In what must rank as one of Carlton’s best moments in the past 5 years, the Blues beat a strong Collingwood team in front of an 80,000 strong crowd at the home of football, with a top eight position a deserved reward. Fevola’s goals, and a double midfield act from Murphy and Judd stole most of the post-match limelight, but the desperation shown by the team to claw back from a four goal deficit in the third quarter paved the way for another last quarter goal fest. Simon Wiggins wins Mike and Dan’s Play of the Week for his crucial snap on goal in the last quarter which put Carlton 7 points up and on its way to a memorable victory.

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Simon, you have won Mike and Dan’s Play of the Week for your great snap on goal at a vital time in the last quarter. You had a bit of a burst in that time taking a strong contested mark and kicking a goal in the next minute or so. Can you talk us through the goal?

There was a bit of a scrum in the forward pocket, and there were a few players on top of the ball. The ball was just sitting there, so I burst out of there and threw it on my boot. I had been practicing a bit too much on my left this season and it was pretty funny situation as I had kicked one out on full against Brisbane even though I hadn’t missed one on training track. But this time I managed to pull it off with my left foot.

It was a pretty huge game against Collingwood, but usually it is quite hard to tell how big crowd is when you are playing. But when each team was kicking a goal, particularly in the third quarter, you could hear the crowd roar and could tell that the stadium was almost full.

What was the mood like in the rooms after the game? Did Armfield get into the circle this time to sing the song?

Yeah we got him in there this time! Last week against Port Adelaide, there were about 15 cameras in the middle of the circle and 14 photographers with them so he couldn’t squeeze in if he had tried!

The last couple of weeks we have had some really good wins, and at the ground and in the rooms, all the faithful supporters have been there for us and have got involved which is great to see.

After a great win last week and then backing up with Sunday’s performance, how much confidence has it given the side? Did the belief and momentum from the win against Port carry over to Collingwood?

I think so, obviously we had our backs against the wall in both games, particularly the Port Adelaide game. I didn’t give us much hope in that game, it was an amazing effort against Port in difficult conditions for football. This week, we came into the last quarter in dry conditions which made it easier to kick quick goals, and it was not going to be as difficult to get a run on compared to last week.

I think against Collingwood we had better fitness and run in our legs and were fresher than they were coming into the last quarter. You could see at three quarter time that some of their players were slumped over and obviously feeling it.

In our training and fitness we get very specific with each individual. We have wellbeing surveys that we do before each training session, and the training staff put it into some equation. Some players might need rest to get their energy levels up, or have a lighter week depending on their condition.

We have now got 3 games against sides outside the eight. Has the coach told you what he expects from the next few games?

We have a big month of footy coming up. At the start of year we should have won against Essendon and now we get the opportunity to play them again. We just focus on a contest by contest, and session by session basis.

It is a very important time and it is very exciting to be around the club at the moment. This is my 8th year at the club, and the last time we were in the eight at this time of the season was in 2001. To come out of the game against Collingwood in 8th position was just fantastic. There has been so much hard work and also so much disappointment for players and supporters over the years, and to have the side into the 8 was an amazing feeling, but the hard work has just started, there’s plenty left to do.

After missing the first 6 rounds, you have now put together 6 consecutive games. What are your goals for the rest of the year?

I want to stay in the side, I have been through too much over the club over seven full years with a lot of disappointments along the way, and now we are starting to have some success on the field and I want to be involved in that, I really want to be part of it.

We now have confidence going into games, and I was talking to my wife this morning about exactly that! This is what footy is supposed to be like, we have copped a walloping for so long and it is now falling into place. I want to keep learning and keep improving and be involved more in the club.

I am happy to get a game anywhere, but I like playing at half forward, it is a good position and suits me as I prefer the running bursts instead of the long endurance stuff. That position suits my running capacity, and I think I work well with Fish and Fev up there. But it really doesn’t worry me, Ratts sees me as a utility, I feel very comfortable with that and I think he knows that he can put me in most places on the field.

You have now played 95 games for the club. How important is it to you to reach that 100 game milestone?

It is important, it is very important, I want it really badly! It is a week to week thing, and it is something you always think about it. For my entire career I have always looked at the names on my locker, like Robertson, Marcou, and De Iulio, there is 100 years of history there and I want to be a part of it!

You’ve been at the Club a long while now, and there hasn’t been much success in that time. What is it about the club that feels a bit different this year?

Everything feels really good about the club at the moment. Off the field things are so good, and no disrespect to previous years, but it is now a really welcoming environment and we are working together and improving as a team. With the professionalism of Judd and the great atmosphere amongst the playing group, it is a great place to be around.

Young Aaron Joseph is from your old Tasmanian Club Glenorchy. Have you had much time to take him under your wing and help him settle in?

Yeah I have had a few chats with AJ, he is a really good kid and self sufficient for his age. He left home at 15 from Strachan to live in Hobart and doesn’t need to rely on other people. We have both done the interstate thing, and it is good that we have two players from the same Tasmanian club.

The chances of the proposed Tasmanian team in the competition appear to be slim as the AFL prefers teams from Western Sydney and the Gold Coast. What are your thoughts about a Tasmanian team entering the competition?

To be honest it is a bit rude how they can offer a side to West Sydney when it is a non-football state which already has a team. Obviously for it to be a national competition they need a team from Tasmania, and hopefully one day that could happen.

They will have a better chance if they sort out the north/south issue there which is a real divide in Tasmania. For example if south get the cricket, north want the footy and there is a real rivalry there, so they really need to get on board and support the one team.

How is the Education degree going? Are you still ploughing through it?

I am still creeping through it more like it! I am in my eighth year now, I almost consider myself an academic now! It is going well and there is a light at the end of the tunnel now, although it becomes harder and harder when I am playing footy as time outside the club is limited.

How is your wife Loudy going after missing Olympic Diving selection through injury? Has it spurred you on in the realization that careers can end in the blink of an eye?

Yeah it is a sad situation, and so frustrating. It is really in our face in the moment with Olympic selection stories everywhere, and all Loudy’s plans were to go to Beijing. It seems ridiculous how a policy can be so strict when it comes down to selection based on just one competition, where she did her calf and can’t be considered for selection.

In football if we do a calf, we wait for a week or two and then get back onto the field, whereas in diving one incident leads to this situation. It is obviously very hard for her, she has been doing it since she was 14 years old and has had a 15 year career. In terms of my footy, it definitely makes me think you have to make the most of it because you never know what is going to happen with injuries.

Your player partner is a massage therapist, and your player sponsor is a financial planner. Do you get free massages and financial tips?

I have Bob and Julie from Bob Quadara Financial Planning who have sponsored me since I first came over, and they have given me a bit of financial planning advice which was much appreciated. Krystina Brown is my player partner and is a massage therapist, and she has given me and Loudy the massage treatment, which has come in very handy!

Anything you want to say about any of your teammates’ annoying habits?

Blackwell is a bit of a pest, but I have to say that Mark Austin is one of the biggest ratbags going around! The wives and girlfriends think he will be a bit of a hit with the ladies!

Approaching 100 games and considered a veteran at 25 years of age, Simon Wiggins is possibly the most passionate Carlton player that Mike and Dan have interviewed with his obvious deep affection for the Navy Blue. Wiggins has been a brave, committed, dependable, and consistent player since his recruitment in the 2000 National Draft, and has made a sizeable contribution to the increasing on-field success at the club. A life membership is tantalizingly close for Wiggins, and no-one would be more deserving than the popular Tasmanian utility.