HOW SWEET it is.

Carlton has recorded a 26-point win over Essendon for its third consecutive victory, overcoming a Bomber surge in the third quarter to run away with a victory.

Pouncing on the Bombers’ inaccuracy, the Blues were efficient going forward, having a bevy of options in attack in the 15.6 (96) to 9.16 (70) win.

For the second straight week, Tom De Koning was a telling presence for the Blues with 23 disposals and 11 clearances, while Elijah Hollands put together his best performance in Navy Blue with three goals.

Quarter one

The battle was clear heading into the game: would it be the Blues’ contested game or the Bombers’ uncontested spread which would win out? In a heavily anticipated clash between the two arch rivals, it was Carlton who made the early jump, with Harry McKay getting the early bragging rights against brother Ben. In what was the sideshow to the main event, Carlton’s McKay won a free kick and duly converted, ensuring the Blues’ fast start was established after Mitch McGovern’s opener. The defender played a crucial role in the early going, intercepting high up the ground alongside Nic Newman as the Blues looked to put heat on the ball at all costs. Carlton’s aerial game was on song early, taking four contested marks to one, with Charlie Curnow (one goal) looming large as a focal point. Adam Saad received plenty of attention over the fence against his former side, and while Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh’s was limited to their usual standard, it mattered not, with Tom De Koning, Elijah Hollands and George Hewett all taking their turn to impact, with the Blues winning clearances 9-5. Alex Cincotta’s role was clear for the evening, running everywhere with Zach Merrett after the centre clearance and keeping the Essendon captain to just four disposals,. At a crucial juncture, the recently re-signed Lachie Fogarty stood up, skidding the ball home from long range to give the Blues a 16-point break at the first change.

Quarter two

After the Bombers hit the scoreboard early with a goal from a free kick, the Blues tidied up their defensive work and were ruthlessly efficient going forward. Playing in the third 80,000-plus crowd of his career (all coming in the last six weeks), Elijah Hollands lit up the second term, producing two opportunistic goals to give the Blues a break. In his 50th game for the football club, George Hewett was putting together a typical George Hewett performance, accumulating 12 disposals, kicking a goal himself and directly assisting two. While Carlton’s game earlier in the season saw them generating plenty of inside 50s but often unable to convert in a meaningful way, it was the opposite in the first half, generating a scoring shot from over 82 per cent of forward-50 entries. That wasn’t to say the Blues weren’t busy at the other end, with the Bombers going inside 50 on 29 occasions, but Carlton’s backline led by Jacob Weitering and Adam Saad stood up excellently. The former Bomber laid a brilliant rundown tackle to save a shot on goal, but their desperation at the contest (+8 contested possessions) was met with patience in possession, taking 16 more marks than the Dons as they looked to work their way around a stringent Bomber backline. Carlton’s commitment to the cause was demonstrated when forwards Harry McKay and Lachie Fogarty both pushed hard defensively to take intercept marks in Essendon’s attacking 50. When the first half came to an end, despite holding a narrow 12-10 lead in scoring shots, the Blues found themselves 32 points in front at the main break.

Quarter three

Similar to the start of the second term, Essendon made the early running with a goal in the opening minute, but the home side was unable to sustain its pressure for longer in the third. Crucially, the Bombers were picking their way through the Blues, who were unable to generate any meaningful ball movement as they were smothered by pressure from their arch rivals. A brief moment of respite came from the boot of Zac Williams, who produced a brilliant assist for Elijah Hollands for a career-best third goal. However, that was the only relief the Blues had from a goals perspective in the third term, as the Dons dominated territory with the Blues backs once again under pressure. After Essendon recorded five of the first six clearances of the term, Carlton began to get some territory and tidied up its method around the ball, with De Koning (seven clearances) again looming large. It was a sign of the pressure the Blues were under with defender Lachie Cowan (eight disposals) their most prolific ball winner, while Matthew Kennedy (six disposals for the term) worked back hard to support the defence. Essendon’s Nic Martin loomed as the danger man, accumulating 10 disposals and two goals for the quarter as the Bombers surged back within 15 points at the final break with a late goal.

Quarter four

The Blues were under the pump, but after last week’s final-quarter surge, all eyes were on whether they could replicate it. The term may not have been as devastating as the one which sealed victory over the Power, but for the second straight week, the work the Blues did in the opening 10 minutes sealed a big Navy Blue win. Carlton piled on four goals inside the opening 10 minutes, with Cincotta, Williams and Curnow all recording multiple goals on the night, before sub Corey Durdin got in on the act with a brilliant contested mark and goal. After being well held all night, Cripps and Walsh combined for 17 disposals and 10 contested possessions in the final term. After barely being in possession in the third term, the Blues’ maturity was on display by owning the ball, having nine players record five or more disposals in the last quarter compared to just five in the third. The Blues had some concerns late with McGovern and McKay both spending time off the ground, while the Bombers got back within 21 points, but it was Cincotta who laid the telling blow, ensuring the Blues would come away with their third straight win.

ESSENDON       1.5     3.7     6.13        9.16 (70)
CARLTON          4.3     9.3     10.4       15.6 (96)

GOALS
Carlton: E.Hollands 3, Cincotta 2, Curnow 2, Williams 2, Durdin, Fogarty, Hewett, McGovern, McKay, Owies

BEST
Carlton: De Koning, E.Hollands, Cincotta, Hewett, Saad, Weitering