Regardless of the result on Saturday night, it’s been quite a year. Quite a year for the Blues, who have improved for the fourth straight year. Quite a year for some seasoned veterans who had best-ever seasons. Quite a year for some kids who really came on. And quite a year for some new faces who have already become stalwarts of the side. And quite a year for Juddy. But then every year is.

Most of all, it’s been quite a year for me, being able to document the season on the Carlton website.

So some of my highlights of the year:

Nick Duigan, a defender in the mould of Andrew McKay in more ways than one. Sure he can play, but he’s also a smart bloke with a good head on his shoulders. I’d recommend that Ratts pick up a few more of him, but I fear there aren’t many out there.

Wrestling my nephew Angus back from the grips of Geelong was another highlight. I’ve always been able to tap into his Rainman-like encyclopaedic knowledge, now he knows things about the right team. And I’m sure this blog was no small part of his conversion back into the navy Blue.

But it has to come down to a personal response from Mitch after my ‘Open Letter to Mitch Robinson’. In that letter, I warned him about getting too good. I was worried that he had a career as a Carlton cult hero ahead of him, and he was throwing it all away by being a regular hero. He proved me right as the season progressed, too. He just kept throwing himself onto boots, in front of hips, under falling bodies. So when he contacted me via Twitter to say thanks, well, this thing paid for itself.

I thank you all for not only not tearing up your memberships lest I sully the good name of the club, but for commenting, for posting, for re-tweeting, for ‘liking’ and for correcting my many stuff-ups.

I’m not an expert, or an insider, or even really a writer. I’m just a lifelong Blues fan.

Thanks for reading.

Ben