MICK Malthouse bullishly believes his Carlton outfit hasdisplayed form in 2013 that can match any other team in the competition.
The problem is, the Blues haven't been able to do it forlong enough.
Malthouse has reached the turn in his first season at theBlues' helm sitting ninth on the ladder with a 6-6 record and with plenty of workto do to reach his stated goal of making the finals.
Next up is a showdown with the Sydney Swans at the SCG onFriday night.
"Are we better than six-and-six? No. The record showssix-and-six," Malthouse told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.
"But we are playing some very good football. We’replaying football that matches the best in the competition.
"What we haven't been able to do is put that away forfour quarters.
"Are we a six-and-six side? Yes, by the ladder. But wedon't worry about a round 12 or 13 ladder.
"The only time you have to worry about that is round23."
Malthouse hasn't always been complimentary of tomorrownight's opponent, stating in August last year that a kind draw was the onlyreason the Swans sat on top of the ladder.
Of course the Swans went on to win the premiership and provetheir lofty ladder position was no fluke and Malthouse is expecting an enormoustest at the SCG.
The veteran coach says he uses games against thebest-credentialed sides to gauge his team.
"They were the best side at the end of last year,"Malthouse said of the Swans.
"It's debatable who is the best side (right now), butthey are clearly in that top echelon that give teams a reality check.
"What you do against any premiership side is you judgeyour ability to play against them.
"When you've played them, you do an assessment of howyou went.
"If we stand still, we can't make the eight. If we improve,we're a chance to make the eight and that's been our goal since roundone."
Malthouse said Chris Yarran had served his penance after hewas dropped for his poor attitude to being named a substitute against Essendonin round 11 and was in line for a recall.
He also wasn’t taking much notice of the sidelined Swans,with Adam Goodes, Shane Mumford, Rhyce Shaw and Lewis Roberts-Thomson amongeight premiership players nursing injuries.
"I was always under the impression that your best 22run down the race," Malthouse said.
"Blokes out in the grandstand can't do a lot for youand I could say the same with (injured Carlton skipper) Marc Murphy.
"You're playing a team that is being coached by thesame person and has the same DNA.
"Good football sides will always say it doesn't matterwho plays in those positions, as long as someone plays in that position andplays their role."
The veteran coach is also looking for another view into thepsyche of his side, against a Swans team he labelled the most physical in thecompetition.
"The big stage is where you want to see players play,"Malthouse said.
"Let's face it, last year (the Swans) went in probablyunderdogs and performed on that big stage to the point where they won thepremiership.
"That's our test. We'll see how we go."
James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow himon Twitter: @AFL_JD
