Carlton Football Club facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carlton Football Club
Names
Full name	Carlton Football Club Limited
Nickname(s)	Blues Blue Baggers Baggers Old Navy Blues
Motto	Mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body)
2024 season
After finals	8th
Home-and-away season	8th
Leading goalkicker	Charlie Curnow (57 goals)
Club details
Founded	1864; 161 years ago (1864)
Colours	Navy blue, white
Competition	AFL: Senior men AFLW: Senior women VFL: Reserves men VFLW: Reserves women
President	Robert Priestley
CEO	Brian Cook
Coach	AFL: Michael Voss AFLW: Mathew Buck
Captain(s)	AFL: Patrick Cripps AFLW: Abbie McKay
Premierships	VFL/AFL (16) 1906 1907 1908 1914 1915 1938 1945 1947 1968 1970 1972 1979 1981 1982 1987 1995 VFA (2) 1877 1887 Victorian (4) 1871 1873 1874 1875
Ground(s)	AFL: Marvel Stadium (56,347) & Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,024) AFLW & VFL & VFLW: Ikon Park (12,000)
Former ground(s)	Princes Park (1897–2005)
Training ground(s)	Princes Park (Ikon Park)
Uniforms
Home Away Clash
Other information
Official website	carltonfc.com.au
Current season

The Carlton Football Club, often called the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football team. They are based in Carlton North, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), which is the top competition for the sport.

Carlton was founded in the 1860s and quickly became one of Melbourne's main football clubs. It was a founding member of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and won the first VFA premiership in 1877. In 1896, Carlton joined the new Victorian Football League (now called the AFL). Along with Collingwood, Essendon, and Richmond, Carlton is known as one of the league's "Big Four" clubs. They have won 16 VFL/AFL premierships, which is a joint record with Collingwood and Essendon. Carlton also has an AFL Women's team, which started playing in the league's first season in 2017 AFLW season.

The club plays its home games at Docklands Stadium and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Princes Park is Carlton's traditional home ground and is where its women's team plays. Carlton also has reserve teams in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and VFL Women's (VFLW).

Carlton's Journey: A Club History

Early Days of the Blues

Carlton won the 1871 club season and the South Yarra Presentation Cup.

George Coulthard, a star Carlton footballer in 1880.

The Carlton Football Club officially started on May 17, 1865. They adopted the rules of the Melbourne Football Club. However, the club believes it might have started even earlier, possibly in 1864, and celebrates its anniversaries based on that date.

Carlton quickly became a very strong team with many fans. They had a big rivalry with the Melbourne Football Club in early competitions. Carlton was recognized as a top Victorian team in 1871, 1873, 1874, and 1875.

Joining the VFA and VFL

In 1877, Carlton was one of the first clubs to join the Victorian Football Association (VFA). They easily won the premiership in the VFA's very first season.

Carlton had one of the first "superstar" players, George Coulthard. He played for Carlton from 1876 to 1882 and was called "The grandest player of the day." Sadly, he passed away at just 27 years old in 1883.

Carlton's 1887 VFA premiership team.

The club won another VFA premiership in 1887. But after that, especially in the 1890s, Carlton became one of the weaker teams. Despite this, they were invited to join the new Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1897. Carlton struggled in the VFL's early years, finishing near the bottom for its first five seasons.

Success with Jack Worrall and World War I

Carlton's luck changed a lot in 1902. The club hired Jack Worrall, a respected former player and cricketer, as their secretary. Worrall slowly started managing the players, becoming the VFL's first official coach. Under his leadership, Carlton improved and reached the finals for the first time in 1903.

The 1906 VFL premiership flag being raised at Carlton Oval.

Carlton became very strong and financially stable. They convinced many great players to join them. Worrall led the club to its first three VFL premierships in a row: 1906, 1907, and 1908. Carlton was the first VFL club to win three premierships in a row. Their record of 19 wins and 1 loss in the 1908 season was a record for over ninety years.

After these wins, Carlton faced some challenges off the field. Some players were unhappy with low pay and tough training. Worrall left the club, and many players who supported him also left. In 1910, two players were suspended for 99 matches for trying to fix games. Despite these issues, Carlton still played well, reaching the 1909 and 1910 Grand Finals, though they lost both.

