A GROUP mentality.

That’s what Sam Docherty believes is fuelling a Carlton side which finds itself in a position that it hasn’t been in since the 2017 John Nicholls Medallist has been at the Club.

The Blues made it eight wins from their opening 10 games with a victory in a compelling game over Sydney, with Docherty once again starring.

Contributing more metres gained than anyone else on the ground, it was another feather in the cap of Docherty, who looks every chance at this stage of the season to back up his All-Australian selection five years ago.

Speaking on 3AW on Saturday, Docherty outlined a key driving force for the playing group which has been front of mind so far in the campaign.

“We’re trying to play footy for each other: it’s been a big thing that we’ve bought into this year,” Docherty said.

“Playing for your teammate and being a great teammate. When it’s your time to go or your moment in a match, you’ve got to take it.

“We’ve had countless opportunities and moments in the first half of the season where we’ve seen so many guys stand up. We’ve got the results off the back of it.”

A moment which stood out from that aspect came in the closing stages of the second term, when Docherty was on the receiving end of a mistimed spoil from Sydney’s Josh Kennedy.

Docherty’s teammates came in to fly the flag for the defender, who had to exit the game momentarily due to the blood rule.

It was no surprise that Docherty had no ill feelings towards the Sydney midfielder, with the Blue mentioning how a nine-day break would allow more than enough time to recover from a gruelling game of football.

“It was a tough game [on Friday night], both physically and from a running perspective. We’re pretty rapt to walk away with the four points and have a nice long break to have a rest over the weekend before getting stuck into the Pies,” he said.

“I’m a bit of a believer that we play a very combative game of footy and we go in with an inherent risk that, at some stage, you might get hit in an accident. Josh Kennedy is one of the best blokes of footy.

“It’s one of those moments. My teammates, if you look at anything — you want them to fly the flag for your guys when you go down.”

That particular instance came at the end of what was otherwise a blistering quarter from Carlton which set up the win.

If Blues fans thought it felt familiar, they were right. It was another example in the 2022 season of the Blues gaining momentum and making the most of it when it counted. 

That second term was Carlton’s best of the season, but it wasn’t in isolation.

It was the 13th time the Blues have kicked five or more goals in a quarter of football this season. Included in those figures were seven-goal quarters in each of the opening three rounds, back-to-back six-goal terms against Port Adelaide and Adelaide in Rounds 5 and 8, a seven-goal third term against North Melbourne in Round 7.

For Docherty, it’s a sign of the modern game and a key facet of Carlton being able to produce close wins this season.

“When we get rolling, we’re a pretty exhilarating team,” he said.

“With anything in footy, when you have momentum, you want to capitalise on that. It’s been one of our strengths this year, that when the game is going our way, our ability to put the score on the board has been great.

“At any stage in the game, if you get things right, then other teams make moves and change the game. That’s what we saw over the weekend.

“That’s the nature of the beast of footy. It’s ever-changing and you’ve got to change and react in-game.”