Opinion
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?
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