“IT’S BEEN a big year.”
Carlton co-vice captain Sam Walsh said the coming days and weeks would allow the Blues the chance to reset and recalibrate following what was a difficult 2025 season.
The Blues ended their season with back-to-back wins, triumphing over Essendon by 34 points at the MCG in a manner which showed the Blues were willing to go to the line despite the frustrations of the campaign.
Starting on the back foot with a 0-4 start, Walsh said “it wasn’t the year we wanted, by any means”, but the Blues could take some heart out of the way they finished the season.
However, the feedback over the course of the 2025 campaign was clear - there’s work to be done.
“You can go one of two ways with it: you can brush it to the side, or take the learnings from it and get to work. It’s been a big year, so we’ve got to take that mental rest: from there, you get to work on a range of things,” Walsh said post-match.
“There’s been some good stuff this year, but when you don’t get the wins on the board, it’s hard to see that. Our last month, particularly after that tough period, some of the young boys stood up and guys like George Hewett had an unbelievable year and led the standards.
“You can sometimes worry about too many things as a footballer, that’s something the environment we’re in. That’s probably what I meant by the ‘no BS’ stuff [last week]… that mindset is to have the honest conversations, to put your head down and work hard.”
With 28 disposals in three quarters, Walsh was subbed out as a precaution at three-quarter time on the back of a year where he had a hamstring injury delay his pre-season before a foot concern sidelined him for two months in the run in.
The co-vice captain’s running capacity and energy at the contest was a welcome return in the final fortnight, with Walsh using the chance to return to senior action to get the best out of himself and his teammates, while also helping to set a foundation for 2026.
“It was a credit to the group, I felt like we’d be playing to the line. I’ve mentioned a few times that early in my career, we weren’t in a position to make finals at probably Round 15 or 16, but nobody chose to put the cue in the rack back then.
“Each game gives you feedback and creates good memories. If my body was feeling right - which the physio team put me in the place to be - then I was going to play.
“I said to Rob Inness that I’m going to have a lot of questions about if I’m injured again [about being subbed]. All is good. It was the plan last week but then ‘Lordy’ got subbed, and off a five-day break it was pretty smart in the end… even though I didn’t want to go off.”
Walsh used his time in rehab to not only prepare for his return to the field, but also working closely with a pair of young midfielders who were unsighted at senior level in a year where the Blues had seven AFL debutants.
“Even when I was injured, I was training with Ben Camporeale and Jagga Smith - it got me really motivated. I’ve loved the attitude of all of the young boys this year, it’s contagious.”
