Record-breaker Patrick Cripps has two Brownlow Medals to his name but would trade both of them for an elusive AFL premiership with Carlton.
But how the Blues can do it is the “million dollar question” haunting their superstar captain.
The 29-year-old smashed the Brownlow votes mark with 45 on Monday night to win his second medal in three seasons.
Collingwood young gun Nick Daicos also broke the old record, finishing runner-up on 38.
Cripps was born in 1995, the same year as the Blues’ last premiership. After promising much this season, they bowed out in the elimination final.
When asked if he would trade either of his top individual accolades for a premiership medal, Cripps was blunt.
“I would trade both for a flag. It’s just what everyone dreams of,” Cripps said on Tuesday.
“Last night was amazing and I loved it and it was great to share it with my teammates and my family and my friends but there’s just something about that last day in September.
“When you watch it and the buzz that everyone gets when they win one – it looks like the most fun. You talk to anyone that’s won one and they say the same thing.
“That’s what you play footy for … so that’s what drives me and I know it drives a lot of the boys at Carlton as well. We can’t impact now but that’s what motivates us going forward.”
So how can the Blues break through?
“It’s the million dollar question,” Cripps said.
“Once we got eliminated, that week was pretty important for us not only as coaches but as a club and players.
“So we just gave everyone honest feedback on how we need to grow and get better, real performance conversations.
“Really it’s not up to any individual. It’s up to everyone just to get better in their role, and that’s club-wide.
“We need more guys on the park consistently. That was probably our biggest achilles heel this year. But as you’ve seen, the best teams, they have cohesion, they have the same team week after week.
“So that’s where we need to get to.”
When asked if the Blues, linked to Port’s Dan Houston, had been on a recruiting drive at the Brownlow, Cripps joked: “I hope so.
“We’re always trying to improve our list, so anyone that wants to come that’s a good player, we’ll hopefully have.”
With last year’s winner Lachie Neale staying in Brisbane to prepare for the grand final against Sydney, Blues coach and “mentor” Michael Voss presented Cripps with his medal.
Cripps on Monday said Voss had sent him a podcast featuring former Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury after last year’s grand final – which made him realise the level he still needed to get to.
He hopes to emulate Voss, who won the Brownlow in 1996 before leading the Lions to a three-peat between 2001 and 2003.
“As long as we’re both at Carlton, we’ll continue that relationship and we’ll continue to try to get the best out of as many guys as we can,” Cripps said.
“We also have to keep bringing guys along for the ride. We’ve got so much talent there and guys really work hard. So it’s just trying to build confidence, belief in those guys and get the most out of them.”
Third-year Blues skipper Cripps was named vice-captain in his fourth All-Australian team.
He polled more Brownlow votes than the rest of Carlton combined (42) and more than three bottom clubs – North Melbourne (42), West Coast (20) and Richmond (19).
He had 12 three-vote games and polled 45 out of a possible maximum of 69, becoming the first player to win two Brownlows at Carlton and the 17th multiple winner of the award.
“I thought if things went my way I might be able to nudge 40,” he said.
“But mate, everything went my way last night, so I’m not complaining.”
