is Carlton’s greatest asset and paid dividends in the team’s hard-fought win, skipper Lauren Arnell believes.

Arnell delivered another captain’s performance in Saturday’s 13-point win over Greater Western Sydney at Ikon Park, collecting 13 disposals and laying four tackles.

Momentum swayed throughout the afternoon as both sides tussled but Arnell said it was her team’s trust in one another and the groundwork it has laid over the pre-season that brought it out on top for a second straight win.

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“That’s going to be a challenge for every team, I think, at this point, because we’re so fresh in every group,” Arnell said.

“Everybody’s probably still getting to know each other to some degree. It’s something we’ve put a lot of time into at Carlton and it shone through when the pressure was on.

“We’ve spent time building trust in each other and certainly have a lot of faith in what our coaches ask us to deliver. The girls stuck to that.”

Sarah Hosking is tackled by Ashley Guest during Saturday’s match.

Arnell, 29, admitted “it wasn’t the prettiest win” but believes there is plenty that the group can take as it looks to maintain its flawless record.

“We’ll be able to implement a lot of improvements for the rest of the season,” she said.

Coach Damien Keeping said the team’s current position “is better than (being) zero and two, that’s for sure”, but is urging calm with the season now only a quarter of the way through.

He won’t reassess any goals just yet, but is anticipating next weekend’s blockbuster clash with in-form Adelaide.

“Most pleasing was the way we went about doing it (yesterday),” he said.

“The momentum of the game went both ways at various points and we’ve proven to ourselves that if the momentum is going our way, we can get something out of the game and get to an outcome. If we’re challenged a little bit, we can still get there as well.”

Breann Moody lifts Gab Pound off the ground after she kicked a goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

The Blues’ trip next week for their first away clash, with Keeping pleased to have notched two solid wins before hitting the road.

“Without having done it, it’s hard to measure that, but the benefit of bringing the group together … it’s an experience that we’re looking forward to,” he said.

“We’re eager to do it. It’s an opportunity to grow as a group even more.

“It’s a significant game.”

Originally published as Lauren Arnell says trust between Carlton players helped them overcome GWS at Ikon Park