AN UPBEAT Carlton coach Brett Ratten focused on the positives of the Blues' 12-point loss to Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, saying his team has shown considerable versatility when he threw players into new positions in a bid to salvage the game.

He was also pleased with Carlton's ability to fight the match to its end.

The Blues had trailed by 45 points early in the third quarter after kicking just one goal for the first half before Ratten switched Andrew Walker into the centre and full-back Michael Jamsion and Chris Yarran into the forward line.

Carlton immediately responded with four unanswered goal and had their chances to cut further into the Hawks lead.

Ratten believed with a little luck and greater accuracy in the final quarter, the Blues could have pinched the game.

''We had the opportunity to turn the game around, to say 'You won the first half and we won the second half, but we got the points because we got our nose in front'.

"There was a lot of encouraging signs for our group in regards to run and our effort and our ability to adjust our structures in game. We haven't handled that as well before and I think it is a step in maturity for our group, but the start of the game was really disappointing.''

The loss makes it highly unlikely that Carlton can now take the double chance into the finals, but Ratten is comfortable with his team's situation.

''We are just going to have to win our finals," he said.

"It is not going to change for us; we wanted to get ourselves into a position to get a home final - we get that opportunity. We know where we are heading and we know where our list is from a personnel point of view.''

The Blues have the bye next week before facing St Kilda in the final round of the home and away season.

''It will be great for us to recharge our batteries, have a few days off and have a really good look at St Kilda, get one more chance to rehearse. Then get ready for finals," Ratten said.


Ratten and the Blues were left to lament a first half in which they could manage just one goal and were smashed across the midfield.

''I thought we were very reactive in the first half, especially around stoppages," he said.

"They dominated that area of the game with more 'bang for buck' for their possession. We just got really beaten with forwards getting too high and into really poor positions. We didn't have a forward line to kick to and that made it really tough.

''When we got a structure in place it allowed us to go in and retain the ball in there, that allowed us to have another crack at it or we had an opportunity to score.''
 
Ratten is hopeful Jarrad Waite, who has been missing with a hip injury since round 16, will return through the VFL this weekend. However, he has conceded it might be difficult for the versatile Waite to break into the side because of a lack of match fitness.

''He needs to play VFL this week to really stake a case for finals," Ratten said.

"Our reserves look like they are going to play finals, so he might have to play a couple at reserves level and we might have to win finals for him to come back in. To play the first final, I would dare say he has to play VFL this week.''

Waite trained on Friday, but he has to pull up well to be selected for the VFL side.