The 1914 Carlton team at the old East Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Carlton missed the finals in 1913 but came back strong in 1914 under coach Norm Clark. With many new players, they won back-to-back premierships in 1914 and 1915 VFL season. Most football was stopped during World War I, but Carlton kept playing in the VFL. Between 1904 and 1916, Carlton won five premierships and played in nine Grand Finals, making it one of the club's most successful times.

Between the World Wars

Through the 1920s and 1930s, Carlton remained a strong team. They often made it to the finals, playing in fourteen finals series during this time. However, they only won one premiership, in 1938, ending a 23-year drought. This win happened when Brighton Diggins became the captain-coach.

Two of Carlton's best goalkickers played during this time: Horrie Clover in the 1920s and Harry "Soapy" Vallence in the 1930s. Both set new club records for career goals.

Mid-Century Challenges and Triumphs (1941–1964)

Bob Chitty led Carlton to victory in the 1945 "Bloodbath" Grand Final.

The VFL continued during World War II. After Diggins retired, Carlton hired Percy Bentley as coach, who stayed for fifteen seasons. Carlton kept reaching the finals and won the premiership in 1945, shortly after the war ended. In a memorable season, Carlton came back from a tough start to win the Grand Final against South Melbourne in a very physical game.

Carlton played in two more Grand Finals in the 1940s against Essendon. They won by one point in 1947 and lost in 1949. After this, Carlton had a weaker period, reaching the finals only four times between 1950 and 1964. The 1964 season was Carlton's worst VFL season up to that point.

The Ron Barassi Era (1965–1973)

A new president in 1964 started Carlton's most successful period. Between 1967 and 1988, Carlton rarely missed the finals, played in ten Grand Finals, and won seven premierships.

Success began when George Harris became president and signed Melbourne legend Ron Barassi as coach in 1965. Barassi was a huge name in football, and his move to Carlton was one of the biggest player transfers ever.

Under Barassi, Carlton reached three Grand Finals in a row from 1968 to 1970, winning two premierships: 1968 against Essendon and 1970 against their big rivals, Collingwood. The 1970 Grand Final is one of the most famous games in football history. Played in front of a record crowd of 121,696, Collingwood led by a lot at halftime. But Carlton made an amazing comeback, kicking seven goals quickly to win by ten points. Carlton also won its first two Championship of Australia titles in 1968 and 1970.

Carlton missed the finals in 1971, and Barassi left. But Carlton was back in the Grand Final in 1972 and 1973, both against Richmond. They won a high-scoring game in 1972 and lost a tough game in 1973.

Key players from this era included John Nicholls, who captained all three premierships and later became captain-coach. Other important players were Sergio Silvagni, Adrian Gallagher, Robert Walls, and Percy Jones. In 1970, Alex Jesaulenko became the first Carlton player to kick 100 goals in a season.

Premierships in the Late 70s and Early 80s (1975–1982)

Carlton continued to play finals in the 1970s but didn't win another premiership until 1979. They had several coaches during this time. In 1979, Carlton defeated Collingwood by five points in a very close Grand Final. This game is famous for Ken Sheldon's late goal after Wayne Harmes tapped the ball into the goalsquare.

After 1979, there were some changes in the club's leadership. Despite these changes, Carlton kept winning on the field. Coach David Parkin led the team to back-to-back premierships in 1981 and 1982, beating Collingwood and Richmond. With its fourteenth premiership in 1982, Carlton became the most successful club in the league's history, a title they have held or shared ever since.

Star players during this time included Bruce Doull, known as one of the best half-back flankers ever. Wayne Johnston was a great midfielder/forward. Carlton also brought in talented players from Western Australia like Mike Fitzpatrick, Ken Hunter, and Peter Bosustow.

The Modern Era of Success (1983–2001)

In 1983, John Elliott became president. Carlton had some tough finals campaigns before Robert Walls took over as coach in 1986. That same year, Carlton recruited three top young players from South Australia: Stephen Kernahan, Craig Bradley, and Peter Motley. The club reached the next two Grand Finals, losing in 1986 and winning in 1987, both against Hawthorn. Kernahan became the club's longest-serving captain and leading goalkicker (738 goals). Bradley played the most games for the club (375 games). Sadly, Motley's career ended early due to a car accident. Carlton also recruited Stephen Silvagni (son of Sergio), who is considered one of the greatest fullbacks, and star player Greg Williams in 1992.

