Michael Voss admits there were times when he didn't know where Carlton's next win was coming from as their AFL season teetered on the brink of disaster.
The Blues were all but gone last month on a run of eight losses in nine matches, with Voss's position as coach under serious threat.
But they have since rattled off six straight victories, including a stirring 17-point upset of ladder leaders Collingwood on Friday night, to surge back into the top eight.
"We were looking at a stage there where we didn't know where our next win was going to come from," Voss reflected after his side's 16.9 (93) to 10.16 (76) win at the MCG.
"We were in a pretty bad place in terms of trying to get our game together and players were just lacking an enormous amount of confidence.
"Through just being able to believe in what we were doing and believing a little bit in each other, we sort of stuck together through that to find what our identity looked like.
"When that became clearer, the players have got more in behind it and they've thrived off the back of it."
Carlton are now in control of their own destiny and have a chance to end a decade-long finals drought.
But Voss concedes his belief wavered at stages before "tough conversations" between the club hierarchy, coaches and players put the Blues back on track.
"There's always doubt. There were some tough days and lots of really tough conversations," Voss said.
"This movement doesn't happen on the back of just the players; this comes on the back of a football club.
"There were plenty of those moments where we could've gone a different way, but we didn't.
"We stuck together and I think that says a lot about our club now."
Carlton will finished round 20 inside the top eight and next face St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, before a run home against Melbourne, Gold Coast and GWS.
"I'd imagine there will be conversations about what it might look like for us in a month's time but I'm not really concerned about that,' Voss said.
"I'm concerned about what we do next. We'll take a short little break for a couple of days and set our sights on St Kilda."
The Blues face a nervous wait for scans on Adam Cerra's right hamstring after the influential midfielder had to be substituted out of the Collingwood clash.
Cerra had 20 disposals and six clearances in an important contribution against the Magpies before being replaced by Paddy Dow.
"I'll get a full debrief in the coming days but it's obviously disappointing to lose him," Voss said.
"At the same time, Dowy's been able to come in and get a job done when we've asked him to."
