“THIS IS the foundation for us.”

The AFLW Senior Coach’s pride for his players was evident despite Carlton falling just short at Casey Fields.

At a ground where the Demons boast a formidable home record, the Blues took it to the premiership fancies but fell short by a point, bringing a bittersweet end to the team’s 2022 campaign.

With over half the side aged 22-and-under, Daniel Harford said he hoped a showing like that against a team that solidified a top-two finish could be the spur for next season.

“Clearly we haven’t had the best year this year, but in the last month we’ve shown the capacity to do something quite good,” Harford said.

“It’s an evolution of our group this year and we knew that from the start.

“For them to see a performance like that against a quality team like the Dees tonight, it’s what I’ve been waiting for. 

“I believe that’s them, and for them to see that and apply that level of intensity and heat to a game of footy against a rock-solid oppositions, that’s what we spoke about after the game.”

Among the youthful core contingent taking to the field last night were the likes of Maddy Guerin, Mimi Hill, Keeley Sherar and Paige Trudgeon, who all featured among Carlton’s best players on the night.

After bidding farewell to five experienced players at the end of last season, Harford said the Blues knew going to the draft would bring about a changing of the guard.

He said Saturday night was an indication of what the playing group could achieve in the coming seasons with expansion looming right around the corner.

“We knew it from a list perspective. We went to the draft for a couple of years and got the best young talent we could into our squad, knowing it might take some time but giving them the experience and the opportunity to develop and play in moments like this,” he said.

“This is the perfect classroom for young talent, against a really established [team] like Melbourne.

“Maddy Guerin is in her second season off a knee reconstruction. Mimi Hill is coming off a knee reconstruction and played an unbelievable back half of the year. Keeley Sherar was brilliant.

“Paige Trudgeon gets the best opposition forward every week and she’s come from nowhere to be a key player in our team. It’s Courtney Jones’ first season of playing AFLW football. 

“Abbie McKay is growing. Lucy McEvoy is growing. Maddy Prespakis is still a kid. Grace Egan is still a kid.

“We’ve got such a good group that is evolving and emerging together: we just need some time to get them to be the best players in the competition, which I think we can.”

He also made a point of singling out Carlton’s experience group, whose leadership he believed was allowing the next generation to flourish.

“I put it down to the leadership of a lot of those players, that they encourage everyone to be themselves and allow them to have personality,” he said.

“We don’t want to stifle any of that, we love character and personalities. But we also love hard work. 

“They’ve set the standard in that throughout the whole season, and with that you get a really tight group that can go to work. 

“In the back half of the season, that has grown enormously. I give a lot of credit to our leadership for that situation at the moment.”

So with it being the final game of the season before the next one (whenever that comes), how was Harford planning on rounding out his night?

“I’m going to get some chips.”

Fair enough.