Carlton star Jacob Weitering says there is “no doubt” the Blues let emotion get the better of them as they were belted by Sydney in a spiteful clash at the SCG to open the AFL season.
The Swans won the game by 63 points thanks to a third-quarter blitzkrieg, having struggled to make an impact on the scoreboard in a dour first half of footy.
And the contest was marked by several altercations between players, some of whom had been teammates only a few months ago.
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The most high profile was Charlie Curnow, the superstar key forward who jumped ship from Carlton to Sydney in the off-season.
He booted three goals but was targeted by his former teammates throughout the game, and on several occasions went toe to toe with his former captain Patrick Cripps.
During a stoppage in the first quarter Cripps ran at Curnow and tried to nudge him, but the latter grabbed his old skipper and tossed him to the ground, before pointing and laughing at him.
Curnow and Cripps were seen embracing and sharing a laugh after full-time.
”It was funny, I think they had a tactic not to talk to me,” Curnow told Seven afterwards.
“And we had the same with Ollie (Florent) and Will (Hayward) so it was going around a bit in circles… it was weird.
“I needed to lock in and focus.”
Florent and Hayward were Swans players before being traded to Carlton at the end of last season.
Hayward kicked a goal in the first quarter and gave it to his former teammates, while Florent was fired up all night.
He dug his knee into the back of Isaac Heeney’s head, and there was debate about whether it was deliberate or accidental.
And after the game Florent was snapped in a fiery exchange with his former captain Callum Mills.
Florent snubbed a handshake offer from Mills and then gave him a spray, which was all caputured on TV cameras and by AFL photographer Michael Wilson.
Hours later the pair posted to social media, sitting side by side with the caption “I think we all good”.
Fox Footy cameras also caught Florent and Mills sharing a hug a while after their verbal spat.
“That was a pretty warm embrace,” AFL great Jason Dunstall said.
“A few words in each other’s ears. Often things are said in the heat of battle out on the ground, but you smooth it out once the game is over.
“It was really good to see that.”
As for Florent’s knee on Heeney, the Swans superstar was able to laugh it off post-game.
The pair are business partners together and there appears to be no ill feeling, although Florent may yet get charged by the AFL’s match review officer.
“We nickname each other ‘Brickheads’,” Heeney told The Age after the game.
“We just go at each other like a couple of idiots. No, I love him.
“We had a chat after it… it was all fun and games. Obviously we got on top, so that was nice.
“He got the best of me, actually, when he threw me to the ground, but no, it was good.”
As for the Blues, a season that promises so much has started in a disastrous manner.
Key defender Weitering did not shy away from the fact Carlton focused too much on the fight, and not enough on footy.
“We’ve gotta be disciplined,” he said.
“We’re gonna play in pretty heated environments against some quality opposition.”
The Blues next face Richmond on Thursday night, while the Swans host Brisbane on Saturday week.
