GETTING their reward.

Above anything, Carlton Reserves coach Luke Power is glad his players have started to get some nourishment for the consistent effort put in throughout the course of the year.

While the weekend was just the Blues’ third win of the year, on face value it may seem like the team has been blown away in season 2024.

But the numbers tell a different story, with eight losses coming by 16 points or less, at times fielding teams with little to no AFL experience due to injuries earlier in the year.

According to Power, what hasn’t wavered is the team’s commitment to themselves and one another over the course of a frustrating year.

“The performances were there. We lost eight by under 16 which could’ve quite easily gone the other way, and early on we were dictated to a bit by injuries.

“It’s been a tough season at times, so to be able to transfer what they’re working on during the week is really important for them and important for the Club. Our VFL players are improving, we’re starting to get a couple of AFL-listed boys back, we’ve got a young VFL group.

“Getting experienced guys to help our younger guys has been important for the program.”

Two players who have benefited from the experience around them are Ashton Moir and Rob Monahan, the two housemates who are both in their first seasons at IKON Park — and, in Monahan’s case, his first season of football in general.

Moir had two goals to go with a season-high 19 disposals on the weekend, with his final-quarter goal coming directly from a Monahan assist — who also had a season-high 13 disposals on a day where his parents were over from Ireland to watch from the IKON Park stands.

Earlier in the year, the two were among just five or six AFL-listed players featuring for the VFL Blues on match day, without any senior experience to their name. But the positives were clear on the weekend, when with extra support at the level, the duo flourished in the Carlton Reserves’ biggest win of the season — an 83-point triumph over Collingwood.

In past years, letting players develop over the long term hasn’t necessarily been a luxury afforded to those at IKON Park given the team’s AFL plight. Now with more senior heads and an established team, the chance for gradual improvement in the VFL is a reality.

Speaking on their development, Power said patience was a virtue with the Blues’ emerging crop: but rest assured, they’re leaving no stone unturned in their progression.

“Those two have turned up every Monday, every Tuesday and so on, and they want to get better. They’re working really hard on their games, and when you can see the transfer, it’s massive for them, for us and our development coaches.

“They’re putting time into their crafts and starting to build habits for their future.

“We say to these guys all the time, and Billy Wilson is the same, that our job isn’t to get them to play one game. It’s that when they do get into the team, our job is to keep them there.

“Their attitude towards building those habits has been first class. They’re getting better and better.”

Photo credit: Jackie O'Sullivan