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Goalless first half by Blues in AFL

(Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
16th June, 2018
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Fremantle have won their first away match of the AFL season in record-breaking style, holding hapless Carlton goalless in the opening half on the way to a 57-point triumph at Etihad Stadium.

The Dockers had the game shot to bits well before the halftime break on Saturday, when they led by 70 points.

The Blues did show much more fight in the final two quarters, when they outscored the Dockers by six goals to three.

But Nick Graham’s missed set shot after the final siren meant the Blues still recorded their lowest-ever score against Fremantle, who won 15.13 (103) to 6.10 (46).

The Dockers’ best players included big guns Lachie Neale, Nat Fyfe and David Mundy, while youngsters Andrew Brayshaw and Stefan Giro also impressed.

Veteran defender Kade Simpson and stand-in skipper Patrick Cripps, who had a game-high 38 possessions, were among a handful of Blues who could hold their heads high.

The Blues were simply dreadful in the opening half, conceding six goals in both quarters without managing to kick a single major in response.

The worst moment of a horrible first quarter came when Blues backman Sam Rowe dropped an uncontested mark deep in defence, gifting a goal to Neale.

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If anything, things got even worse in the second term.

Brayshaw sauntered away untouched from a stoppage to goal early in the quarter, while Tom Sheridan kicked his first major after Jacob Weitering showed a distinct lack of awareness to be caught with the ball in the middle of the ground.

The Blues were booed off the ground at halftime by a sizeable contingent of the crowd of 21,430.

The home team finally got their first goal three minutes into the third quarter through Sam Kerridge.

Tireless ruckman Matthew Kreuzer then managed back-to-back goals, the first from outside the 50m arc and the second a clever left-footed snap as Carlton showed some long overdue spirit.

Even so Fremantle finished the third quarter with the final two goals to Michael Apeness and Brandon Matera.

All five of the Dockers’ previous five victories this year had come at home at Optus Stadium.

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The heavy loss kept Carlton rooted to the bottom of the ladder ahead of a daunting clash next week against traditional rivals Collingwood.

Carlton’s previous lowest score against Fremantle was 6.13 (49) in 1996.

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