David Parkin returned to coach from 1991 to 2000, and Carlton was a regular in the finals. In 1995, Carlton became the first team to win twenty games in a regular season (20–2 record). They won the Grand Final against Geelong to claim their sixteenth premiership. Carlton reached two other Grand Finals in the 1990s, losing to Essendon in 1993 and to the Kangaroos in 1999. In 1999, Carlton famously beat their rival Essendon by one point in the preliminary final to reach the Grand Final.

Challenges and Rebuilding (2002–2021)

Carlton players during a pre-game warmup.

In 2002, Carlton's success quickly changed. The club had not used the AFL Draft well to get new players. When their star players from the 1990s retired, their performance dropped. In 2002, Carlton finished last for the first time in its VFL/AFL history. The club also faced financial problems. Then, it was discovered that Carlton had been cheating the league's salary cap. This scandal led to losing draft picks and a large fine, making the club's situation even worse.

After 2002, John Elliott was replaced as president by Ian Collins. Carlton moved its home games from Princes Park to Docklands Stadium, playing its last game at Princes Park in 2005. Coach Wayne Brittain was replaced by Denis Pagan. However, the team's performance did not improve, and Carlton finished last three times and in the bottom two five times between 2002 and 2007.

Carlton's situation started to get better in 2007 with new leaders like Richard Pratt as president. Denis Pagan was replaced by former club captain Brett Ratten as coach. Before the 2008 season, Carlton traded for Chris Judd, one of the league's best midfielders, who became captain. Being at the bottom of the ladder also allowed Carlton to get three No. 1 draft picks: Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, and Matthew Kreuzer. These players helped the team improve. Brett Ratten led Carlton to the finals from 2009 to 2011. He was replaced by Mick Malthouse in 2013, and the club made the finals again that year.

Stephen Kernahan stepped down as president in 2014, and Mark LoGiudice took over. The team's results were still not great. Malthouse was sacked in 2015, and the club finished last again. Brendon Bolton became coach in 2016 but was also sacked in 2019 after the team finished last in 2018 and started poorly in 2019. David Teague took over and helped the club avoid the wooden spoon in 2019, but he also left after two years without a finals appearance.

The Voss Era (2022–Present)

Luke Sayers became president in August 2021. After a review, David Teague was sacked, and Michael Voss was appointed as the new senior coach.

Voss led the club to the finals in his second and third seasons, ending a nine-year finals drought. Their best result was reaching a preliminary final in 2023. During this time, Carlton saw two great individual achievements: captain Patrick Cripps became the club's first player to win two Brownlow Medals, and full forward Charlie Curnow became the club's first player to win the Coleman Medal two years in a row.

Club Identity: Symbols and Traditions

Team Guernsey

Carlton's main guernsey (jersey) is navy blue with a white "CFC" monogram on the front. "CFC" stands for "Carlton Football Club." This design has been used since 1909, with only small changes to the font. The club has worn navy blue since 1871. Their uniforms are made by Puma.

The team wears navy blue shorts for home games and white shorts for away games. Since 2007, Carlton has also used "clash" guernseys, which are mostly white with navy blue details.

Club Nickname

Carlton's official nickname is the 'Blues'. They have been known as the Blues, Dark Blues, or Navy Blues since 1871, when navy blue was added to their uniform. Other common nicknames include Bluebaggers or 'Baggers. Before 1871, when their uniform was mostly cream-colored, they were sometimes called the Butchers.

After World War II, the club briefly thought about changing its nickname to the Cockatoos. This idea came from a talking cockatoo named 'Cocky Marr' who attended home matches for over 30 years and would squawk support for Carlton.

Club Song

Carlton's club song is We Are the Navy Blues. The lyrics were written around 1930 by Irene McEldrew and Agnes Wright. It is sung to the tune of Lily of Laguna.

Home Grounds and Training Base

Princes Park.

