CARLTON captain Patrick Cripps is ready to roll up his sleeves and get back to work ahead of schedule, after spending most of the off-season in the United States in the weeks after becoming a Brownlow medallist in September.
The 27-year-old added the game's most prestigious individual accolade to a resume that also now includes a fourth John Nicholls Medal and third All-Australian blazer, following a brilliant 2022 campaign where he put two injury-hampered seasons behind him.
The Blues' first-to-fourth-year players are scheduled to report back for pre-season training on November 21, a fortnight before the senior group returns, but a large group are already back at Ikon Park, including Cripps who plans on joining the younger players.
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It has been nearly two months since the West Australian became just the 90th player to win a Brownlow Medal – and just the sixth Carlton player – but he is still searching for the team success that has evaded him across his first nine seasons in the AFL – the Blues haven't played a final since they selected Cripps at pick No.13 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft.
"It is a bit overwhelming in a way, but it has started to sink in. It was a really cool night. You dream of playing AFL when you're a kid, but you don't really dream of winning a Brownlow – that feels like something that's out of reach. It is amazing though, to be labelled a Brownlow medallist is pretty special and something I don't take for granted," Cripps told AFL.com.au at John Cain Arena on Thursday.
"Going away to America you blend in with the crowd over there, but probably coming back it all kicks off again. But as special as it was, you move on to the next year and the motivation is back high. It is that real team success that really does drive you."
Carlton made significant inroads under Michael Voss in the Brisbane legend's first season at the helm, but ultimately missed out on a return to September again.
After starting the season 8-2, the Blues stumbled home in the second half of the season, losing eight of their final 12 games – including the final four where they needed only one win to qualify for September – to undo a stunning start to the year.
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Cripps said the final fortnight of the campaign will provide motivation across a long, hot summer on Royal Parade, after Carlton was eliminated from the finals on the final day of the season by a single point against Collingwood in front of nearly 90,000 people at the MCG.
"It probably stung for about two weeks, then in your mind you can't change the result, so you've got to take your learnings, move forward and use that as motivation. When we all get back together as a group in the next few weeks, we'll unpack that and implement a few things in the pre-season," Cripps said.
"You want to be in those games, you want to be in close games, you want to be in big games; that experience is unbelievable. It didn't go our way, but footy has a way of teaching lessons, you've just got to make sure you learn and keep forging a way forward. I'm pretty pumped to start another pre-season."
Cripps used a trip to America to reset after the most impressive season of his career yet, having drawn level with Carlton icon Bruce Doull with four John Nicholls Medals, one behind club record holder who the best and fairest is named after at the Blues.
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He travelled to New York, Portland and Boston with two mates from Aquinas College in Perth, the Blues' skipper creating a big splash on social media when he spent the day inside the New England Patriots and with owner Robert Kraft for the October 9 game against Detroit at Gillette Stadium.
"I didn't realise how much traction that got. I didn't know I was actually doing it on the day. A physio that used to work at Carlton now works at the Patriots and he sort of teed it all up. I was with two schoolmates and thought I was just going to a function, having a few beers and a feed," he said.
"Got presented with a jumper, he showed us around his office and got out on the ground. That was a pretty cool day; it was definitely unexpected, which made it even more special. We woke up the next day, looked at each other, and said: how good was that? One thing you do realise when you're over there is just how massive the NFL is."
Cripps also spent a few days training at Nike's headquarters on the west coast, as well as inside the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he joined new Collingwood recruit Tom Mitchell for a business trip.
The Brownlow medallists run the training app Ball Magnets, along with another Brownlow Medal winner in Brisbane superstar Lachie Neale and two-time AFLW league best-and-fairest winner Erin Phillips.
They headed to Oklahoma to shoot content and visit new business partner Josh Giddey, who grew up in Melbourne before heading to the States after being selected with pick No.6 in last year's NBA Draft.
"Tommy has been the main driver behind it. A couple of years ago, we all got together to create a platform to help young aspiring athletes by giving them the tools to improve their game, giving them ideas to try and get to the next level," he said at the announcement of Giddey's partnership.
"It's cool to branch off into another sport, also with a guy that's coming up the ranks and has had a big start to his career. We're pumped to have him on board. I think the crossover between basketball and footy is really good."
