ONE PROUD captain.
It was the kind of team performance which Patrick Cripps has prided himself on, with Carlton getting over the line against St Kilda in a result defined by fight.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Blues dug in throughout the second half despite two first-half injuries to record a 15-point win, securing a fourth win from their last five outings.
After the poor showing in Adelaide last week, the challenge was put to Cripps and the wider team to respond, and there was no denying that the Blues had earned the victory once the siren sounded to conclude Spud’s Game.
Speaking to Channel 7, Cripps said the Blues’ last two triumphs - against Geelong a fortnight ago, and then last night - stand out as the skipper.
“The way the Saints defend and attack, you need to be on your game. We knew it was going to be a grind: what pleased me the most is we didn’t have it our way all night, but we really dug in,” Cripps said.
“The backs defended the line really well, we held up and then there were moments late. Harry taking his moment is huge, George had his moment a few weeks ago. When players step up in those moments, as a captain you’re super proud.
“We had a few guys go down, we had to really dig in. That’s another big tick for the lads.”
After starting behind the eight ball in 2025, the ramifications of either a win or a loss were clear heading into it: 4-5 with a win, 3-6 with a loss ahead of two games with the Sydney teams coming into the mid-season bye.
Wanting to ensure the performance against the Crows was a one-and-done, Cripps said the Blues were well aware of not only where they were situated heading into the Round 9 clash, but also what’s still in store.
“It was a big moment for our year, to get us back one game behind the ledger. A great way for the boys to dig in… a good win, proud of the boys.
“We weren’t great last week. Sometimes the opposition gives you a stitch up, which they did last week. The [midfield] boys cracked in and we controlled the momentum in there - it was an arm wrestle.”
