AS THE run to September continues to intensify, Carlton faces what could be a pivotal contest this Friday against North Melbourne, but coach Brett Ratten refuses to attach any greater importance to the match.
Sitting in seventh position with nine wins, Carlton's season is delicately balanced needing to win at least three of the remaining five to play finals for the first time since 2001.
Many outside Visy Park view Friday's encounter against the out of contention Roos as a 'must win' for Carlton, but Ratten is just focused on getting his side back up and playing good football after a disappointing loss to Collingwood.
"You hear 'this is the make or break game' or 'if you lose this you're doomed', but I just think this is one of five games for the rest of the season," Ratten said on Wednesday.
"We play Geelong the next week. Do we go on holidays to the Sunshine Coast because we're playing Geelong? No. We've got five opportunities left for our football club.
"They're all pretty tough games and if you underestimate your opponent you get hurt."
Ratten could be forgiven for cursing his rotten luck when Adam Simpson announced Friday night's game will be his last.
Ratten said the announcement would give the Roos extra motivation, but that Carlton would just have to try and match that throughout the game.
"He could have picked another game, there's a few more left in the season, but that's the way it goes," Ratten said with a rueful smile.
"Maybe it's a sign of respect that he has for our club that to announce [his retirement] against us. We've had some great battles … and he's been a great player and a great servant of the North Melbourne Football Club."
Despite a narrow loss to the Cats, reigning premier Hawthorn is finally starting to get its house in order and bringing pressure to bear on the eight-placed Bombers and Carlton.
Ratten maintained it was unhealthy to get caught up in what the competition was doing.
"Do you look up the mountain or do you look down the mountain?" he mused.
"We want to look up the mountain. We've got North Melbourne and it's a big game for them because of Adam's retirement, but we've got a lot to play for.
"We've got five weeks of opportunity to put our case forward to see if we deserve to be in the top eight or the bottom eight."
