The 1995 Carlton Football Club season was the Carlton Football Club's 132nd season of competition, and 99th as a member of the Australian Football League.
Carlton won the AFL premiership, defeating in the grand final. It was the club's sixteenth and, as of 2024, most recent premiership. It was a record-breaking season for the club, in which it set a new record by winning twenty matches during the premiership season.
The club also fielded its reserves team in the Victorian State Football League.
Club summary The 1995 AFL season was the 99th season of the AFL competition since its inception in 1897; and, having competed in every season, it was also the 99th season contested by the Carlton Football Club. As it had been since 1897, the club's home ground was Optus Oval (known historically as Princes Park) in North Carlton. In addition to contesting the VFL premiership, the Carlton senior team contested the 1995 Ansett Australia Cup, which ran during the pre-season. Carlton also fielded a team in the AFL reserves competition (which was administered at this time by the Victorian State Football League).
Carlton's key senior personnel were all unchanged from 1994: John Elliott as club president, David Parkin as senior coach, and Stephen Kernahan as captain. Parkin had been under pressure to keep his job following the club's early exit from the 1994 finals series, and he was signed to a one-year contract for the 1995 season.
Squad and player statistics for 1995 The following are the senior and supplementary squads for the 1995 season. Numbers in parentheses represent senior games played and goals kicked for Carlton in the 1995 AFL premiership season.
Playing list changes The following summarises player transfers to and from the club between the conclusion of the 1994 season and the conclusion of the 1995 season.
In Player Previous club League Comments Matthew Blagrove Carlton reserves VSFL Pre-draft supplementary selection Scott Camporeale Woodville-West Torrens SANFL 1994 National Draft, selection No. 15 Mark Cullen Eastern Ranges VSFL U18s 1994 National Draft, selection No. 33 Adam White Eastern Ranges VSFL U18s 1994 National Draft, selection No. 41 Tony Bourke Ballarat Rebels VSFL U18s 1994 National Draft, selection No. 67Aaron Hamill Tuggeranong ACTFL 1994 National Draft, selection No. 79 David Nicholson Western Jets VSFL U18s 1994 National Draft, selection No. 89 Matt Clape AFL 1995 Preseason Draft, selection No. 13 Glenn Manton AFL 1995 Preseason Draft, selection No. 27 Alan Thorpe AFL 1995 Preseason Draft, selection No. 36
Out Player New club League Comments Tom Alvin Sandringham VFA Mark Athorn Andrew Cavedon AFL Peter Green David Kernahan Paul McCormack Norwood SANFL Tim Powell Ben Robertson North Adelaide SANFL Brett Sholl Jeremy Smith
Season summary
Pre-season matches Big Three Challenge Cup Carlton's first competitive pre-season event for the season was the once-off 'Big Three Challenge Cup', a one-day lightning tournament held amongst the so-called 'Big Three' Victorian clubs: , and . The event was held on Sunday 19 February at Waverley Park, with three half-length matches played. Collingwood won the event, winning both of its games; Carlton finished second.
Date and local time Opponent Scores (Carlton's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Home Away Result Sunday, 19 February () 3.4 (22) 11.3 (69) Lost by 47 points Waverley Park Sunday, 19 February () 6.11 (47) 4.9 (33) Won by 16 points
Ansett Australia Cup Carlton played two matches in the 1995 Ansett Australia Cup pre-season competition, before being eliminated by St Kilda in the quarter-finals.
Round Date Opponent Scores (Carlton's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Home Away Result Rd of 16 Saturday, 25 February (night) 20.9 (129) 13.9 (87) Won by 42 points Waverley Park 23,678 QF Monday, 6 March (night) 12.10 (82) 12.11 (83) Lost by 1 point Waverley Park 12,476
Other pre-season matches Carlton played two other pre-season practice matches against other clubs before the 1995 season. Date Opponent Scores (Carlton's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Home Away Result Saturday, 11 February 7.15 (57) 11.11 (77) Won by 20 points Coolum Saturday, 18 March (night) 8.7 (55) 16.7 (103) Lost by 48 points Lavington Sports Ground 20,169
Home-and-away season Carlton opened the home-and-away season strongly, winning its first seven games to move to the top of the ladder. However, the club's premiership favouritism was dented by two huge, unexpected losses suffered back-to-back in Rounds 8 and 9: against 11th placed by 72 points, and against last-placed by 56 points. In the latter of those matches, St Kilda held Carlton goalless until the 18th minute of the third quarter. Following the losses, Parkin commented that the team had "gone from the best team in the competition to the worst team in two weeks". Carlton dropped to fourth on the ladder after Round 9.
The club returned to form the following week, defeating 10th placed by 102 points, and did not lose another game for the season. The club clinched the minor premiership in Round 19, and went on to finish four games clear of second-placed Geelong at the top of the ladder.
Carlton's performance through the season exceeded the expectations of most sportswriters. The club had won the minor premiership in 1993 and finished second after the home-and-away season in 1994, but had failed in the finals in both years. The club's star players were all aging – its key position players and leading midfielders, Bradley, Dean, Kernahan, Madden, Spalding and Williams were all older than 30 at the start of the season – and most had expected Carlton's form to drop away. However, the club's performance received a boost from breakout seasons from five of Carlton's developing players: Brown, Christou, Koutoufides, Ratten and Sexton – as well as a strong performance from rookie Scott Camporeale. Additionally, there was no drop-off in form from the club's older stars, with Bradley in particular in career-best form, winning many media awards for his play during the year. Breakout seasons by forward pocket Brad Pearce and pre-season draftee Matt Clape also provided good alternative options in the forward line. The club also notably adopted a then-novel leadership structure which offered the playing group additional autonomy and accountability, allowing the group to set its own goals and propose some of its own tactical changes; Parkin described it as the "least-coached team" he had been involved with in his 34 years of playing and coaching.
