New Blues leader Curnow puts AFL finals behind him

Carlton spearhead Charlie Curnow has put his underwhelming finals sequence behind him after being elevated to the Blues’ management group.

The 27-year-old might be certainly one of three vice-captains at Carlton this yr to work alongside skipper Patrick Cripps.

The Blues enter the 2024 marketing campaign with extra optimism than they’ve had for a decade after their extraordinary run to final yr’s preliminary ultimate.

However Curnow was effectively beneath his finest in all of Carlton’s three finals, kicking a complete of three targets and having restricted affect throughout the bottom.

However the twin reigning Coleman medallist has not dwelled an excessive amount of on his disappointing post-season output, vowing to make amends subsequent time round.

“It was a unique ball recreation,” Curnow mentioned on Wednesday of his first AFL finals sequence.

“I did not carry out in addition to what I wish to ultimately however that is in all probability the character of our recreation, I get to have one other crack at it this yr.

“I am trying ahead to enjoying with our ahead line as a unit, and assault hopefully one other finals sequence.”

Extremely rated since bursting onto the scene in 2017, Curnow handled critical damage points early in his profession and did not play any AFL video games between mid-2019 and the tip of the 2021 season.

However these points together with his physique seem like behind him after enjoying in all of Carlton’s 48 video games over the previous two seasons.

The star ahead is effectively positioned to turn out to be the primary AFL participant since Gary Ablett Sr (1993-95) to win three-straight Coleman medals.

Curnow mentioned he had not even thought-about claiming one other goal-kicking award till it was talked about to him.

“Hopefully the flag, that’d be perfect,” he mentioned.

Cripps praised the evolution of Curnow, as a participant and a frontrunner, insisting he’ll enliven the management group together with his vitality.

“It is wonderful what he is carried out and what he is achieved within the two years because the lengthy damage lay-off,” the 2022 Brownlow medallist mentioned.

“He is infectious, he brings individuals collectively and when he talks, individuals pay attention.”

Whereas buoyed by profitable their first finals since 2011, Cripps is way from glad by what Carlton achieved throughout their beautiful resurgence on the finish of 2023.

“We celebrated the yr for what it was as a result of the center a part of the yr, in comparison with the place we obtained to, you have to have a good time that,” Cripps mentioned.

“Whenever you do lose and do not get your finish objective there nonetheless is that willpower to go a couple of steps additional.

“We have got the platform to assault it. We labored that out mid-last yr once we’re fifteenth on the ladder, we’re fortunate this yr it is a fair enjoying subject.”