ASSISTANT coach Brent Stanton believes there is no limit on what the Blues can achieve in the remainder of the season.

With two wins against top-eight teams Brisbane and Fremantle in their last three outings, the Blues look to be playing with freedom and newfound confidence. 

A number of factors have driven this lift in performance, with an increase in energy among the playing group both on and off the field a catalyst for the winning form. 

“We’re starting to put everything together that we’ve been working on over the last 18 months,” Stanton said on radio.  

“The energy around the playing group at the moment, the excitement and the freedom to play the way that they’re playing is something that we’ve been seeing at training and now we’re just starting to produce in games.

“We want to keep improving every week, and we want to keep on winning every week. That’s the exciting part, there’s no limitation on how good and how quickly we can get good.

“These guys are very excited about the direction of the club, it’s just trying to manage these younger guys to be able to perform at the highest level they can on week-in, week-out basis. 

“You’re going to get highs and lows with the kids that we’re playing at the moment, but there’s certainly no limit on the wins that we can get in the last part of the season.”

Carlton celebrated a memorable victory over Fremantle, made even more special with the absence of key players Patrick Cripps, Sam Docherty, Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow. 

In Stanton’s opinion, the Blues’ second win under David Teague was a nod to the fresh approach that the interim head coach had brought to the playing group since taking over the top job just under a month ago.

Working closely with Teague, Stanton has seen first-hand the different approach being implemented, believing that it has given the young playing group the confidence and freedom to back their natural instinct. 

“He [Teague] has got a pretty big emphasis on trying to kick higher scores, I think that excites the playing group a little bit,” he said.

“He’s given them freedom, and he just wants them to play to their strengths. I’m not saying that Brendon Bolton didn’t do that, it’s just in a different manner.

“He brings that energy to training as well, I think all of the players are starting to feed off that. He loves his job, he loves teaching and educating these players on how to improve and get better as a footballer, but also as a person. 

“His main message is that, when we’re there to work, we’re there to work, but also have some fun along the way. I think that’s a really important balance at a football club.”

The Blues will look to repeat their heroics in the West in front of a big home crowd when they take on the Demons at the MCG this Sunday afternoon.

While they will miss the firepower of Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay up forward, and an injury cloud still hanging over co-captain Patrick Cripps, Stanton was confident that the shift in mentality amongst the playing group will see them fare well against the Demons.

Sunday’s game also presents another opportunity for the rest of the team to once again step up and rise to the occasion.

“It’s really something that we’re focused on, not relying on one or two big guys, or dominant players on the field,” he said. 

“We’re relying on all 22 to get their job done. We’ve found out in the last three weeks that it’s really paying off for us.”