Club award winners:
John Nicholls medal: Chris Judd
Second: Marc Murphy
Third: Brendan Fevola
Best first-year player: Matthew Kreuzer
Best clubman: Andrew Carrazzo
Past players encouragement award: Shaun Grigg
Women of Carlton – Player ambassador of the year award: Michael Jamison
Season in a nutshell: An 0-3 start had Carlton fans reaching for the aspirin, but the outlook got rosier following the breakthrough win over the Pies in round four. The team put its travel woes behind it to finish with three wins from four road trips, while displaying an attractive playing style on the way to 10 wins – including eventual finalists Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs. Brett Ratten has brought the swagger back to Carlton with the Navy Blues poised to have a crack at the top eight next year after a season of gains.
Defining moment: The big win over Collingwood in round four marked the start of the club's surge back up the ladder. Huge underdogs going into the match, the Blues met the old enemy head-on at the MCG in front of 77,000 and showed they were sick of losing.
· Plenty. After serving his apprenticeship, Brett Ratten emerged as a thoughtful, intelligent, savvy coach who looks capable of taking the club to finals.
· Chris Judd's dodgy groin was a constant topic of conversation early on, but he was able to return to full fitness and be everything the club hoped for.
· Several young players – Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Michael Jamison and Shaun Grigg to name a few – continued to grow as footballers and give every impression they'll be around for a long time.
· Nick Stevens was able to return to full fitness after a frightening neck injury last year threatened to derail his career. Andrew Walker's return was also a good news story.
· On the field the team showed a fighting spirit and a willingness to fight games out to the death that hasn't been seen for a long time and saw the side record some stunning come-from-behind victories.
· A poor start to the year left Carlton too far behind to recover.
· After breaking into the top eight midway through the season, Ratten mentioned the 'f-word' but as soon as finals were openly talked about the team faltered noticeably. The coach admitted his charges will have to get better at dealing with higher expectations.
· Fevola's drawn out contract negotiations were an ongoing saga that neither the coach nor the team needed following on from another late-night indiscretion pre-season.
· White knight president Dick Pratt's legal woes forced a messy shift at the top which dragged the club back through the mire at a time when positivity abounded.
· Fev's kicking for goal with the magical century mark in sight!
The coach: Ratten won wide praise for the way he handled his first full season in charge and there's little doubt supporters are glad to have a true Blue back at the helm. Ratten has brought the 'strut' back to Princes Park, but he's much more than a spruiker. He has implemented a more fluent game plan that the players have clearly embraced, has steadily improved on match day and has got his message across well with his open and genuine demeanour in the media.
Most Valuable Player: There's no doubt that Chris Judd's arrival gave the Blues a massive kick along. His importance cannot be understated with his on-field performances and off-field leadership helping players re-discover confidence. Slotting seamlessly into the midfield rotation, he got better as the year went on and he made those around him better players.
Coach's award for one-percenters: Shaun Grigg cemented his spot in the 22 this year and he did it on the back of several unheralded, but important, team-oriented roles assigned to him by the coach. Has a good tank which makes him a good choice for run-with roles.
Needs a big pre-season: Ryan Houlihan, Andrew Walker and Richard Hadley are all part of Carlton's best 22 when fit, but spent long stretches on the sidelines through injury and will be keen to put in a big summer preparing for what they hope will be a much more fruitful 2009.
Next big thing: Ruckman Matthew Kreuzer played every game after making his debut in round three and gave the Blues plenty of reasons to think they had spent their prized No.1 draft pick wisely. He covers the ground well, didn't look overawed on the big stage and will only be better for the experience gained and a full pre-season.
Trading places: Fremantle beanpole Robert Warnock has hit the open market and will be a hot property during this year's trade period with the Blues known to covet the 206cm ruckman's athleticism. Initial reports that former Demon Jeff White would be sought to provide Kreuzer with veteran back-up appear unfounded. Carlton has been linked with a big money move for Daniel Kerr should the Eagle onballer demand a trade.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
