How Carlton went from AFL villain to writing their own Disney fairytale
In terms of athletic ability, I’d be struggling to get a start as a Wing Defence in the thirds these days. However, when it comes to riding bandwagons, I am hanging ten better than Kelly Slater in the ’90s, especially on this tram from Princes Park to the ’G.
Carlton are playing finals.
Still.
They take on the Melbourne Demons at the home of football on Friday night in front of another sell out crowd. The tickets for this semi-final were seemingly snapped up quicker than those Taylor Swift tickets which broke the internet earlier this year.
The fact the Blues are preparing for another outing in September is something the diehard fans dared not even imagine at the beginning, or even the middle, of the season.
Alas, here we are, in the second week of finals. It’s been a long time between drinks, or in fan parlance since the “lids were off”. The last time Carlton won a premiership Telecom was still around and the Keating government had only just “recognised” the Aboriginal flag.
It is nearly impossible not to be bewitched by this squad.
Sons of favourite sons are now playing, like Jack Silvagni, and former captain Chris Judd (who last led them to the finals 10 years ago) was in the stands last week when they took on the Sydney Swans. Juddy was watching on – nervously like 94,000 others – but also cheering on his youngest sons who made their Auskick debut at half time for the navy blues.
Plus the co-stars are all so charming, it’s like Walt Disney himself created this alchemy. They’ve come a long way since they were the cashed up villains of the code in their halcyon days when Anthony ‘Kouta’ Koutoufides was the peacock all players and crowds loved to hate.
I got to watch this new chapter of this modern fairytale from the nose bleed section last Friday night as they ran over the Swans. Just. It all started with the huddle before the first bounce. I have not seen a tighter clique since high school. But there is nothing cliquey about captain Patrick Cripps, he is the Matthew McConaughey of the AFL and shares many of Judd’s cool, calm, collected and phenomenally talented traits.
Most of the team have captivating narrative arcs, including the bond of the Curnow brothers to Harry McKay’s goal kicking yips to coach Michael Voss, who signed off his press conference last week with, “Right, we done here? I have to get back to my boys”.
It’s been an incredible turn around for Voss. Just a few months ago he was the man staring down a potential sacking, to now seeing fans waving T-shirts they’ve emblazoned with “Voss The Boss” in the stands.
There is something about them all – the players, the staff, the history and the fans. All of them share this infectious energy, but most importantly there is something magical about their connection and common purpose.
The club motto - Mens sana in corpore sano - has been translated to "healthy mind in a healthy body". There should also be a contemporary addition to include healthy community, which feels more important now than ever.
The latter is something exemplified through the fans, including a female duo called “The Carlton Besties”.
The pair have a burgeoning podcast and social media following for their side line interviews with the players and fans, asking for their hot takes on everything from their favourite Disney movies to what type of music “Crippa” would listen to. They travelled during the home and away season to every game and are life long fans, having adopted the love for the Blue Baggers – “the team that does your head in” – from their dads.
That’s the kicker for me.
My fandom has occurred by osmosis. Watching how this team and club brings the people I cherish the most in the world – who are diehard (and long suffering) 'Baggers – so much joy is better than a rom-com.
Here’s hoping everyone involved gets their happy ending this year.
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