The club's traditional home ground is Princes Park, now called Ikon Park, in North Carlton. Carlton started using Princes Park as its home ground when it joined the VFL in 1897. They played most of their home games there until 2004, with a farewell game in 2005. It was the last suburban home ground used in AFL games. Today, Ikon Park is Carlton's training and administrative base.

Since 2005, Carlton has played its home games at both Docklands Stadium and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Games expected to draw large crowds are usually played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Big Games: Club Rivalries

Carlton vs. Collingwood

Carlton has a long and strong rivalry with Collingwood. This rivalry is one of the most famous in Australian sport, going back to their intense 1910 Grand Final.

They have played in six Grand Finals against each other. Carlton has won all but the first one. When Carlton hosts a game against Collingwood, they play for the Richard Pratt Cup. When Collingwood hosts, they play for the Peter Mac Cup. Both clubs also share the record for the most premierships, with 16 each.

Carlton vs. Essendon

Carlton also has a rivalry with Essendon. With 16 premierships each, these two teams, along with Collingwood, are the most successful teams in VFL/AFL history.

Carlton vs. Richmond

Carlton has a rivalry with Richmond. This rivalry is strong because the clubs are geographically close and both have many supporters. They played in four Grand Finals against each other between 1969 and 1982. Since 2008, they have played each other every year in Round 1 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, usually as the first game of the season.

Club Achievements and Honours

Carlton's Team of the Century

Four emergency players were also named: (1) Laurie Kerr, (2) Bob Chitty, (3) Horrie Clover and (4) Rod McGregor. The five players with an asterisk(*) are also part of the AFL Team of the Century, which is the most from any AFL club.

Hall of Fame

The Carlton Football Club started its Hall of Fame in 1987 with nine first members. More people were added each year until 2001, and then again in 2006. As of May 2016, there are 77 members.

In 1997, Carlton added a "Legends" category to its Hall of Fame, similar to the AFL's Hall of Fame. As of 2023, there are 16 Legends in Carlton's Hall of Fame.

Individual Player Awards

Australian Football Hall of Fame Inductees

Twenty-five people who played or worked for the Carlton Football Club have been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Three of them have "Legend" status.

Legends

Ron Barassi, Alex Jesaulenko, John Nicholls

Players

Peter Bedford, Craig Bradley, Horrie Clover, George Coulthard, Bruce Doull, Ken Hands, Ern Henfry, Ken Hunter, Wayne Johnston, Chris Judd, Stephen Kernahan, Anthony Koutoufides, Rod McGregor, Peter McKenna, Stephen Silvagni, Geoff Southby, Harry Vallence, Robert Walls, Greg Williams.

Coaches

Mick Malthouse, David Parkin, Jack Worrall

Administrators

Mike Fitzpatrick, Sir Kenneth Luke

Current Playing Squads

Women's Teams

The Carlton team photographed before the first AFL Women's match in February 2017.

The Carlton Football Club has two senior women's teams: one in the national AFL Women's competition (since 2017) and one in the state VFL Women's competition (since 2018).

History of Women's Football at Carlton

Carlton played an important role in starting women's football in Victoria. In August 1933, the club hosted the first VFL-approved match between women's teams, representing Carlton and Richmond. The Carlton team was chosen and trained by the club's VFL players. The game, played at Carlton's home ground, Princes Park, drew about 10,000 fans and raised money for The Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The club also had a women's team in 1947 for charity games to help with food shortages after World War II.

AFL Women's Team

In June 2016, Carlton was given a license to create a team for the new AFL Women's league, which started in 2017. The women's team is fully part of the Carlton Football Club. Lauren Arnell was the first captain, and Darcy Vescio and Brianna Davey were early star players.

In 2018, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton women's teams played the first "Pride game" in the AFLW. This game celebrates gender diversity and promotes inclusion for LGBTIQA+ players. In 2021, the first full AFLW Pride Round was held, supported by all 18 clubs.

The team has played in one Grand Final, which they lost to Adelaide in 2019.

Current squad

VFL Women's Team

Before the 2018 season, Carlton was also given a license to have a team in the VFL Women's competition. Since 2021, the VFLW team works closely with the AFLW team, similar to how the men's AFL and VFL teams are connected.

More Information

• Category:Carlton Football Club players
• List of Carlton Football Club coaches

See also

In Spanish: Carlton Football Club para niños