- Carlton saw their AFL season come to an end in Brisbane on Saturday
- Playgroup in costume put together for Mad Monday
- Stupid Akuei is possibly best dressed as Waldo from Where’s Wally
Carlton’s dream of becoming champions came to an abrupt end at the Gabba last weekend against the Brisbane Lions. But that didn’t stop Andrew Voss’s squad enjoying a few beers on Mad Monday.
Charlie Curnow and Elijah Hollands turned heads in their prison costumes, while Alex Cincotta also looked the part as the iconic Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear.
Teammate Dom Akuei perhaps looked best as Waldo from Where’s Wally, and Adam Cerra looked better than most when he took on the role of the doctor.
This comes after the Blues performed terribly in the first half against the Lions in their elimination final, only managing to score a point in the second half.
The home side scored the first nine goals and put up 60 points as shocked Blues fans began to dream of a possible flag in 2025.
A bit of unwanted history: Carlton became the first team since 1974 not to score a single goal in the first quarter of a final match.
A Patrick Cripps snap five minutes before half-time prevented them from becoming the first team in two terms in AFL history without conceding a goal.
“It sums up our season: we haven’t been consistent enough,” Voss said after the game, reflecting on the 28-point defeat.
Lachlan Cowan (pictured left) dressed up as Luigi, but team-mate Patrick Cripps (centre) apparently ignored the memo about Carlton stars dressing up on Mad Monday
Superstar Charlie Curnow opted for the prison look as Blues players let their hair down
Elijah Hollands – no stranger to off-field drama – followed the prison theme on Mad Monday
Teammate Dom Akuei was possibly best dressed as Waldo from Where’s Wally
Midfielder Adam Cerra scrubbed up better than most when he took on the role of doctor
Alex Cincotta looked sharp dressed as the iconic Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear
Midfielder Blake Acres kept it simple as he channeled Wolverine on Mad Monday
‘If you’re not consistent enough, it gets worse. You get to the final, you play against the best teams, the pressure is the biggest… and you get to know yourself better and better.’
“Our pressure was nowhere near the level it needed to be.”
Carlton vice-captain Sam Walsh admitted his team underperformed from the start.
“Hopefully this can satisfy our hunger for next year,” he said.
‘We got beaten on the pitch in so many games, I feel like we just couldn’t match Brisbane’s intensity.
It’s an opportunity we missed, but if we don’t learn [from] ‘These lessons, the same things keep happening.’
A highlight of an evening to forget was the return of Sam Docherty from a third injury to his anterior cruciate ligament.
He scored another goal in the closing stages, much to the delight of his teammates, who clearly found the incident impressive.
“We have complete confidence in the group and what we are trying to achieve,” Docherty said.
“We need to improve our ability to implement our habits and behaviors consistently for football games. That’s the difference between the best and the guys behind them.”