After a disappointing loss to Geelong last week, Carlton have bounced back with a 36-point win over the GWS Giants at Marvel Stadium in front of a crowd of 30,285.
After a close first half, the Blues stepped up a gear in the second half and cruised to a 90-54 win over the Giants to keep their finals chances alive.
Giants co-captain Stephen Coniglio kicked the first goal of the game with a running snap but Carlton’s Will Setterfield soon replied.
Jake Riccardi then kicked the second goal for the Giants before Toby Greene almost lifted the roof off Marvel Stadium with a screamer of a mark over Lewis Young on the wing.
The Blues kicked a couple of other goals including one that fell at the back for Charlie Curnow to kick and the Blues took a handy lead into the first change.
They led by 10 points at quarter time.
The second quarter was interesting as the Giants tried to wrestle momentum back.
Carlton’s Matt Cottrell kicked a couple of nice goals in the second quarter to give the navy Blues a buffer.
But the Giants then kicked a couple of goals of their own to bring the difference down to just three points at the main break.
At half time Carlton was leading 5.6 (36) to GWS 5.3 (33).
Only a few minutes had played in the third quarter when Sam Walsh suffered what was suspected to be an ankle injury in a Callan Ward tackle.
Carlton fans around Marvel Stadium were in shock. But the star midfielder returned to finish the game with 31 disposals and seven clearances.
Defender Jacob Weitering also limped off the ground with a corked thigh but he also returned to play a key part in the win.
Both will require further assessment during the week but Carlton coach Michael Voss is hopeful that their injuries are not of major concern.
“I’m not here to announce necessarily what he (Walsh) has done but we’re hoping it’s not too bad and that he’ll be OK, both boys,” Voss said.
Ever reliable captain Patrick Cripps also led with 34 possessions, four clearances and a goal while Matthew Kennedy was instrumental with 27 possessions and six tackles.
Toby Greene could have put the visitors in front halfway through the third quarter but missed his shot on a slight angle.
The Blues then kicked three consecutive goals to extend their lead.
Josh Honey seized on a stumble by Callum Brown in the Giants’ defensive goal square to soccer through another goal for the Blues.
Then just before the three quarter time siren, Adam Saad took a beautiful high flying speccy.
At the final change, the Blues had extended their lead to 17 points. Carlton was 9.8 (62) to the Giants 7.3. (45).
The Blues then continued to pull away in the final quarter kicking four goals to one to secure the 13.12 (90) to 8.6 (54) victory.
In a pleasing sign for the Blues, defender Mitch McGovern appeared to get through unscathed in what was just his first game since Round 2.
Mitch McGovern can be important for the Blues. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The 27-year-old took a heavy hit in the second quarter but managed to play out the rest of the game.
Curnow finished with four goals and extended his lead in the Coleman medal race with 57 goals. He is averaging 3.2 goals per game.
His fellow forward Harry McKay also finished with 2.3.
For the Giants, it was Coniglio who led the way with two goals, 21 disposals and five tackles, while Tim Taranto gathered 30 touches and laid five tackles to apply some pressure to the Blues’ midfield.
It was a dominant performance by Michael Voss’ men who won the contested possessions count 139 to 113 and the uncontested possessions count 280 to 215.
Despite posting their 12th win for the season, the Blues still remain seventh on the ladder but the win by 36 points gave them a healthy percentage boost. The win also keeps them just points outside the top four.
The Blues with a much needed victory have almost secured a finals berth now. But they will still have to win at least one more game from their remaining four to guarantee their first piece of September action since 2013.
Their final four games of the home and away season include consecutive away games against Adelaide and Brisbane before finishing the season back home against premiers Melbourne and then Collingwood both at the MCG.
With McGovern and Weitering back in the side and ruckman Marc Pittonet and 25 year-old key defender Caleb Marchbank performing well in the VFL, perhaps the Blues are beginning to gel just at the right time.
The question remains how far can these Blues go in season 2022?
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Yep one goal would have been enough but could have easily been five
Macca
Roar Rookie
We took big steps, we weren't scored on as heavily and ddn't conced as many 5 goal runs. You can't expect to play our best 8 goal to 0 quarters the whole game, other teams are going to have their periods of dominance, we just need to narrow the gap and take our chances more. I still look at that last quarter and think we creted more than enough chances to put the game away and take the wind out of the pies - just didn't take them.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
It’s crazy. I’d almost go as far to say our best is the best. Why we can’t put it together for more than a quarter or two we’ve got a preseason to work that out.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Legitimate question - How many 8 plus goal quarters did we put together for the year? Our best is as good as anyone's.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Haha we didn’t really get close to bringing our A game :laughing:
Matthew Younan
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't write you off for making next year's Grand Final if things can go your way and you can get a strong pre-season into some of the players.
Matthew Younan
Roar Rookie
That's an interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
After the last 6 weeks our defence is number 1 for preventing a score by the opposition in their inside 50’s. This is fantastic considering the changes we have had to make down back. They should get even better as long as they don’t have any more injuries.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
The Demons and Lions both have their share of weaknesses and haven’t exactly been in great form. I see us as a good chance against both. When we make it to the Grand Final we might have just got our A game sorted around the return to form of Pittonet, McGovern and Weitering enough to beat the Cats :stoked:
Macca
Roar Rookie
Hopefully we learnt a lot from the Cats game, and we learn a bit more playing the Lions and Dees in coming week and hit finals a much better side for it. Watching Port have 3 tall forwards against the Cats you could see it made a massive difference and really hampered their ability to inercept off half back. With Pittonet returning and JSOS and TDK being able to operate mre as marking options going forward it should help close the gap a bit. Better condidtions should also (hopefully) allow us to be a bit more aggressive coming off half back and put a bit more pressure on the Cats defence.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Yeah it was a win to be expected against a lowly side. Six goal margin is ok but nothing special. The cats are just a very well disciplined side and the best in the competition at the moment. They’re simply a 5 goal better team than us right now. I doubt we’ll be able to close the gap on them this year but hoping we give it a decent shake.
Macca
Roar Rookie
You say last weeks loss was disappointing but i was much happier with our performance after losing by 5 goals last week than I was winning by 6 this week.
AFL is corrupt
Guest
Carlton was always going to make the finals, question is where they finish in the 8. Most likely they will finish about 7th and face Collingwood in the first week of the finals. A bit of a boobie prize for the prize because you can see week after week 'umpire assistance' that drags the Magpies over the line. The AFL has this sickening agenda of 'always having Collingwood in finals'. Some of us fans are sick of this AFL regime and their WWE style of rigging seasons for monetary reasons. The Victorian Parliament needs to step in and investigate AFL umpires and their bias towards Collingwood. I've seen it over a lifetime and am feed up with it. People's livlihoods are jeopardised, from coaches, to players. Also the gambling community needs to be catered for in todays world.