Charlie Curnow enjoys his ‘me time’ moment, now for the finals

Save articles for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

Charlie Curnow immediately regretted checking how many goals Taylor Walker kicked on Saturday night.

The star Crow, best known as “Tex”, had feasted on West Coast for the second time this season, kicking nine goals to temporarily overtake Curnow by one in the race to be the 2023 Coleman medallist.

Charlie Curnow celebrates one of the three goals he kicked against GWS to clinch this year’s Coleman Medal.Credit: Getty

They both booted 19 goals from two games each at the hapless Eagles’ expense – but Curnow’s nerves were suddenly jangling, a night before he would try to secure consecutive Coleman Medals. It took him another half an hour, or longer, to fall asleep.

“I wasn’t watching it because I don’t normally watch too much footy,” Curnow told The Age. “Then I looked at [Walker’s game] at 11pm, and I saw he kicked nine … I shouldn’t have checked it – I jinxed myself.”

Only Curnow will ever know what went through his head, but it seems he realised in that moment how much the goalkicking honour meant to him. Footballers, and athletes in general, often dismiss their individual feats in an effort not to be seen as self-absorbed – something Curnow will never be accused of.

But, sometimes, it is impossible to pretend they don’t care.

Curnow’s nephew, Will, the son of older brother and teammate Ed, told him in the lead-up to the game that him winning another Coleman was “the only thing that matters”, so there was that pressure.

The man himself even broke into a nervous laugh as his eyes caught 2021 Coleman winner Harry McKay’s in the Carlton change rooms before Sunday night’s clash with the Giants.

“I was like, ‘Oh, mate, I’m trying not to think about it, but it’s at the back of my mind’,” Curnow said.

Curnow need not have worried. All-Australian Giants defender Sam Taylor’s hamstring setback, which caused him to be a late exclusion, was a fortunate break for the Blue, but he was a man on a mission in the early going.

Any slim chance Curnow would be held goalless for the first time this season was soon wiped out when he shook GWS backman Jack Buckley to mark on a lead, then snap truly about 11 minutes in.

Even better was to come mere minutes later when he lost Buckley again and soared over Harry Perryman to haul in another mark. Curnow sparked mass celebrations soon after with an accurate strike from barely inside 50 metres to move clear of Walker and become the league’s newest back-to-back Coleman medallist.

Curnow was a tad embarrassed, but understandably chuffed, post-match about what followed.

His teammates excitedly mobbed him, then he produced a cheeky bicep flex towards a section of the Carlton faithful before urging them to make more noise.

Curnow soaks up the love from the Carlton faithful on Sunday.Credit: Getty

“It’s honestly amazing,” Curnow said.

“I got a bit excited. It kind of all hit me at once. It was a bit of ‘me time’ – I need to pull myself back. Kicking goals is the best part of the game, but enjoying that with my teammates [was special]. Seeing them happy, for me, makes me bloody pumped.”

Making Curnow’s achievement even greater this time around is the knowledge his 78-goal season haul – he finished Sunday’s game with three majors – is a major reason the Blues are September-bound for the first time in his career.

The powerhouse club last played in the finals a decade ago, and has endured some horror times in between, with Curnow also spending more than two years out of the game between mid-2019 and late 2021 due to a persistent knee problem.

Blues sharpshooter Charlie Curnow is mobbed by teammates after securing the Coleman Medal.Credit: Getty

Carlton looked headed for another wasted season when they sunk into the bottom four after a 34-point loss to Essendon in round 13, an unwanted status that left everyone, including Curnow, searching for positives.

However, plenty has changed for both the Blues and Bombers since.

“At times this year, when we weren’t going too well, it was important for me to look back on those [injury] times and think about how I was playing [now] and how lucky I was because sometimes the AFL world can feel quite daunting,” Curnow said.

“I feel pretty honoured to be a Carlton player and in a position where I can win these awards. It’s on the back of hard work over those years of being injured.”

Curnow also found strength in his family, from older siblings Ed, George, Charlie, Charlotte and Eliza, to his parents, David and Cassie.

“I just know that if things aren’t going that well – nothing in that bubble is going to change,” he said.

Curnow flies for a mark over the Giants’ Harry Perryman in the round 24 match.Credit: Getty

“They’re a really strong core group of people, so I find things a lot easier when I’ve got that support. If I miss a goal from straight in front; I can go back to them and have a laugh about it.

“It’s a whole lot of fun right now. I’m trying to take it as it comes and get down to the coast, back to Torquay with my schoolmates. I’m pretty pumped. A lot of my mates came up tonight and watched the last game of the year – and they’ll be there for finals, too.”

Coach Michael Voss was thrilled for Curnow and has learned since his own playing days to better appreciate individual accolades as “team achievements”.

The Blues could have as many as four matches left in their season, which leaves ajar the unlikely possibility of a Curnow century of goals. The last AFL footballer to do that was Lance Franklin in 2008.

“Yeah, he’ll kick 100 for sure,” Voss said lightheartedly. “Why don’t we just say it today, get it out of the way? Who the bloody hell knows?

“I tell you what, we’ll all be happy if he does, and that means we’ve gone all the way, so I won’t take that off the table.”

Curnow won’t make any such predictions, jokingly or not. His focus is firmly on Carlton’s finals campaign and making the most of this chance.

“Tonight was not what we wanted to show as a team, but the last 10 weeks as a whole have been amazing,” Curnow said.

“It’s been a big journey with our fans, and them sticking by us [was huge]. It’s a great opportunity for our leaders to show what they’re made of, coming into finals because they’ve put a lot of work in over the years.

“You think of ‘Crippa’ [skipper Patrick Cripps], my older brother Ed, and ‘Doc’ [Sam Docherty]. I’m probably missing a few, but those older guys have kind of built this, so kudos to them.”

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

Most Viewed in Sport

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article