Carlton had an incredible capacity to make the easy look difficult, coach Bendon Bolton said after his team had defeated Essendon on Sunday.
However, he was still satisfied with not only the win but also the fact that star youngster Jacob Weitering had avoided a serious shoulder injury.
Weitering came off the ground cradling his shoulder in the second quarter after a heavy collision, with the club confirming his shoulder briefly dislocated but he could yet be right for next week's game against Collingwood.
Bolton said he was proud of Weitering's desperation to try to save a goal in the incident in which he was injured.
"That was a pretty desperate lunge from a first year player wasn't it, right on the line with what could have been a goal. It was more a sense of pride, actually. Our whole group lifts from those little moments," Bolton said.
Carlton booted five goals in the last quarter to kill off an Essendon comeback and record their second successive win.
"We have a bit of a knack of making that which is incredibly easy, incredibly hard. Forward of centre, some of our decisions, like I said, we make the easy look hard," Bolton said.
"When it is tight on the scoreboard you give the opportunity for a team to jump you and they did that. To our players' credit we came out and (that last quarter) was our most polished effort with the ball. Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson, Thomas Docherty, that crew played pretty well when the game was on the line.
"This is our first test after a win. We have got two wins in the last two weeks but we are under absolutely no illusions that we need to improve."
Dale Thomas continued his resurgence with 31 touches after booting three goals in last week's win, hinting he was returning to some of his best form.
"I am not making comparisons to what he used to be, it's what he is now is that I am interested in and fundamentally he is being judged on effort and the game today," Bolton said.
The Blues forward who has battled with injuries since his move to Carlton said he was pleased to be answering critics on the field.
"I am feeling good out there hopefully it is beginning to show," Thomas said on 3AW.
"Hopefully each week I am getting better like the team. Each week I am feeling better.
"Some of the stuff and criticism has been warranted but some of it has been a fair bit out of my control, with what happened last year but for me there is no point going out firing back shots. I cop it on the chin, cop my fair whack and the best way for me to shut people up is to go out there (and perform)."
Paddy Cripps was a late withdrawal from the side with a tight calf but Bolton said he was "pretty confident" he would be fit to play next week.
