Michael Jamison is sick of honourable losses.
Sitting in the Carlton rooms after Friday night’s six-point defeat to Geelong, the full-back had just told his new defensive sidekick Sam Rowe that the loss had a strong sense of déjà vu.
Just nine rounds earlier, on another Friday night at Etihad Stadium, the Blues had lost to the Cats by five points, again after leading late in the final term.
Jamison did not say it, but Carlton was on the wrong end of questionable umpiring decisions late in both games too.
In round 12, Troy Menzel was unlucky not to receive a free kick close to goal for high contact. On Friday night, Sam Docherty was unfortunate to be pinged for high contact that led to an Allen Christenson goal.
"People call them honourable losses or whatever, but we're getting a little bit sick of that," Jamison told AFL.com.au, no doubt also referring to the Blues’ five-point loss to Fremantle two weeks ago.
"We do know we've certainly turned our form around from the first half of the year and that's pleasing and it gives us confidence going into next year.
"But we'd certainly like to turn some of these close losses into wins."
The Blues have been out of the finals race for months, but Jamison says they still have plenty to play for.
Their vastly improved form over the past six weeks, which has included wins over St Kilda, North Melbourne and Gold Coast, has built greater belief in Carlton’s playing group, Jamison says.
Which is why the 28-year-old defender feels the 13th-placed Blues still have a lot to play for over the final two weeks of the season, when they will take on Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval and Essendon at the MCG.
"A lot of people at this time of the year will say you've got nothing to lose or there's not much to play for, but we really don't buy into that," Jamison says.
"We've got plenty to lose. You play for pride and respect every week and that's what we're doing.
"If we can keep this good form going and turn it into a couple of wins, the belief that gives guys like Troy Menzel, Dylan Buckley, Patrick Cripps and Ciaran Sheehan going into next year that we can match it with these top sides and beat them will be invaluable."
Jamison spent most of Friday night's game on Tom Hawkins, with Rowe switching onto the star Cat when he wandered higher up the ground.
Hawkins starred with four goals against the Blues in round 12, but this time Jamison and Rowe kept him to 0.3.
Jamison said it had been pleasing to restrict Hawkins' influence, although he acknowledged the Cat's inaccuracy had helped his cause.
"You're going to be doing something pretty special to keep him to no shots, so we tried to force him wide and luckily he didn't have the kicking boots on for a couple of those," he said.
Jamison said having Rowe alongside him as a permanent fixture in Carlton's backline this season had made his job easier and the Blues a better team.
"The great thing with Sam coming into the team this year is that it's given us the flexibility to be able to swap those match-ups around, which is one thing that I probably haven't had consistently for eight years," Jamison said.
"We get stuck into him because he's had a bit of publicity this year, but it's certainly for a valid reason because he's played just one year in defence and has been pretty consistent.
"It's been a super effort."
