The most keenly anticipated clash in recent memory between football’s traditional rivals ended up in disappointment for Carlton fans, with the Blues being outclassed by the Magpies in front of a colossal MCG crowd. Highlights were few and far between, however Bret Thornton’s coolness and composure in the face of some sustained Magpie pressure wins him this week’s Play of the Week. Mike and Dan spoke to the stalwart Carlton defender about his critical role in the team ahead of Carlton’s crunch game against the Kangaroos.

Bret, on a terrible night you were fantastic for the Blues. You win this week's Play of the Week for being the top player out there. Does such a prestigious award ring a bit hollow after a loss like that?

Yeah a few people said I played well, but it doesn’t mean much when beaten by 9 goals. It feels a bit hollow and I would feel much better about it after a win.

Was it Collingwood's tactics or our poor skills that had the bigger bearing on the match?

To say our skills were poor would be underselling Collingwood. They certainly came ready to play and performed well, but in saying that we were well below our best. We just didn’t play our best even though we’ve played in a few other big games this year and we can’t use the big crowd and the intensity as an excuse. We just weren’t switched on.

Did you have a laugh at Jack Anthony for those free kicks where he kept on pushing you in the head?

I couldn’t quite work out why he kept giving away the free kick like that!

We played terribly on Friday night but were still in it going into the last quarter. Is that some kind of positive that we can take away from it?

Oh I think so, I was on the bench with a couple of minutes to go in third quarter and we were only three or so goals down. Then there was an unlucky free kick and they started to run away. To play that badly and still be so close deep into the game is a small positive.

You're leading the Club for marks, and you're high in AFL stats for intercepts. Is this something that comes naturally? Does Ratts keep you down back and urge you to chop out passes?

I did quite a bit of work with my marking over the pre-season, and it is nice to be up in those stats. Being a young backline, Ratts has given me a license to chop off and help out where I can.

We’ve got some stability down back and that really helps. We’ve had quite a lot of injuries though with Jammo, Bower, Waitey and myself all being out at times. We haven’t really had the opportunity to all play in the same game.

Some weeks you get to play loose in the back-half, other weeks you go to a man and lock him down. Any preference?

I suppose I am pretty versatile, I still have gone back in the last line this year but have also played up the ground. I still like to do a job on an opposition player. I’ve always been a defender and like to do a job on someone. I like being freed up too which helps me to be a bit more creative.

Unfortunately we need to tell you that you've just racked up your 100th loss at AFL level. Are there any that stick in the mind, or are you a look forward sort of guy?

I knew I had a bad winning ratio, but that is a bit of surprise! I don’t like to remember the losses too much. Last week was bad enough and that sticks in my mind, but the team is really up for this week and it is a big game for us.

Richmond, Adelaide and Geelong all did us favours this week by beating teams competing with us for a spot in the 8. How much do you focus on other games and how they impact the 8, or is your sole focus on Carlton's performance?

We are just trying to work on our own form, and the other results will take care of themselves. We have to concentrate on what is within our own ability. If we are going to play finals we have got to really deserve to get in.

What will Adam Simpson's last game mean for the Kangaroos? How much of a boost do milestones such as this actually give the players?

It is an even bigger game for North with Simpson playing for the last time. They will be up for it, but we have more to play for than them. We just need to weather the storm early on - they will be passionate but our season is on the line, and it is up to us to really turn on.

There's a bit of pressure coming up from the Bullies now that Stevens, Wiggins, Bentick, Cloke and others are performing well. There must be some fierce competition for spots - are training sessions extra competitive at the moment?

For sure, as you said there are some blokes putting in very good performances, and it creates more competitive teams. It is always good for there to be pressure there for players to genuinely earn their spots in the team.

There's been some absolute belters this year - most critics agree that it is probably the best home and away season in memory. Do you have an opinion about this as a player?

Yeah certainly. It would be right up there and it is fantastic to be part of it.

After eight years at the club and approaching the 150 game milestone, Bret Thornton has proved himself as a brave and skilful defender who leads by example in Carlton’s defensive six. Many Blues fans will recall Thornton’s early years when he performed consistently well when matched up on power forwards, often giving away considerable height and weight – fortunately Carlton’s defensive set-up is more settled these days and his attacking flair and creativity has come to the fore. Thornton will again need to be at the top of his game to counter a versatile and unpredictable Kangaroos forward line in another showcase Friday night game this weekend.


Please Note: the views expressed in the above article are solely the opinion of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the Carlton Football Club or those employees of the Club. The Carlton Football Club would like to acknowledge the tireless work of those supporters who contribute to carltonfc.com.au.