As the footy world watched the 2024 Brownlow Medal count, most were bracing for the possibility of a tie between two outstanding players or the possibility of a dark horse that has been an incredible player surging ahead. The talk around the media world that it will likely end up either Nick Daico’s outright win or a draw with Patrick Cripps or even Marcus Bontempelli finally achieving a victory that has been alluding him. 

No one saw that one player who, despite his club not faring that well after the major Bye rounds, surged ahead to the point that he achieved a result that will probably not be seen again.  To see Patrick Cripps win with a massive 45 votes, with second place going to Nick Daicos with 38 points, is astounding. To see that Crippa got the votes despite Carlton not winning many matches after the Bye rounds shows the caliber of the player he is.  Yet it was his acceptance speech that I think shows the type of person he is, how he sees the club and its future and what is in store for next year.  It is a speech whose contents illustrate what I have been trying to allude to all of 2024.

He stated that Carlton is a good team but has yet to be great.  He said, ‘I have an appreciation, and I respect every player that goes out and plays. Every time we step out on the footy field, you put yourself up to be judged. That takes a lot of vulnerability.’ He went on to reiterate that at 18, coming from school, you don’t really know what you are doing.  But by putting yourself on the field, ‘you are open to a lot of feedback,’ where there have been times when it hasn’t gone the way that he would have liked and that, ‘you feel the brunt of that.’ But, ‘what it teaches you is, it doesn’t matter what other people think. As long as you are happy with yourself.’ Stating, ‘you have a lot of people in your corner…you trust, which I do. A lot of people don’t have that.’ Where ‘as long as you work hard, (and) come in with a good attitude, you can do amazing things.’

Out of his entire speech, what had the most impact was that he understood what it would take for a team to step over that threshold of being a good club to a great club. He understood that, for the first time in a long time, the club has a culture and consistency in what it wants to achieve and how to get there. ‘I feel like it’s the closest now (to a premiership), but I know there’s a lot of hard work to go, so I’m realistic in that, and that’s why I’ve got a lot of appreciation for the Lions and the Swans, because its hard to get there.’

He then went on to say that ‘we’ve got a bit of work to do, we feel like we’ve got a great culture, we’ve got guys who love coming to work, we’re really close, but there are few things we’ve got to keep levelling up in…But I know with the quality of characters we have in our group I know we can do amazing things.’ It is this understanding of what it will take for Carlton to not only qualify for a Grand Final place but to win one.  He understands what I have written about this season and in the past, that it takes a culture within the playing group and the club itself to even get close to that pinnacle.

This notion that because a coach that others feel is not up to the task when that coach has been one of five in the past ten years, that again needs to be replaced, is not understanding what it will take to achieve this success.

In his time as coach of Sydney, John Longmire has been in the finals twelve times and only won once. In his time at Brisbane Lions, Chris Fagan has been in the finals six times and has not won a Premiership.  Chris Scott has been in the Finals twelve times and won twice.  Ken Hinkley has taken Port Adelaide to the finals seven times yet never won a Premiership Cup. In all four teams, one factor unites them all that does not unite Carlton: consistency in its coaching team. To even suggest that Carlton needs to once more get rid of a coach who has brought the club to a place where it will only go up (in my view) is narrow-minded, arrogant, and destructive to the players and the club. 

We have the makings of a team capable of stepping over the hurdles of being a good club to a great one if we just understand what it will take to get us there.  We need to realize that as supporters, this ultimate success will never happen if we keep changing when the results don’t go our way. This does not achieve a culture of success; it never has and never will.  Crippa understands this, and so does the team and the club.  We, as supporters, also need to understand this. If those out there don’t, then to be blunt – support another team. 

I proudly wear my Carlton gear regardless of the outcome and where we sit at the end of the season. Because, like Crippa, I understand what it will take to get us that ultimate chance to get the success we want. It will be frustrating at times and euphoric at other times, but this journey that we are now on must continue without any fraction within the club. We are now nearing the end of three full years of Michael Voss as coach. In that time, we have been in the finals twice.  We are building a culture and consistency that bodes well for the future. Crippa sees it, the coaches see it, the players see it, and we must as well.

Congratulations Patrick Cripps!

#GOBLUES!

All photos courtesy of AFL