STARTING to click.
Carlton forward Charlie Curnow believes the forward line is jelling better than ever with some key inclusions to the attacking lineup.
After an eight-goal final term in Round 12, the Blues were able to well and truly put the Power away – a feat that has been a struggle for Carlton in recent weeks.
One of the additions to the front half that has excited the No.30 is Zac Williams, who made the transition from half-back to half-forward over the last two outings.
“He’s killing it, [seven] goals in two weeks,” Curnow exclaimed.
“I think we’ve got a whole lot more energy. It’s been nice to have him kick them off half back to me but it’s also pretty enjoyable watching him kick them through the big sticks.
“With Lachie Fogarty back in the team as well, he gets his role done and he plays his role so well and the boys really enjoy playing with him.”
A big factor in the last-quarter surge in South Australia was the performance of captain Patrick Cripps, who converted two back-to-back goals on the scoreboard early in the fourth term.
Curnow lauded the work of his teammate and friend, referencing the boost that it gave the entire team to compete harder.
“It was impressive – I reckon the skipper coming out in that last quarter, he was in a mood for sure,” he said.
“He kept on putting the foot on the throat and putting those two goals through in that last quarter gave the rest of the team a lot more confidence to keep pushing.
“I think in the past year, we haven’t really finished games the way we wanted to and we’re always fighting at the end. To put a team away in the last quarter, it felt good.”
The Blues were able to break another drought, putting away a South Australian team at Adelaide Oval for the first time in their history.
The Curnow family were split on whether to take the trip to the game with the bad omen still hanging over the City of Churches.
“Mum called it quits, saying she wasn’t going through this again in Adelaide,” he joked.
“Dad was lucky, he got in the car with Wayne Walsh. There would’ve been a lot of talk in that car on the way over and on the way back . . . they put a big effort in.”
Now looking ahead to a huge clash with arch rival Essendon, Curnow that his side was eager to get back to the MCG and right some wrongs from last year’s clash.
“I think we’re excited to get back to the ‘G - we haven’t played there for a bit - and give it a red hot crack.
“[Ben McKay] can’t come to me, surely he has to play on his brother, that’s what everyone wants to see. If I was playing Ed, I’d love for him to come play on me!”
Speaking on McKay, Curnow has been impressed with the way his teammate has gone about his strategy this season, admitting he’s taken areas of McKay’s preparation and using them to better his own game.
“I reckon [McKay has] definitely added a few things to his routine and I’ve taken a few things from him also, it’s good we can chat about it,” he said.
“I think he’s up and running, getting up the ground and running around the midfield also.
“I know personally when I get up the field and touch it a few times, it just adds a lot more confidence to your game that you can bring with you when you go down deep in the forward line.”
