‘I was fried’: Cripps opens up on brutal low and moment that triggered rise to Brownlow glory

Carlton’s Patrick Cripps has opened up on the lowest point of his AFL career, admitting he was too “mentally fried” to play after coach Brendon Bolton’s sacking in 2019.

Bolton had been at the helm of the Blues since 2016 but could only muster 16 wins in almost four seasons before the axe fell after Round 11.

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Speaking after his remarkable 2022 Brownlow Medal win on Sunday night, Cripps revealed he was considered sitting out the following week’s match as the drama took its toll.

“It was a tough time. At that time, we’d won three out of 44 games. It was really tough,” he said.

“I look at teams now that are going though a really tough time and I have a lot of sympathy for them and I can relate.

“Before that (Round 12) game, I’d had a stinker. Got tagged out of it and I think it was the week that Bolts got the sack.

Carlton captain Patrick Cripps watches on with teammates as Brendon Bolton announces his exit. Picture: Quinn RooneySource: Getty Images

“He’d had a big influence on the club at that time. I went out and that week I was really close to missing the game. I didn’t want to play, I was really fried mentally.

“I talked to my manager and my family and I said, ‘Look I don’t think I’ll play this week’ and they said, ‘Just give it to the day of the game’. The day of the game I woke up and said look, ‘I’m going to play this game’.

“When I was driving to the game, I was pretty tired still.

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“I was like, ‘Alright I’m a leader of this club, I’m going to put my best foot forward, I’m going to have a lot of fun, I’m going to play footy’ – it was probably the best game I’ve ever played of my career.

“It led me down the path of realising how important the mental side of the game is – no matter what you are going through, you can still perform at a high level.

“We were lucky enough to win that game.”

Cripps’ admission drew a big applause from the crowd at the Brownlow Medal count.

Patrick Cripps poses with the 2022 Brownlow Medal. Picture: Quinn RooneySource: Getty Images

Cripps would finish that Round 12 match against Brisbane in 2019 with 38 disposals, eight clearances and four goals.

He also opened up on his early self-imposed media ban as the country kid from Northampton struggled with the attention.

“I couldn’t string two words together in front to the media – that’s not a lie,” he said.

“I was that nervous, it was probably lucky we didn’t play well at that time. I was that nervous because I used to stutter a bit.

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“I remember I was at the club one day and Marc Murphy was doing a press conference and he spoke so well … we did some mock interviews for a good six months there.

“We just practiced interviews for six months to get to the point where I was really comfortable. It wasn’t easy going for a bit.”

But Cripps has turned his footy career around and now joins a prestigious list of Carlton players including Chris Judd (2010), Greg Williams (1994), Gordon Collis (1964), John James (1961) and Bert Deacon (1947).

“I’m always grateful for the club to give me an opportunity,” he said.

“I wasn’t the fittest guy going around and they took a chance on me.

“I’ve always felt like I’m a loyal person. It’s been some really tough years and it’s taken a lot of optimism and hope and really good people in my corner to keep forging a way forward.

“I feel like now we’re really gathering some traction as a club.

“We’ve built this place from the ground up. I’m excited for what as a club we’re going to produce.”