Moving Lachie Henderson forward and promoting Jarrad Waite to the senior side were only two of a number of strategic masterstrokes enforced by Carlton coach Mick Malthouse in the Blues win over the Western Bulldogs.

It was obvious that there was more hunger and want for the football as the Blues clinched their first win of the season. Indicative of this was the team’s increased desire to pressure the opponent; the Blues compiled their best tackle count for the season (88 tackles).

Speaking to ABC Radio, Rob Warnock was modest in his own appraisal, but full of admiration in assessing his teammates’ performance.

“The midfielders were great with putting pressure around the contest … I think our appetite to compete and tackle was a big reason as to why we won the game,” Warnock said.

“They (the forwards) were great … they kept coming at the footy, and meeting the footy, which created that flow-on effect I suppose. You’ve got two, or three, players that can really clunk the ball and then

capitalise and kick those goals really makes a difference.”

Warnock felt that there was a significant improvement in the Blues’ decision making in contrast to past weeks.

“Our ball use was a bit better … instead of creating turnovers and then having to defend, we probably held the ball in our hands a bit more,” Warnock said.

“Previously we might have kicked a bit longer at times, (but) we lowered our eyes this time and actually hit the guy, which then created overlap, flow and the faster ball movement.”

Mick Malthouse lauded Warnock’s performance as the ‘most outstanding of his career’, after the ruckman notched up 38 hit-outs, leading to 43 clearances: Carlton’s best count for the season.

However Warnock felt that the dominant midfield display came down to the smaller men around him.

“It’s important that the others competed as well. Gibba (Bryce Gibbs) and Murph (Marc Murphy), Carrazzo – you’ve got some quality players around your feet there, even when you’re not having a good day they make you look good.”

Another midfielder, Tom Bell, could miss up to a month recovering from a broken finger, however his efforts in Sunday’s win were symptomatic of Carlton’s appetite for the ball.

“That last quarter value was great, those critical contests I suppose, he (Bell) was cracking in, boring in, tackling, holding those tackles and getting the ball forward, which was crucial at that time of the game,” Warnock said.