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CARLTON coach Brett Ratten says Port Adelaide’s round four loss to Brisbane – when the Power squandered a 47-point third quarter lead – fuelled the belief that his side could come from behind in tonight’s heartstopping win over the Power.

Carlton trailed by 38 points during the third quarter, and 30 at three-quarter time, before a seven-goal-to-none last quarter blitz got them over the line.

“The Brisbane game (against Port) gave us a lot of hope about what could happen, but we needed to apply the pressure and do the roles that were expected, and I thought we did that,” Ratten said after the game.

“I think Port are a very good team and they’ll win a lot of games of footy this year, but at the end of the day when it came down to the crunch our boys applied themselves a bit better.”

Ratten described the victory as “one of the great wins for us in 2008”. And although he didn’t use the ‘F’ word – finals – he came close.

“It does keep us in contact with the eight. We’ve mentioned that a fair bit. We’ve a big month of footy ahead of us with Port Adelaide, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond. And we needed to get this win.

“I thought it was fantastic for us and it could help keep us in contact with the eight, and, maybe who knows down the track.

“We’re certainly getting confidence as a group.”

Ratten said once his young Blues wised up and stopped trying to play perfect footy, they won the “test of will”.

“I think through the first three quarters we played some decent footy but didn’t make the most of our opportunities. The way we used the footy – we went really wide and tried to make the perfect play, which in the conditions became turnovers and allowed Port to get into the game.

“I thought as the game went on and the legs went out of it and the energy levels got sapped a bit, it became a real test of will.

“Overall, I thought in contested footy throughout the game we outplayed them.”

The Blues have now scored their second win on the road this year – after having waited four years for the breakthrough. Ratten saw the move forward of last-quarter hero Matthew Kreuzer as pivotal, but also praised the roles of several other Blues youngsters.

“Him (Kreuzer) going down there to be another focal point as well as Brendan, I thought that helped change the game, the way he attacked the footy. He has got a massive work rate as a young player. He’s a great competitor for us.

“I thought our young players (were fantastic).

“Jordan Russell’s first half was down, and then his last quarter and second half were fantastic for us.

“Judd and those boys around the stoppages were outstanding. And Gibbs’ role on Chad Cornes – I gave him our best on ground. I thought his role was outstanding.

“(Shaun) Grigg going onto Peter Burgoyne after the first quarter … our young players really stood up today.

“It’s always great when you win away. The belief that comes and the unity from being together on a trip away (is invaluable).

“I think we had 10 or 11 in our team who have played under 50 games. That’s great for our confidence.”