We can only imagine how tough and hard it must be for the players losing an Elimination Final by less than one straight kick. Heaven knows the supporters take it hard enough but I can still see the look on the players’ faces as they came off ANZ Stadium just over a week ago. It really was hurting.

Most supporters were not just disappointed about the loss but thought it was an opportunity gone begging. Not just the chance to play a final in Melbourne but many were thinking it was a real chance to play in a preliminary final. I never really understood the logic behind this thought, but more on that later.

After a couple of days, accepting the season is over is all that can be done and the finals don’t have the same interest, it is all about 2011. Then as the media start promoting Saturday night’s match between the Bulldogs and the Swans I get agitated again, thinking, “That should be us”. However once again I got used to it and it was back to normal.

Then the Friday night final comes along and I am really feeling empty, we should still be playing! Do I have to say how I was feeling on Saturday, particularly in the build up to the game and then the National Anthem? I was really feeling it and again I wondered just what the players and coaches were thinking as they watched the Bulldogs and Swans go about their business.

Late in the second term I could just hear the supporters thinking about a wasted opportunity with the Swans well in command of the game. Thankfully the Bulldogs came back and as we all know finished up winning the game. Did some Carlton supporters expect the Bulldogs to just go through the motions and bow out of the finals, just because of a few injuries? Get serious, the Bulldogs finished in fourth place on the ladder, and not by luck.

While I have nothing against the Swans I was pleased the Bulldogs won on Saturday night. If for no other reason than to remind Carlton supporters that the loss to Sydney may have been disappointing and yes it was a missed opportunity, but it did not necessarily cost us an opportunity of playing St Kilda in a Preliminary Final. There is no such thing as a ‘gimme’ final, and as the Bulldogs proved on Saturday night, you have to earn the right to continue in September.

You see I have been frustrated by the “we could have finished in the top four” comments in the last week. The bottom line is we didn’t, we were not in the top four all season and in actual fact we finished where we deserved to. We finished with a great performance that was potentially worthy of a top four finish but as we saw all season, consistency to perform at that level was something we were unable to achieve in 2010.

Now the Swans have been defeated by the Bulldogs all Carlton supporters can now move on. Let’s remember the fighting spirit displayed by the Carlton team in our last match of the 2010 season, remember how close we came to going further into September action and a Melbourne final, remember how tough it is to earn the right to play finals and how important it is to be consistent, during a game and throughout the season.

We have plenty to be excited about going forward. Carlton was the youngest side to play finals football in 2010 that is not an excuse it is a fact.

Let’s harness the excitement and disappointment of that Elimination Final and build towards an even bigger 2011.

There were plenty of supporters who were pessimistic about the Blues in 2010 and didn’t get behind Carlton this year, too many were quick to jump off. Now there should be plenty of optimistic Blues supporters ready to jump on the Carlton bandwagon and ensure we all enjoy a sensational 2011.

It is time to move on and for Carlton the future looks a very bright Navy!