“No team’s going to feel sorry for us, mate.” Patrick Cripps has opened up on the emotional toll of the week, while his caretaker coach Josh Fraser had plenty of praise for the skipper and the eight words that left him “blown away”.

The final siren at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night brought a wave of raw emotion that had been building all week at Carlton. As the Blues celebrated a hard-fought 12-point victory over the Western Bulldogs, 10.14 (74) to 9.8 (62), the relief was palpable. It was their first win since Round 1, snapping a seven-game losing streak and marking the perfect start to Josh Fraser’s interim coaching tenure after Michael Voss stepped down on Tuesday.

For Patrick Cripps, the night was about more than just the result. Speaking to Fox Footy after the match, the Carlton captain opened up candidly about the emotional weight of the past seven days. “I’m proud of the boys! Big emotional week. Yeah, it’s tough … especially as a captain, leadership group, senior player, you have a huge amount of respect for your senior coach … not going to lie mate, I was flat. Just because I respect him so highly. What I’m proud of the boys is the energy we created throughout the week.

We felt the emotion of it. Everyone felt it different ways. But then when we came in to train the next day, we got back to work. No team’s going to feel sorry for us, mate. They are going to come out and compete. It was our job to show up tonight. It was nice to finish off a game full of run.”

Those words captured the mindset that helped the Blues turn a tumultuous week into something positive. The eight words that truly left Fraser “blown away,” however, came in private. Cripps approached his new coach with a simple but powerful message of support: “Mate, whatever you need, we’re here for you.” Fraser later revealed how much that gesture meant amid the chaos of taking over mid-season. “I was a little bit blown away to be fair because I guess all the baggage he’s carried over a long period of time. He’s an outstanding individual.

It was as simple as ‘Mate, whatever you need, we’re here for you’. That’s sometimes all you need to know – that you’ve got a group of leaders in your corner.”

Fraser had nothing but praise for his skipper, who many had speculated might be feeling the pressure after another disappointing start to the year. “He’s been under a fair bit of pressure. A lot of commentary around ‘Crippa’, as there always is. He’s just an incredibly impressive guy, the way he leads and the way he led tonight, the way he was able to execute his role but also organise and drive others to do so as well. He’s had a great week.

I mean, it’s been a tough week for him, but the support he’s given me, the way he’s led the playing group, he’s been outstanding.”

On the field, Cripps backed up his words with actions. The 29-year-old finished with 29 disposals, 17 of them contested, eight clearances and two goals. His dominance in the final term – 13 disposals and five clearances – was instrumental as Carlton booted five straight goals to turn an eight-point deficit into a match-winning lead. The surge was clinical, a clear statement that the group had processed the week’s events and was ready to compete.

The Bulldogs, who had led for much of the night and looked dangerous early, were eventually overwhelmed in the contest. Carlton won the contested possession count 140-109 and dominated clearances 36-27. Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards were well contained, while the Dogs’ injury list limited their rotations. They fought hard but couldn’t match the Blues’ late intensity, slumping to 5-5 on the season.

A special mention went to debutant Jack Ison, who kicked the sealer in the final quarter and finished with a strong contribution in the closing stages. Fraser was thrilled with the youngster’s impact. “Jack added to that, and really exciting to see him get his opportunity again. He’s a great story, he’s going to excite a lot of Carlton supporters over the years.”

The win was also a collective effort from the coaching panel. Fraser was quick to credit his assistants, describing the approach as a true team effort. “I really enjoyed it – it’s worth me shouting out right now all our assistant coaches. I think this is a real collective approach. It’s a great experience for me – I’ll learn a lot from tonight.”

Nearly 40,000 fans turned out at Marvel Stadium, and the Blues made a conscious effort to connect with them. Fraser noted the focus on playing a brand of football that would energise the supporter base, and the response from the crowd at full time showed it had worked.

For Carlton, the victory provides more than just two premiership points. It offers proof that the group can galvanise under pressure and respond when it matters most. Cripps’ leadership, both on and off the field, has been central to that. Despite the speculation that has followed him at times this season, the skipper showed exactly why he remains the heartbeat of the club.

Fraser, for his part, was realistic about the road ahead. While he admitted to having ambitions for the full-time role, he stressed he is still growing as a coach and plans to make the most of the remaining 13 weeks. “If you can guarantee me it’s like this every week… I think my answer is going to be pretty consistent – I’ve got ambitions to do it. I feel like I’m still growing as coach. I probably don’t feel like I’m quite ready.

I’m going to try and really get as much out of this next 13 weeks as I can.”

The Blues now have a foundation to build on. The message from Cripps and the leadership group was clear: no one is coming to save them. They must show up, compete, and create their own momentum. On Saturday night at Marvel Stadium, that is exactly what they did.

As the players celebrated with fans and each other, the sense of relief mixed with renewed belief was obvious. A tough week had tested the club’s character, but the response – led by their captain and embraced by a new coach – delivered a result that could prove pivotal. Carlton showed fight, leadership and resilience when it was needed most. For a team that has endured plenty of criticism this year, the victory was a powerful reminder of what they are capable of when they come together.

The journey is far from over, but for one night at least, the Blues could breathe easier. Patrick Cripps had spoken for the group when he said it was their job to show up. On Saturday, they did exactly that – and the reward was a win that felt as much about heart as it did about the scoreboard. With Fraser at the helm and Cripps leading from the front, Carlton has a platform to build something meaningful in the weeks ahead.

The eight words that left the caretaker coach blown away may just have set the tone for a new chapter at the Blues.