There was a point during the season it appeared as though the Blues were not just destined for finals, but cherry ripe to go deep into September.
Yet, after a caning at the hands of the Hawks, Carlton now find themselves outside the top eight and at serious risk of missing out on finals footy, altogether.
The Hawks, meanwhile, started the season like they were glued to the floor, dropping their first five games before they started to gel.
And they’re gelling now.
In an impressive, and somewhat scary performance, Hawthorn devastated the Blues, running out 74-point winners at the MCG.
In front of the largest crowd for the two clubs since the halcyon days of the mid-80s, the Hawks put the Blues to the sword – it could have easily been a 100-point win but for some last-quarter inaccuracy from the brown and gold.
Carlton’s issues were compounded by a raft of injuries that left them with one fit player on the bench. Or semi-fit, at least. Charlie Curnow re-injured an ankle in a rather innocuous incident with potentially huge ramifications, but even had he remained healthy, I am not sure that it would have mattered.
The Hawks were on, often running around, and sometimes through their opponents, with their own mosquito fleet causing havoc for the Blues with the ball on the deck.
What does this mean for the final eight? How afraid should teams be of Hawthorn playing in September? Is this the point of the year when Carlton find out who they are?
Heaps to get through in this one, as HB takes a look at The Big Statements.
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