Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is keen as ever to attack the new AFL season head-on, brushing aside distractions that come with Brownlow Medal success.
Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines, the 2021 Brownlow medallist, spoke on the eve of last season about being "rattled" by expectation that followed his clinching of the game's most prestigious individual honour.
But the demand for Cripps to match his personal triumph next year has not bothered the 2022 winner.
Instead, the bullocking midfielder is fit and focused on steering the Blues to a long-awaited finals appearance after they missed out by the barest of margins last season.
"I'm as motivated as ever, to be honest," Cripps said.
"(Personal honours) is not the thing that motivates me the most. The way the season ended motivates me more, the team stuff.
"I've never actually played in a finals series, so that really drives me.
"As tough as it was at the end of last year, and that (Brownlow) night was a great night between the club and myself, once we got away (on holiday) the motivation comes back pretty quick."
Carlton sat in the top-eight for almost the entire 2022 campaign but squandered a finals spot in losing their last four games.
The fade out included defeats to Melbourne and Collingwood by less than a kick over the last two rounds.
The Magpies famously booted three late goals to pinch a one-point victory and seal their arch rivals' fate.
"You definitely watch it back ... if you shy away from it you don't improve," Cripps said.
"We're still unpacking that at the moment and doing some things in the next few months to really build a foundation that we can build off going into next season.
"You've got to take your lessons and we learnt the hard way in the last two games, but the beauty of that is we actually put ourselves in that position and in previous years we hadn't been in that position.
"I've always said as a player you've got to play in big games in front of big crowds and stand up in big moments, and that's what our group will get to."
Carlton were dealt a fixture packed full of blockbusters in anticipation of their rise up the ladder but have some concerns over midfield star Sam Walsh, who is dealing with ongoing back soreness from an injury that cut his 2022 season one week short.
"It's been a bit frustrating for him ... those things can linger, but he's sort of hoping to re-join training in January," Cripps said.
"He's lucky, he can run a lot better than me, so he doesn't need as many weeks to get fit. He'll be fine."
Fellow midfielder George Hewett is also on the mend after back surgery that ended his 2022 campaign early.
