CARLTON'S ability to win with a ravaged forward line and take charge of its finals destiny has given the team a timely reminder of what its brand looks like, according to coach Michael Voss.
The Blues swept injuries aside to beat West Coast by 65 points on Sunday, building an under-sized forward line around defender Brodie Kemp and ensuring they'll play finals if they can beat St Kilda next Sunday.
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Voss was beaming after the significant win, which ended a three-game losing run that had seen the Blues slip from top-four contenders to potentially missing finals altogether.
"It was huge. It's been a been a big week. From taking stock, I guess, after the game last week and trying to count the bodies, it was just a really hard week," Voss said after the win at Optus Stadium.
"Last week I said we'll find out a little bit about us as a footy team and as a footy club, and I just thought the response was outstanding.
"We got a nice little reminder about how we play footy, and what is the Blues brand and how we want to play. It was a really well-connected performance.
"We didn't rely on one individual to get it done, although there were some individual outstanding performances. But it took a squad. And when I mean, it took a squad, it took the whole squad to be able to get that one done."
Voss paid tribute to an "unorthodox" forward line that saw Kemp play as a sole target for four goals, with key contributions from small forward Matt Owies (three) and midfielder Matt Kennedy (two).
The coach asked the group to step up and cover Charlie Curnow (ankle) and Harry McKay (quad), who remain in doubt for the final round clash against the Saints.
"I thought our forwards were absolutely magnificent tonight. I thought they were incredible, whether it was the ball in the air, attacking it in the air, or when the ball was on the floor," Voss said.
"I just felt we were able to bring that pressure, that real sort of brand that we know works for us and identity that we want to play to.
"They knew the mission that we're going after and it was all about bringing pressure, and we successfully did that."
Asked about the brilliant performance of captain Patrick Cripps, who had 35 disposals and 10 clearances, Voss said: "He was huge. You need your leaders to be able to stand up, and 'Crippa' was that."
Voss said he could not tell this early on if Curnow or McKay would be available against the Saints, with Corey Durdin now unlikely with a shoulder issue. Zac Williams will need assessment for an issue the coach hoped was just cramp.
West Coast coach Jarrad Schofield pulled no punches when assessing a poor showing that came despite the significance of Andrew Gaff's farewell and Jamie Cripps' milestone 250th game.
"We're really disappointed that we didn't really turn up. It was a big day for the football club," the coach said.
"So there's disappointment there, as you can tell, from everyone. We're not shying away from that, but it just shows that this game's brutal.
"When you're off and you're not committed to it, through choices that you make, whether through work rate, being clean around the contest, if you collectively don't have the numbers to get it done, you get exposed.
"It just shows that we have got a lot of work to do as a football club and we have one week to go in this season, and then we have a big preseason ahead of us."
Schofield said the Blues "had their way" with the Eagles inside the contest and the group had to collectively own the performance before closing their season against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium next Saturday.
He made pointed comments about how the team had handled Carlton's outstanding captain, who was handled at different stages by Harley Reid, Elliot Yeo and Zane Trew.
"We gave tasks to individuals and they didn't follow. And when you give a task to someone and they don't execute their role, then you're searching for other players to step up in a space they really shouldn't have had to," Schofield said.
"So that's the accountability for that individual to make sure they get it done.
"Not so much a tag (on Cripps), it was more just an accountability. Even though they're in the modern game, there is still some old task football and methods you go to and that's just being accountable to a player."
