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THE FOCUS has been on Carlton's forward line all summer, but Bret Thornton was delighted with how Thursday's clash played out at the other end of the ground.

The Blues kept Richmond to just nine goals in the 56-point win which Thornton felt was a huge confidence boost for the club's young back six.

"I couldn't have scripted it any better," Thornton said after his 150th AFL match.

"I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves because it's going to be a long year, but to start that way was really pleasing.

"If we can provide that sort of drive off the back line for the rest of the year it's going to be good."

As happy as he was with the performance, Thornton realises the Brisbane Lions' Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola, will be a much different proposition than young Tigers Mitch Morton and Jack Riewoldt.

"They're two of the best power forwards in the competition so it's going to be a completely different challenge and one that we're really looking forward to," he said of next week's opponents.

The first clash between the teams for premiership points since Fevola was shown the door is sure to create intense interest which Thornton welcomed.

"This one's been brewing for a while. We sort of got it out of the way a bit a couple of weeks ago, but that was a pre-season game and next week for four points it's going to be full on," he said.

"Brendan's going to be going 100 per cent we're going to be going 100 per cent so it's going to be great.

"A few of us caught up with Brendan a few weeks ago after we played them in Melbourne. He loves getting on the texts and getting inside your head, but it's all part of it and we're really looking forward to it."