Rd 18: Match Day Gallery
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CARLTON Midfielder Andrew Carrazzo says his side is not giving up on playing finals, despite the setback of yesterday’s nail-biting eight point loss to Adelaide.
But he acknowledges the Blues will now have to win their last four home-and-away matches, and hope some other results go their way in the next month if they are to make it.
Carton meets Port Adelaide next week, then has a tough program against North Melbourne, the Brisbane Lions (at the Gabba) and the Hawks.
“We’re playing some good footy and we see every game through to the end of the year as a winnable game, so we’re not closing the door on anything yet,” Carrazzo said.
Carrazzo, who amassed 33 possessions to be among Carlton’s best on Saturday, reflected the genuine disappointment in the Carlton rooms after the match.
“Disappointing is probably an understatement,” Carrazzo said of the result, which saw the Blues again fly home from 32 points down but waste many last quarter chances to fall just short.
“It’s a really tough one to swallow considering how well we played at different parts of the game. Obviously the last quarter we seemed to be all over the top of them and we just butchered the ball and couldn’t take our chances.
“I’m not sure what it is. The last two weeks we’ve started well and finished well and fallen off in the middle two quarters. It’s hard to put your finger on. It’s not a lack of effort, and our fitness is good because we’re running out games well.
“But we had our chances and just butchered the ball and ultimately it cost us the game.”
Carrazzo acknowledged coach Brett Ratten’s criticism that his side tried to over-finesse the ball though the middle at times, contributing to a major turnover count.
“We showed with our forwards when we get them one-on-one that they’re pretty hard to stop. We definitely stuffed around with the ball in the middle of the ground and that cost us.”
The turning point in yesterday’s match seemed to be the collision which knocked out Adelaide star Jason Porplyzia. After that the Crows lifted their intensity, and careered away from the Blues with 10 of the next 14 goals.
Carrazzo played down the impact of the team-galvanizing clash, which also brought the AAMI Stadium crowd into the match.
“I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it. It may have. But they’re a quality team so you can expect that they’re going to come at some stage in the game. It may have been coincidence (the timing of the Crows’ lift) but they’re a good team and they showed it.”
