IT WASN’T pretty, but boy was it effective.
Carlton has returned to the winner’s list in a performance defined by pure fight and determination, prevailing by 15 points against St Kilda at the MCG.
After a high-scoring start, the game turned into a war of attrition in the second half, with Cooper Lord and Harry McKay producing telling set shots to seal the 11.11 (77) to 9.8 (62) win.
In an emotionally charged Spud’s Game, the game was played in express speed early, with St Kilda bursting out of the blocks with three goals - all from long range - in its solitary MCG home game for the season.
Harry McKay marked strongly for Carlton’s first, while Jaxon Binns pushed forward in his first game for the season to register his third career goal from four games in a nine-disposal opening term.
That passage saw a courageous play from Mitch McGovern, who in the process of committing to the contest which ended in a goal, sustained a chest injury which saw the Blues make an early sub.
St Kilda’s uncontested game loomed large early, but Carlton started to win the contest, led by Adam Cerra (four clearances). Going forward, Charlie Curnow showed that he was well and truly ready to go, producing back-to-back goals - with his second coming from the junction of the 50-metre and boundary lines after a one-handed contested mark.
Jack Silvagni stood up defensively on return with four intercepts in the opening quarter, but a late St Kilda goal - plus a Binns goal that was rightly overturned on review - saw the Blues lead by three points at the first change.
Curnow continued his hot streak to take his career tally to 299 goals after a crafty Silvagni assist, while Lewis Young - who was supporting McKay and Curnow up forward - kicked two second-quarter goals at a crucial time.
Young’s presence allowed McKay to present well and hit the wings, while Nick Haynes continued his brilliant form with five intercepts for the quarter. At the other end, some magic from Sam Walsh ended in a Will White major to open up a four-goal buffer.
However, before long, the Blues had some wounded soldiers: McGovern had been subbed out for Lord, Lachie Cowan (hamstring tightness) didn’t return to the field while Haynes (neck) and Blake Acres (shoulder) spent the last block of the second term on the interchange.
Despite being undermanned, Carlton weathered a late Saints storm to enter the main break ahead by 14 points.
A Cooper Sharman goal to open the second half continued the Saints’ run, before a rolling maul emerged in the third term, with endless stoppages emerging and neither side able to trouble the scorers.
Jaxon Binns and Walsh’s run was important with seven disposals apiece, while Tom De Koning relished the contested conditions with seven disposals of his own, but the Blues found no return after plenty of time in the forward half.
That was until McKay broke the drought in the final two minutes of the term, with some backs-to-the-wall defending meaning the Blues led by 14 at the final change.
Consecutive goals to start the final term brought St Kilda back within three points, the closest they’d been since quarter time, with Carlton needing to dig deep.
In a combative game, the polish wasn’t there for both sides late but the fight surely was, as the Blues started to win some key contests: Jesse Motlop provided some lively moments with tensions at a high, while Patrick Cripps led brilliantly with nine final-quarter disposals to go with three tackles.
Needing some relief on the scoreboard, Cooper Lord - who was subbed into the game at quarter time - had his hard running rewarded with a clutch goal from long range.
Then came the sealer.
For the second straight MCG game, McKay produced a telling moment in the final term. On the back of some patient ball movement, White found McKay who made no mistake, producing his third goal and sealing a gritty 15-point win for the Blues.
ST KILDA 4.0 6.4 7.6 9.8 (62)
CARLTON 4.3 8.6 9.8 11.11 (77)
GOALS
Carlton: Curnow 3, McKay 3, Young 2, Binns, Lord, White
BEST
Carlton: Haynes, Silvagni, McKay, Cripps, De Koning, Hewett
