One proud captain. Patrick Cripps has taken delight in his team’s performance, as Carlton overcame St Kilda in a fight-filled victory. It wasn’t always nice, but despite two first-half injuries, the Blues hung on for a 15-point victory, their fourth in five games. After a bad performance in Adelaide last week, Cripps and the rest of the team were challenged to respond, and there was little doubt that the Blues had earned the victory when the siren blew to end Spud’s Game. Speaking to Channel 7, Cripps said the Blues’ previous two victories — against Geelong a fortnight ago and then last night — stood out as the skipper.

“The way the Saints defend and attack requires you to be on your game. We knew it would be a grind: what impressed me the most was that we didn’t have everything our way all night, but we really dug in,” Cripps added. “The backs did an excellent job defending the line, and we held up until late. Harry’s moment is significant; George had his a few weeks ago. As a captain, you are quite proud when your guys rise up in those circumstances. “We had a few guys go down, so we really dug in. That’s another major tick for the guys.”

After starting behind the eight ball in 2025, the consequences of a win or a loss were clear: 4-5 with a win, 3-6 with a loss, with two games remaining before the Sydney clubs’ midseason bye. Cripps stated that the Blues were well aware of not only where they stood heading into the Round 9 matchup, but also what lay ahead. “It was a significant moment for our season, bringing us back one game behind the ledger. A terrific method for the lads to dig in. A good win, and I’m proud of the boys. “We were not fantastic last week. Sometimes the opposition gives you a stitch up, which they did last week. The [midfield] boys cracked in and we controlled the momentum in there – it was an arm wrestle.”

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