Carlton started like a house on fire in 2022, going 8-2 in the first ten rounds with Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps and twin towers Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow shredding opposition defences to ribbons.
The Blues had total control of their illusive decade-long finals destiny after defeating West Coast in Round 17, sitting fifth at 10-6. Carlton fans could at last see September action on the horizon. Then calamity struck, losing five of their final six games to bundle out of the finals - most agonisingly in narrow defeats to Melbourne and Collingwood in the final two matches by five points and one point respectively.
The devastation of being a fingernail away from punching their September ticket will be motivation for the year to come for Michael Voss' men.
In this piece we'll touch upon these five burning questions for Carlton in 2023.
10 long years. That's the last time this famous club made a finals appearance, all the way back in 2013. For 22 rounds last season, Carlton did everything right, keeping themselves entrenched in the top eight only to fall out of finals in the final round of the home and away season, to none other than long-time nemesis Collingwood too.
Having had six months to reflect on that hollow Sunday on August 21, this season potentially shapes as one all Blues fans young and old witness the return to finals football. After the arduous rebuilding process which began in 2015 under then-coach Brendon Bolton, it is time to start putting the results together.
Draft selections of Jack Silvagni, Jacob Weitering, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Sam Walsh, Zac Fisher and Lochie O'Brien in recent years have seen their key stocks rise from baby Blues to leading names. Unlike a few years back when the club leaned upon its veterans Marc Murphy, Kade Simpson, Bryce Gibbs, and Ed Curnow to help out the upcoming youngsters mentioned above.
Smart recruitment of players from other clubs, including George Hewett, Adam Saad, Adam Cerra, Sam Docherty, Nic Newman and Lewis Young, shows the club is serious in becoming a regular September contender.
This current Carlton list has plenty of experience.
Skipper and Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps has 159 games under his belt, Weitering 133 games, George Hewett 135 games, Adam Saad 152 games, Sam Docherty 144 games, and new recruit Blake Acres 120 games. Add to the list Silvagni 99 games, Adam Cerra 94 games, McKay 86 games, Curnow 84 games, Walsh 81 games, Matthew Kennedy 78 games, and O'Brien 60 games, Carlton's list is only starting to scratch the surface of their true potential.
Even through the toughest times, Carlton fans have stuck together through thick and thin. Imagine when the Blues reach that illusive final? That will be the icing on the cake.
Injuries are a common prevalence in footy and in 2022 the casualty ward hit Carlton hard. From key defender Jacob Weitering (AC joint), Mitch McGovern (hamstring), George Hewett (back), Matthew Kennedy (foot), Harry McKay (foot), Zac Williams (calf), Corey Durdin (shoulder), and Marc Pittonet (knee), Carlton couldn't catch a break on the injury front.
According to statistical leader Champion Data, Carlton had the fifth-most games lost to injury with 109. To make matters worse, Williams will miss the entire season after rupturing his ACL, and classy midfielder Sam Walsh is sidelined for the first month of the season after undergoing back surgery in December.
Unlike seasons past, the Blues have the depth to cover for both players. Carlton will be looking to avoid a lengthy injury list, especially in the midfield where Sam Docherty spent time in the middle to cover the key losses late last season.
Asked about addressing its lengthy injury list in 2022 on the club's Summer Sessions series, Blues President Luke Sayers says the club will look closely at its medical department.
"We've had a look at the high-performance area, the medical area and the interconnectedness to coaching and the way in which we do all that," he said.
Results may be on show this year as Carlton look to recover from a difficult and injury-riddled 2022 campaign.
To become the best you have to beat the best. This is the next mission awaiting Carlton in taking the leap from narrowly missing finals to being a top eight team moving into premiership contention.
Wins in the opening two rounds against Richmond and the Western Bulldogs - whom Carlton hadn't had success against, showed capabilities against two premiership aspirants.
Although going 4-7 against top-eight sides, Carlton were never totally outclassed. Results include twice narrowly losing to Collingwood, matching premiers Geelong for two and a half quarters, topping grand finalists Sydney, losing in the final 15 seconds to Melbourne, and beating Fremantle in an arm-wrestle affair.
When asked about the game during his post-match press conference after the gritty win over the Dockers in Round 15, coach Michael Voss saidL "It was a signature win. If you want to get belief, that was one of them.
"We've had moments where we've been on and off and we haven't been able to get a four-quarter performance. This wasn't just against any side, but a side that was second on the ladder."
The ultimate test lies ahead this season, playing Melbourne, Collingwood, and finals aspirants Gold Coast twice with a tricky opening month to encounter against Richmond, Geelong, Adelaide, and St Kilda.
As Carlton showed, they can go toe-to-toe with the top-tier teams, but sustaining it over the course of four quarters will be the difference between victory and defeat.
During Carlton's blistering first half of 2022, its fleet-footed, zippy, and crafty pack of small forwards epitomised the side's relentless attack - in Matt Owies, Jesse Motlop, Corey Durdin, and Zac Fisher.
The quartet provided plenty of pressure at ground level, picking up the Harry McKay or Charlie Curnow crumbs from a pack contest.
All four players had considerable contributions throughout 2022, with Motlop kicking 12 goals from 12 games, Durdin kicking 15 goals from 21 matches, Zac Fisher with 18 goals from 22 matches, and Matt Owies booting 14 goals from 17 matches. There's a saying for any small forward, "make the most of your opportunities because they don't come around very often."
This will be the next step in the progression for especially Owies, Durdin and Motlop to constantly hit the scoreboard.
Carlton hasn't had the commodity of selecting from a group of smalls since the days of Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett terrorising defences. A mention to Chris Yarran and the buzzing three amigos during the 2010 season.
Dubbed "Setanta's little helpers" where the trio pounced at the feet of then tall forward Setanta Ó hAilpín, leaving opponents in their wake. Upset wins that year over Geelong and St Kilda highlighted their influence.
If Durdin, Owies and Motlop consistently kick their bag of two and three goals along with ferocious tackling pressure, it is only going to make Carlton that bit more dangerous.
In order to address outside run and carry, Carlton landed Blake Acres from Fremantle during last year's trade period.
Acres brings plenty of experience to the Blues, having played 120 games since making his debut in 2014. The hard-running winger enjoyed a career-best season in 2022 for the Dockers, averaging 21.7 disposals and 440 metres gained per outing in 20 appearances.
Last season, Carlton used Lochie O'Brien and Matt Cottrell on the wing, but bringing Acres in is an ultimate upgrade to shore up the Blues' deep midfield skeleton.
In an October interview with the club's website for the first time since the trade, Acres said the club's vision under Coach Michael Voss and Head of List Management Nick Austin was the deciding factor to join.
"I had a few conversations with 'Vossy' and Nick Austin a few weeks before the end of the season," he said.
"I just wanted to see what was out there and if there were any potential good fits for me and I had some really good chats with Nick about the direction that Carlton is heading.
"I think how they started their season so well - that's great experience for the group, hopefully I can add to that and take that next step. I don't think it's much: their best is clearly good enough."
What Carlton has is a player who consistently accumulates the ball and runs all day without receiving the plaudits. Whether Acres is the missing piece is the unknown.