Round Date and local time Opponent Scores (Carlton's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Ladderposition Home Away Result 1 Sunday, 2 April () 14.11 (95) 9.12 (66) Won by 29 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 86,119 4th 2 Saturday, 8 April () 18.17 (125) 8.8 (56) Won by 69 points Optus Oval (H) 16,629 1st 3 Saturday, 15 April () 8.12 (60) 23.20 (158) Won by 98 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 41,576 1st 4 Sunday, 23 April () 12.10 (82) 18.11 (119) Won by 37 points Gabba (A) 12,009 1st 5 Sunday, 30 April () 7.8 (50) 12.12 (84) Won by 34 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 42,729 1st 6 Saturday, 6 May () 13.12 (90) 10.7 (67) Won by 23 points Optus Oval 24,171 1st 7 Saturday, 13 May () 10.15 (75) 9.13 (67) Won by 8 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 73,753 1st 8 Friday, 19 May () 21.6 (132) 8.12 (60) Lost by 72 points Sydney Cricket Ground (A) 23,744 2nd 9 Saturday, 27 May () 11.14 (80) 3.6 (24) Lost by 56 points Waverley Park (A) 17,902 4th 10 Sunday, 4 June () 26.16 (172) 10.10 (70) Won by 102 points Optus Oval (H) 29,520 3rd 11 Monday, 12 June () 12.8 (80) 16.16 (112) Won by 32 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 53,290 3rd 12 Saturday, 24 June () 16.16 (112) 15.19 (109) Won by 3 points Optus Oval (H) 32,368 2nd 13 Sunday, 2 July () 7.7 (49) 15.16 (106) Won by 57 points Subiaco Oval (A) 25,067 2nd 14 Sunday, 9 July () 17.13 (115) 12.13 (85) Won by 30 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 84,745 1st 15 Saturday, 15 July () 20.13 (133) 15.10 (100) Won by 33 points Optus Oval (H) 22,502 1st 16 Sunday, 23 July () 10.8 (68) 12.18 (90) Won by 22 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 78,934 1st 17 Sunday, 30 July () 9.10 (64) 24.17 (161) Won by 97 points Waverley Park (A) 15,567 1st 18 Sunday, 6 August () 15.16 (106) 11.15 (81) Won by 25 points Optus Oval (H) 24,206 1st 19 Sunday, 13 August () 11.19 (85) 10.11 (71) Won by 14 points Optus Oval (H) 18,407 1st 20 Saturday, 19 August () 18.14 (122) 15.13 (103) Won by 19 points Optus Oval (H) 32,065 1st 21 Sunday, 27 August () 16.8 (104) 15.15 (105) Won by 1 point Subiaco Oval (A) 41,492 1st 22 Saturday, 2 September () 9.13 (67) 16.11 (107) Won by 41 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 87,984 1st
Match notes The Round 3 match against was transferred from the Western Oval to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Round 5 match against was played after heavy rain which left sheets of stagnant water centimetres deep on the Melbourne Cricket Ground surface. The Round 14 match against was transferred from Optus Oval on Saturday 8 July to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday 9 July, due to the large crowd expected between the two teams who were at the top of the ladder.
Finals series Despite finishing four games clear atop the ladder, and entering the finals with a 13-game winning streak, Carlton was not a rampant favourite to win the premiership. Over the previous two seasons, the club had developed a reputation as finals chokers: in 1993, it had been favourite to win the grand final, but lost by 44 points against a young Essendon team; then in 1994, it finished second on the ladder, then lost to seventh-placed Melbourne by 27 points and to an injury-depleted Geelong by 33 points to be eliminated in fifth place.
In the qualifying final, Carlton faced eighth-placed . Brisbane had been 14th on the ladder after round 15, before winning six of its last seven matches reach its first ever finals series, so it was one of the form teams of the competition. The game was closely fought for three quarters, with Brisbane holding a six-point lead late in the third quarter; Carlton then kicked the next six goals, with Anthony Koutoufides kicking the last three of those in quick time from full forward, to open a match-winning five-goal lead. The final margin was 13 points. The win earned Carlton a bye to the preliminary final, which it won against by 62 points; Carlton had led by only 19 points at three-quarter time, but kicked seven goals to none in the final quarter.
Carlton faced in the grand final. It was Geelong's fourth grand final appearance in the past seven years. When the markets opened, Geelong was a slight 8/11 favourite with bookmakers, but Carlton had edged into 8/11 favouritism by the opening bounce. The game itself, however, was a one-sided victory to Carlton. Carlton led by 40 points at half time, and extended the lead to a game-high 84 points midway through the final quarter, before finally winning by 61 points. Greg Williams won the Norm Smith Medal with 31 disposals and five goals as an attacking midfielder; Geelong full forward Gary Ablett Sr. – who had kicked 122 goals for the year – was held goalless for the first time since late 1992 by Stephen Silvagni.
Week Date and local time Opponent Scores (Carlton's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Home Away Result Qualifying Finals Sunday, 10 September () 13.12 (90) 12.5 (77) Won by 13 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 52,092 Semi-finals Received bye as the highest-ranked winner in the qualifying Finals Preliminary Finals Saturday, 23 September () 18.10 (118) 8.8 (56) Won by 62 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 72,552 Grand Final Saturday, 30 September () 21.15 (141) 11.14 (80) Won by 61 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 93,670
Ladder
Premiership team The Carlton premiership twenty-one was as below.