"AN INCREDIBLE journey."

For Adam Cerra, his eyes were firmly set on the prize from the first bounce of Round 1, with the midfielder going on to have a career-best season in 2023. 

After the heartbreak of missing finals in 2022, Cerra - who just turned 23 last week - was more motivated than ever to play his best football in Navy Blue. 

While the team fell agonisingly short of the ultimate goal, Cerra knows that this season will be one small part of their much bigger story to come. 

"It was a bit of a rollercoaster of a season, but it was an incredible story and an incredible journey,” Cerra said. 

“I’m really proud of the way we were able to finish off the season and as flattening as it was to get so close and fall short, we took a lot of good strides this year – I think we’ll be set for a big year next year.”

A lot was spoken externally about Carlton’s midfield mix early in the season, with the side unable to get its clearance and contested game going in the opening weeks – an area that set them apart from the competition in 2022.

With a number of that midfield group experienced interrupted pre-seasons, it was a matter of cohesion for the group, with Cerra believing it'll only get stronger with time, which was displayed in the second half of the season.

“We knew it would click – as a midfield group, we’d only spent two years together, at the start of the year it was only one year together,” he said. 

“We know that for us, the more time we train together and play together, the greater the cohesion will be and the more we’ll complement each other in there. 

“We put a lot of work in as individuals but also as a line group together and we have full belief that whatever midfield we come up against, our best will do the job.”

With forced changes to all areas of the midfield throughout 2023, it opened up the opportunity for more faces to roll through the centre bounce.

Sam Docherty spent the majority of the year as either a centre-bounce midfielder or on the wing, while the returns of David Cuningham and Lachie Fogarty to the 22 meant that Carlton's on-ball brigade could give their all physically when called upon.

Cerra was quick to note that without the outstanding work from the team's rucks (whether permanent or makeshift), the midfielders wouldn’t have been able to sustain such a high level of intensity throughout the season. 

“We started playing with the two ruckmen and as a midfielder, when your secondary ruck comes in and can win the same amount of hitouts and create a really strong contest, it’s a real strength,” he said. 

“We loved it – both ‘Kingy’ [De Koning] and ‘Pitt’ [Pittonet] both complement each other and they set the standard and intensity for us. 

“‘SOS’ [Silvagni] and ‘Lewy’ [Young], when they went into the ruck, it was like having an extra midfielder. As mids, we just adapt to it and it was really pleasing that we could still make it work.”

Cerra barely missed a trick up until Round 20, playing all bar one game and leading the John Nicholls Medal count on the back of his work not only when the Blues started to fire, but also during the lean times of the season.

In Carlton's six-game losing streak, Cerra gathered 30 or more disposals on four occasions, constantly willing the ball out of the middle and looking to give his team a spark.

A hamstring strain on return against the Pies was a dagger to what was clearly a breakthrough season for Cerra, who would miss the next three games as the side pushed for a drought-breaking finals appearance.

“It was very frustrating personally, to not finish off the season as well as I would’ve liked with the hamstring injury,” he said. 

“As frustrating as it was to be on the sidelines watching, it was really good to see some boys step up and get the role done. It shows the depth we have in the team, particularly in the midfield group and that puts us in really good stead."

Given everything the Club endured, Cerra said the team was well-prepared for whatever the finals threw at them, and the same will apply in 2024 given the Blues' September experience.

Referencing the enormous crowds that follow Carlton wherever they go, Cerra couldn’t speak highly enough of the fanbase that gave their unwavering support, acknowledging their passion and loyalty in what would end up being a season to remember for the Blues. 

“You have to pinch yourself. It’s incredible, the numbers they come out with,” he said. 

“It’s something we definitely don’t take for granted, it motivates us when we put on the jumper that we’re playing for something bigger – we’re playing for the community, we’re playing for the fans and they definitely push us that little bit extra.

“Blues fans coming out each week prepared us for those big games and playing in front of 90,000-plus – I think that played a big part in us being able to close out those close finishes in the first two weeks of finals.”