IT CAME down to the wire, but Carlton was able to hold on against Collingwood in a thriller on Sunday afternoon.
Taking on their arch rivals at Victoria Park, Senior Coach Mathew Buck was proud of his side for being able to close out the game and implement changes from their previous clash.
Here's what he had to say.
On the close game:
"We seem to find the close ones. We always knew Collingwood were going to bring good heat around the contest and we thought we were able to match it.
"I thought we showed great grit and determination to score a goal after they hit the front in the last. I hope it was a nice spectacle and a nice tight contest, but we’re happy with the win."
On Dayna Finn and her match-winning goal:
"It was a great goal and it’s a great reward for effort from Dayna. She comes from Ireland and took up the game last year, her growth over a 12-month period has been extraordinary. She’s tough and it was great she got the reward at the end.
"The snap that goes through, it’s all process and a quick fist pump then you’re onto the next thing to maintain the win. It was a great effort and a great tap-out by Celine Moody too."
On being locked in Collingwood's half:
"We got locked down their end a little bit and they had good numbers behind the ball. That can be a challenge with 16 v 16 where you want to get in and make sure you don’t give one up but you also want to make sure that you get the ball out and get a stoppage, playing in your half. That’s an education piece for us that we need to keep getting after."
On struggling in the third term:
"I think you’ll find our third quarters haven’t been great either over the last two weeks. We addressed it at half time and it’s an area we need to continue to improve on.
"Credit to Collingwood, their pressure around that and their ability to take the game was forward really strong and that probably hurt us."
On beating Collingwood at home:
"You always love to beat the old foe and the crowd was magnificent today. There were plenty of Carlton supporters up in the grandstand making lots of noise, so it was a special one.
"I’m a year-by-year guy. It was terrific to get the win and get over the top of them. They’ve had some injuries throughout their season and they keep turning up to their credit and they are a tough and hard team to play against, which I’m sure they hang their hat on. It was nice to get over the top."
On feeling physically fresh heading into the game:
"There’s no doubt we felt a little better this week with the break. You probably didn’t realise what you've been through with the condensed period and the trip back from Perth.
"You feel like you’re going okay but it’s not until you have the break that you think ‘this is what freshness does feel like’ from a staff perspective, a coaching and playing perspective.
"It was great to have a normal week, have three training sessions throughout the week and prepare for an opposition. We thought we were at our best physically today for sure."
On Mia Austin's game:
"Nobody works harder than Mia. She works at her craft really strongly and it has been a tough year. Our inside 50s probably haven’t supported Mia too much but to see her get some reward today, and her work rate, her work rate across the ground is incredible.
"You probably don’t see much of it on the television, but when you’re live and watch her really closely, she’s a great person to watch, because her work rate is really strong."
On Darcy Vescio:
"There were some delayed concussion symptoms that came on a little later. They just missed out on this game by a day or so, but Darcy is feeling great and is back into training this week so should be available next week."
On the Bombers' clash:
"Consistency in our season is really important and you’ve got to turn up to every game and play it on its merit and I’m sure the Bombers will be up and about for the last one.
"They need to make the finals and we’ll be right up for that contest and see what we can do."
