After years with no real expectations to carry, it seems players, coach and officials at Carlton are relishing some added weight.
For the first time in a decade, Carlton are being seriously considered AFL premiership contenders.
And as a monster crowd of more than 7000 turned out for the club’s family day on Sunday, coach Brett Ratten and star midfielder Kade Simpson were prepared to not only accept the pressure, but happily play up to it.
“With our games experience and from an age point of view, we’re ready to take the next step,” Ratten told Carlton fans as the Blues attempt to build on two consecutive finals appearances.
“(Last year) we finished fifth, and every year we raise the bar.
“Imagine if we came here and said `we’re going to finish fifth again’.
“We’re not doing that. We want to finish in the top four.
“We want to give ourselves the best chance to have a crack at that last day in September, and we’ll be striving for that.
“This football club is about expectations. We demand success, we expect success.”
Carlton’s heavy penalties for salary cap rorting led to five bottom-two finishes in six seasons.
But the Blues’ rebuilding has netted No.1 draft picks Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Matthew Kreuzer – all seemingly set to peak – and dual Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd as captain.
Simpson believes Carlton’s improvement can come from both younger players, and those like Kreuzer and forward Jarrad Waite who had injury-interrupted 2011 seasons.
“If you want to have a crack at the flag, you have to finish in the top four,” Simpson said.
“We feel we’ve got enough improvement in the young guys coming up who can get us to that top four spot.
“Probably my first six or seven years at the club, we were always near the bottom and by round 15 the season was pretty much over.
“It’s good knowing we’ve got the players to really compete against the good sides like Collingwood and Geelong.”
Carlton’s players were presented with their jerseys at their Visy Park headquarters, ahead of their first pre-season matches this weekend against Adelaide and Port Adelaide next Sunday.
The Blues play Richmond in round one.
