"HOPEFULLY our supporters are starting to see an identity."

Not the finished product, but a team-first performance - that was Josh Fraser's summation of Carlton's big win over Brisbane in Round 21.

An incredible advertisement of attacking football in the first half eventually saw the Blues kick away in the second, producing their biggest score since the corresponding round 14 years ago.

Equalling the VFL/AFL record for most individual goalkickers in a game (16), Fraser hailed an "encouraging" showing as the Blues enter a critical final three weeks of the home-and-away season.

Here's what he had to say.

On the game as a whole:

“It was nice to see some complementary football from our boys and phases linking together pretty well. We know the quality of Brisbane and how good they’ve been for a long period of time, sometimes you can have these nights where you’re marginally off.

“We can’t necessarily control that, but what we can control is the plan we had going into the game, what we wanted to take away from them and what we wanted to bring as well. By and large, it was pretty consistent over four quarters: there were still moments in the game where we left some chances out there and didn’t quite defend the way we wanted to. It’s an imperfect game… it was a pleasing result overall.”

On equalling the VFL/AFL record for individual goalkickers:

“We’ve spoken a lot about being team-first and really predictable in our offence. Our players are buying into that and acknowledging that just as much as we’re acknowledging the person kicking the goal. It’s not only that.

“It’s encouraging to hear the spread of goalkickers, but the spread of players taking their opportunities defensively and buying into that side of the game is equally important to us. I thought we defended the ground quite well as a unit.”

On lifting for the two 250-gamers:

“We spoke about it during the week and pre-game. I love to think the win wasn’t just the emotion of the that, but it was more the process we’ve been tipping into over the last 10-11 weeks.

“With that said, both players - ‘Crippa’ and ‘Haynesy’ - have huge standing amongst the group. There would’ve been an awareness that if we can just take a little bit of what ‘Crippa’ does and a little bit of what ‘Haynesy’ brings, it’s going to help us.”

On Patrick Cripps:

“I think we’re at a stage where we don’t need him to be our best player each week. That’s not to say he’s not going to have games where he’s influential, but part of where we’re going to leave the Club in a better place is to make sure that other players assume responsibility and ‘Crippa’ doesn’t have to feel like he needs to do everything.

“I think he’s doing an incredible job at empowering others around him and making others better. Sometimes that means his possession rate comes down, but it doesn’t mean his impact and influence on the game is any less significant.

“He’s leading incredibly well, the way he’s uniting the group, driving our training standards. While his game down was maybe down possession-wise on previous weeks, I thought it was just as important.”

On the continued impact of Jagga Smith and Harry Dean:

“We’ve got exciting youth, really exciting youth. They bring a youthful exuberance to the way they play. ‘Deany’ kicking that goal, you could see what that meant to him and those around him. Jagga has been very consistent for a while now.

“Lachie Cowan doesn’t get spoken about a lot, but he’s a young player that is so important for us. Billy Wilson is growing his game, Cooper Lord has come in and playing important roles. And there’s other guys that are performing at a high standard, so I’m really excited about the youth of the group.

“We know we’ve got more work in front of us, but what they’ve been able to bring has elevated our performance across the board. Those guys are as hungry as anyone to get better, the way they’re tipping into their game and investing in their game.”

On the message at half time:

“We spoke about being predictable. We probably went away from that marginally. Our challenge has been to manage momentum when the game is going against us, and our next challenge is to manage momentum when we’ve got it and what that looks like. That’s staying disciplined to the way we’re playing and disciplined to each other. That’s the growth in the group.

“I thought in the second half we were pretty predictable: it’s just understanding the moments and the time in the game, it’s something we’re educating them on and they’re doing a pretty good job.”

On what the game represented:

“We understand that you don’t have the game on your terms for four quarters, and Brisbane challenged us in different ways. The scoreboard at the end maybe doesn’t reflect that, but they did. They’re a fantastic side - the importance of being able to play our way and potentially play slightly differently when the game demands it, each week looks different. Teams are trying to take things away from you and you have to adapt.

“Tonight’s result is pleasing from a scoreboard perspective and the way we played, but I sit here going ‘We’ve still got things to get better at’. We’re far from a finished product in terms of the way we want to play.

“But hopefully our supporters are starting to see an identity not just with the way we’re moving the ball, but around the way we pressure and turn up at contest and how connected we are and celebrating. It’s getting there, but we’ve got work to do.”

On George Hewett’s performance:

“He’s team-first, George. He’ll do whatever the team requires. We ask George to do a fair bit in games, he’s a bit of a Mr Fix-It for us. He’s a guy that is tipping into his game as much as anyone.

“I spoke about 10 weeks ago that the challenge was our experienced players to find ways to get better, and George is no different. That’s setting the standard for our younger guys: he’s so reliable. I love how he goes about it.”

On a shoutout from the coach:

Can I shout out our coaching group, too? I sit up here talking about me, but our coaching group is doing a great job - Ash Hansen, Leigh Adams, Timmy Clarke, Jordan Russell on the bench and the development crew are doing an incredible job. They’ve been enormous for us.