Where does Carlton’s win over the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night sit in the big picture? Was it the team’s most commendable showing for the 2012 season?
 
Many may beg to differ, citing the two triumphs over Collingwood as the standouts. But in the current context much is to be said for the manner in which Brett Ratten, his coaching staff and the senior players - three of them first-gamers - all went about their business as the team scrapped and scrounged its way to an 18-point victory at a place where wins have been hard to come by.
 
The following 22 Carlton senior players to run out on Saturday night (Team A in bold) are listed below. Pitted against them are the 22, including the captain, not available for selection either through injury, suspension or form (Team B), which offers some insight into what the match committee was actually up against at selection.
 

B: Aaron Joseph   Michael Jamison   Paul Bower
     Marcus Davies  Lachie Henderson   Simon White   
 
HB: Andrew McInnes   Nick Duigan    Bryce Gibbs
        Zach Tuohy             Pat McCarthy    Jeremy Laidler
 
C: Chris Yarran   Brock McLean   Heath Scotland
      Josh Bootsma       Chris Judd        Rhys O’Keeffe
 
HF: Andrew Collins   Matthew Watson   Jeffery Garlett
        Jarrad Waite          Matthew Kreuzer    Andrew Walker
 
F: Eddie Betts   Bret Thornton   Dennis Armfield
     Kane Lucas   Sam Rowe           David Ellard
 
R:   Levi Casboult     Marc Murphy     Andrew Carrazzo
       Robert Warnock   Mitch Robinson    Kade Simpson
 
i/c: Jordan Russell    Ed Curnow      Tom Bell
      Shaun Hampson   Dylan Buckley   Luke Mitchell
 
sub: Frazer Dale
        Rohan Kerr 

Were these two teams to meet in a hypothetical Battle of the Blues, who’d win? You be the judge. Study the form then let us know below.