It is a time of wildly fluctuating emotions. All are real, intense and legitimate.
Despondency - when will this ever end.
Stoicism – the capacity to endure against the inclination to give up.
Euphoria – when the little wins parlay into something nourishing.
Being a Carlton fan these past months must come with a fair appreciation of theatrics.
After two weeks of second half collapses that hinted at exhaustion, the Blues last night languished early.
A goalless opening – It was ominously recounted as the fifth goalless quarter from their past seven. The best part of a seven-goal head start conceded.
Then, a marvellous fight back. Matthew Cottrell taking his place as unlikely hero alongside Jack Newnes.
And a dodgy free kick that might have snatched victory away had the footy gods not imposed karma.
If this season is a rollercoaster, Blues fans I suspect are in the front car.
This is becoming the season of the big swing. Hawthorn ran down the Blues from 31 points, Hawthorn gave up a 36-point head start against the Bombers, Fremantle and Geelong charged from 37-point deficits against St Kilda and the Bulldogs.
Now Carlton has topped them all coming from 39 points down.
David Teague’s men went from backing out of the season to stopping the rot.
An 8-9 split is par for the Blues and again they have that in their sights.
There’s probably the odd creative mind that can get the Blues into the eight from here.