IT MIGHT have been the same result as the week before, but even in his post-match press conference, Carlton coach Daniel Harford mistakingly called it a “win”. Up to two players and three goals down at different stages of the match against Fremantle over in the west, the Blues were able to rally and fight back in the second half to take home two points much like they did the week before, but this time Harford had a different message.

“It’s a very different conversation this week. I thought we coughed one up last week and got the draw, whereas this week we were steaming home and we were the better team,” Harford said. “I think the conversation’s very different, this was a draw of real grit and character and spirit. I don’t think in my five seasons I’ve seen that level of performance under so much pressure and duress from one of the Carlton groups so I’m enormously proud of what they showed today.

“I think this is an enormous growth phase for us, we’ve talked about that publicly from our list perspective and where we sit. But to see a performance like that with all that was going against us, I think is unbelievable character, grit and spirit building within this group.”

Harford said the Blues – who managed to boot 4.2 to 1.2 in the second half despite the adversities – were able to adapt incredibly well following injuries to Phoebe McWilliams (foot) and Amelia Velardo (concussion).

“In the end we were much better this second half than we were last week’s second half,” he said. “To be three goals down here, two players down and uphill into the breeze was a huge challenge to come out after half-time and do what we did and we had to flip magnets around and play players in positions they’ve never seen themselves on a magnet board in. So to do that and put ourselves in a position where we could win the game, it’s unbelievable I’m so proud of the girls.”

Down across the board in the first half and the only goalkicker off having injured her foot, Harford conceded his side was not able to get any “flow” into its game. He credited a number of Carlton young guns with turning the purple momentum into navy blue, and feeding off the energy from a Fremantle side that looked tired, and lacked confidence.

“Every time we got the ball, Freo stopped us and then they keep you in a wedge of the ground they want to keep you in,” Harford said. “Then you end up kicking long to numbers, you turn the ball over and their slingshot attack was really positive and really powerful in the first half. We had to find a way to get past that, so we a number behind the ball in the second half, not as a defensive mechanism but to create some run and some flow and it worked.”

There were a couple of rising talents who played the role behind the ball, whilst the Blues two prime movers were able to pick up and get going after being the targeted in a negating role from Fremantle midfielder Nikki Gore. Harford said the playing group was able to sense the feeling from the Dockers as the match went on.

“Lucy McEvoy did a great job in that role, Keeley Sherar in the last quarter did that for us and was enormous as well,” he said. “Mim (Mimi Hill) and Abs (Abbie McKay) went to work in the middle of the ground, but we just got some territory on the back of it. I think Freo started to tire midway through the third term, you could almost see their legs start to tire and we fed off that. Even though we were a couple of players down, we fed off that and used that energy for the power of good in the end.”

Captain Kerryn Peterson continued her role, with the three-time All-Australian defender now a bonafide wing. Harford described it as an “opportunity for her to develop her game” and while her ability in defence is unquestioned, he said it was not going to win the Blues games going forward.

“We don’t need her saving the game, we need her creating opportunities for us to win games,” Harford said. “That’s why I’ve done that and she’s done a hell of a job. Annie (Lee) forward, who knows, we had a couple of magnets we just had to move at stages because we just had no choice. It worked, she kicked her first goal, Imogen Milford kicked her first goal, Phoebe McWilliams kicked her first goal for the footy club, they’re all little milestones along the way.”

Carlton return to Ikon Park on Friday night to host a hungry Melbourne outfit coming off its first loss – to Brisbane – on the weekend, as the Blues will be “down a couple of soldiers” but looking to provide the same fight they did against the Dockers.