Much to everyone’s surprise, Friday night at the Gabba was the match when Carlton players decided to flip the old narrative on its head.

Carlton’s second-half fade-outs have become one of the AFL stories of the year, but things wildly shifted in the clash against the mighty Brisbane Lions ... with the Blues storming back into the contest in the third quarter and narrowly losing a game that looked dead and buried at half-time.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Lachie Neale speaks after Carlton’s unlikely challenge

Carlton have coughed up six first-half leads to lose in eight games already this season, so when Brisbane were clear by 49 points early in the third term, no one expected the game would be decided by just 11 points at the final bell.

As the unexpected turn of the events played out, Brisbane star Lachie Neale — who was player of the match with 33 disposals and the match-sealing goal — later revealed how the Carlton players were attempting some curious psychological warfare.

Neale told Channel 7 after the game, as the Carlton players’ confidence surged, they used their own second-half narrative to get in the heads of his teammates and himself.

“We got told by a couple of the boys we were doing ‘a Carlton’, so they were trying to get in our heads a little bit,” Neale told Channel 7’s Abbey Holmes.

“But that’s part of the game.”

He admitted the the third quarter, where Carlton booted six unanswered goals, would be reviewed but said the team had to move on and prepare for next Thursday clash with Geelong (also at the Gabba).

“Early enough in the year that you just tick that one off and move on,” Neale told Channel 7.

“We’ll review that third quarter and bits of the last pretty heavily, I think. It wasn’t good enough, but to Carlton’s credit, they just keep having a crack and we knew it was going to be a tough game.

“Coming into it, it was probably the opposite for them. We started well and then their second half was really good.

“So I think they’re going to trouble a few teams this year, but yeah, we bank the four points and move on.”

The former Lions captain was also full of praise for his side’s emerging talent, with Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann and Levi Ashcroft all impressing.

“It’s exciting. We’ve got a great group that’s going to compete for years to come,” Neale said.

“It’s exciting to be a player here at the Lions and (it’s exciting) for our fans ...

“We probably gave them a bit of a heart attack tonight, but they always rock up. We sell this place out every week, and we love having their support, and why wouldn’t they come when we’ve got guys like that (Morris and Lohmann) that come out here and put on a show?

“So, yeah, it’s exciting to be a part of that youthful group, and they keep me pretty young as well.”