IN THE aftermath of a moment which Patrick Cripps described as an “out-of-body experience”, he shone the light on a big moment in the final term.
And no, it wasn’t his own.
While Cripps earned the plaudits for his last-quarter heroics, the captain - speaking to FOX Footy after the game - highlighted a passage of play from a youngster playing just his seventh game.
With scores locked early in the final term, Geelong looked bound to break away from stoppage when Bailey Smith fired a handball out to the 198cm veteran, Mark Blicavs.
Enter Talor Byrne.
The young small forward produced a moment that was all heart, driving Blicavs into the MCG turf, forcing a spillage that ended with Jagga Smith assisting Brodie Kemp for the go-ahead goal.
In Cripps’ eyes, it was a single moment which summed up Carlton’s appetite for the fight - as demonstrated by the skipper immediately going to Byrne in the celebrations following Kemp’s goal.
“There was one contest I really loved, it was Talor Byrne. He had this big contest on the 50, laid a big bump or tackle that led to a goal.
“They’re the moments where you go to a young fella and say ‘That’s what AFL footy is about.’ If you keep doing those little things, you’ll get picked every week.
“I love that little fella. He’s just a country footy player that knows how to play footy, he’s tough.”