Carlton youngster Jack Silvagni has commended the team’s solidarity following a physical encounter with Melbourne.
The Blues took issue with Melbourne's players for off-the-ball incidents that floored Patrick Cripps and Sam Rowe at the MCG on Sunday.
In the aftermath of the clash, Silvagni was proud of the actions of his teammates and said his side would not “shy away” from physicality.
“We flew the flag when the boys went down,” Silvagni told the media on Tuesday.
“I think that’s a really good sign of the unity we have as a team.
“I’d like to think as a club we handled it pretty well.”
After trailing by 24 points midway through the second term, a spirited third-quarter surge saw the Blues enter a winning position.
But in the final stages of the match, the Blues were unable to withstand the relentless Melbourne and succumbed to defeat.
“With experience we’ll be able to finish off those games,” Silvagni said.
“We’ll be able to build from this, grow and take it into games to come for the rest of season.”
Carlton’s next test is a return to the MCG to face traditional rival Essendon.
With another difficult battle awaiting the Blues, Silvagni said they would remain focused on the task at hand rather than delve too deeply into the history between the two sides.
“We know that the Bombers are coming off two really good wins against the Hawks and the Lions,” he said.
“For us it (Round 3 match) presents another challenge and we’ll be embracing it with open arms.
“The Essendon-Carlton rivalry is something that we’ve come to expect over the years as something really hot and a fierce contest ... (but) it won’t add any more significance to the game, we’ll just approach it as per (any other game).”
When the side lines up for its second home game of 2017, the Blues will sport a new look, one that pays homage to Carlton – the suburb.
The 2017 Blueout guernsey takes the traditional Old Dark Navy Blue to a whole new level.
“The Blueout guernsey is paying homage and respect to Carlton as a suburb and as a whole,” Silvagni explained.
“It’s really a jumper for the people of Carlton, our supporters, our members.
“To be able to pull this on, especially against Essendon, is really significant for the Club.”
Bluebaggers, don’t miss your chance to witness the Blueout guernsey come to life. Click here to secure your seat and support the Blues when they face the Bombers from 3:20pm on Sunday 9 April.
You can also get your hands on your very own Blueout guernsey from The Carlton Shop. It retails from as little as $125, but stocks are limited so don’t wait any longer. Click here to view the 2017 Blueout guernsey online.
