AFL match report: Second-half response sees Blues prevail

Carlton has recorded a 19-point victory in Round 19.

CARLTON has produced a second-half response to return to the winner's list with a 19-point win over North Melbourne.

After trailing at half time, an inspired third quarter saw the Blues pile on seven goals to open up a handy lead, locking in their 12th win of the season.

Charlie Curnow kicked four goals while Patrick Cripps continued his strong form with 29 disposals - the most of any Blue - while Jesse Motlop marked his return to action with three goals.

Quarter one:

Following a similar trend to previous matches between these two sides have started off, the Blues and Roos went toe-to-toe in the opening term, with the Sherrin pinging back and forth early. North Melbourne had the early territory with the first four inside 50s, kicking the opening goal, before Carlton got its offensive game going. Lachie Fogarty loomed large as he put the Blues’ first score on the board, with Charlie Curnow and Ollie Hollands soon following suit. However, North was able to get the game on its terms regularly on the back of their clearance dominance, winning the count 13-6 in the opening term to put the Blues on the back foot. The Blues were able to steady and got their offensive game going on the back of their contest, with Matthew Owies ensuring the Blues took a narrow lead into the first change. Patrick Cripps picked up right where he left off from in previous week, recording 11 disposals to lead all comers on the ground at the opening change. The Blues weren’t without their concerns, with ruckman Tom De Koning and key defender Sam Durdin both spending considerable time off the ground due to injury concerns. 

Quarter two:

The opening stages of the second term clearly belonged to North Melbourne. Despite a Fogarty goal from deep in the pocket from a holding-the-ball tackle, the Blues were unable to stop the Roos from chipping their way down the ground and scoring. Charlie Comben loomed as the danger man with three first-half goals, with the Blues unable to get their pressure game going for large parts of the time. There was a shift in the second half of the term when the game looked in danger of getting away from the Blues, and Jesse Motlop the instigator: the returning Blue kicked two in a matter of minutes to get his team back within a kick after the Roos jumped out to a 17-point lead. George Hewett, Sam Walsh and Jack Carroll started to get to work around the ball, but the Blues struggled when the ball was out of the contest, with North dominated uncontested possessions - particularly marks (34-6) - as a late goal saw the Roos take an 11-point lead into the main break.

Quarter three:

Trailing at the main break and with the Roos also registering an early goal, the Blues needed to respond — and they provided an emphatic one. After Motlop recorded his third goal at the three-minute mark, the Blues piled on another six goals to turn a 17 point-deficit into a 15-point lead. The Roos posed their threats but quick goals from Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay nullified that threat, with the Blues getting their game going at the centre bounce and building their game on the back of it. With 6-3 centre clearances, the Blues then were able to lock the ball in their forward half, recording five inside-50 tackles to get right back into the contest. Adam Saad electrified the Carlton faithful with a passage of play that shot the Blues into gear, and the team didn’t look back from there. Not for the first time this year, it was Curnow who lit the game up in the third term, recording three goals alone as the Marvel Stadium crowd got right behind the home side. Hewett and Walsh recorded eight disposals apiece once again while Tom De Koning was at his bullocking best with six disposals, as 7.5 for the term ensured the Blues took a lead into the final change. 

Quarter four:

The game was still in the balance, and despite the Blues having the chance to get the game back on their terms, they missed some chances on goal which would’ve all but sealed the result. It allowed North the chance back in the game, and after an arm wrestle of a final term, two consecutive goals meant the margin was back in single digits. Blake Acres was subbed out for David Cuningham halfway through the term as the Blues’ running men started to fire, with Matt Cottrell and Ollie Hollands working overtime with seven final-quarter disposals. One of the Blues’ best on the night, Adam Saad provided the telling blow with a rundown tackle and a goal from a 50-metre penalty to seal the result and ensure Carlton returned to the winner’s list. 

CARLTON                           4.1     7.2     14.7     16.11 (107)
NORTH MELBOURNE        3.1     9.1     12.2     14.4 (88)

GOALS
Carlton: Curnow 4, Motlop 3, Owies 3, Fogarty 2, McKay 2, O.Hollands, Saad

BEST
Carlton: Cripps, Saad, Curnow, Hewett, Fogarty, Walsh, O.Hollands