‘Look completely different’: Clear signs the ‘Blues are back’… with finals back on the agenda

Carlton has recorded a third straight win to sit just one win outside the top eight, leading one AFL expert to boldly declare: “The Blues are back, baby!”

Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna is a “believer” after the Blues’ 18-point win over Geelong, off the back of heavy victories over West Coast and North Melbourne this month.

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“I think that for the first time this season they are finals bound, from what we have seen,” he said on First Crack.

“I think they look like a completely different team to the team we saw in the first month of the year.

“And I’m a believer.”

The Blues suffered four straight losses to open 2025 – yet none of those were by more than four goals and three of those defeats came against sides currently sitting first, fourth and eighth on the ladder.

Montagna argued it was Carlton’s offence that just “had to click”, as their reshuffled forward line continued to change due to Harry McKay’s absence and Charlie Curnow’s early knee issue.

But with both players back and fit, the Blues looked a different outfit against the Cats as the star duo landed six goals between them.

“It didn’t quite click that night (against Collingwood) but it was coming,” Montagna said.

“They had a couple of easy kills so we really wanted to see them against a good opponent.

“Just having Harry and Charlie in good form, the small forwards – having a smaller forward line and what it has done for the forward pressure and their ability to turn the ball over. Playing Sam Walsh more on the outside, a bit more wing rather than sort of trying to win first possession on the inside. Their defenders, like Nick Haynes – my gosh, what about the turnaround in his form over the last few weeks?

“Mitch McGovern used the ball much better, (Jack) Silvagni has been excellent and their midfield are all playing really good footy, led by (George) Hewett and (Adam) Cerra is doing his thing.

“I’m a believer – I think they are playing some strong football and I expect them to be in the eight over the next month or six weeks the way they are rolling.

“They should be eyeing off September action like I expected at the start of the season.”

Fellow First Crack analyst David King said the Blues did their damage by hand, given they aren’t a “Hollywood” type of team.

“Everything works when they fire these handballs because that’s how they are built – contest out,” he explained.

“They are not Hollywood.

“They can’t play the beautiful game – they’ve got to drag you into the trenches and leave the trenches on their terms.”

Statistics show the Blues are averaging +790m gained from clearance in their wins this season.

Against the Cats on Sunday, that figure sat at +773m for the first three quarters.

“Today they were flying. In that first three quarters, they were just unstoppable, particularly from clearance once they link and combine,” King said.

Montagna said credit needed to be given to Blues coach Michael Voss who “stuck fat” to the game style he wanted to play – even in the face of mounting pressure at 0-4.

“It looks completely different,” he said.

“There were some of us that were starting to question (Voss’) system, his style. There was a lot of people making noise but he backed it in, he believed in it, they just had to go to school on it. It looks back to what we think and expected from the Blues.”

Carlton now face matches against Adelaide (away) and St Kilda (MCG) before heading to Sydney to take on the Swans.