BACK on the winner's list.
Carlton produced an emphatic return to triumphant form with its first home win of the season.
Keeping St Kilda scoreless after the opening five minutes of the contest, the Blues stormed away with a 46-point victory, recording their biggest win of the season.
Quarter one
The Saints made the early running with the territory in the opening minutes, but two misses would prove to be costly. Firstly, it was the returning Keeley Sherar who produced her first goal for the club she supported as a kid, coming on the back of exemplary forward pressure. A quick clearance from the resulting ball-up saw another inclusion - Maddy Guerin - find Brea Moody in the square, giving the Blues the first two goals of the game. Grace Egan and Georgia Gee were busy in the back-end of the term, registering six disposals apiece, with the latter producing an assist for Darcy Vescio’s goal on the quarter-time siren.
Quarter two
The Blues put their foot down in the second term, suffocating the Saints with their forward pressure and seeing the ball camped in their front half. It was a moment to remember for Jess Good, with the former basketballer breaking her scoring duck and recording her first goal at the elite level. There was also a sixth goal of the season for Courtney Jones, while Kerryn Harrington and Paige Trudgeon were always on hand for any of St Kilda’s forays forward. Mimi Hill continued her brilliant run of form with a prolific second term, ending the first half with a game-high 13 disposals.
Quarter three
The third quarter followed a similar pattern to the opening two, with one notable exception: the Blues couldn’t do the damage where it counted. It was ultimately a scoreless quarter for both sides, despite the Blues having repeat forward entries. Playing in a different role up forward, Maddy Prespakis got in on the act with six third-quarter disposals.
Quarter four
Carlton continued in the ascendancy in the fourth term, thwarting any St Kilda attacks that came their way. After goals in the opening term, reigning All-Australians Breann Moody and Darcy Vescio doubled their accounts for the day, opening up a 46-point buffer come the final siren as the Blues recording their highest score of the season. It had taken five weeks, but by the end of the game at IKON Park, the ‘Da da da da das’ were ringing out loud on Royal Parade.
Three things we learned
- The famous ‘Velcro’ duo really can’t be split. Ending the day with 20 disposals apiece, Georgia Gee and Maddy Prespakis were Carlton’s highest disposal winners on the day. Spending more time higher up the ground on the wing, Gee was arguably Carlton’s most influential performer on a day where there were contributors all across the board.
- Aside for the third term, Carlton found its scoring formula. The Blues had recorded their biggest score of the season by the middle of the second term, when Courtney Jones recording the team’s sixth goal of the day. The ball lived in Carlton’s forward half for the majority of the afternoon, recording 14 tackles to seven inside 50.
- Daniel Harford and the coaching staff shuffled the deck chairs on Saturday evening, and they’ll be pleased with the results. Gee spent more time on the wing while Prespakis provided a damaging presence higher up the ground, while Lucy McEvoy (four marks, four intercepts) was deployed permanently behind the ball to good effect.
Moment of the match
This section is generally dedicated to first goals — and you’ll be pleased to know that there’s no exception here. This week, there’s two.
A terrific rundown tackle brought about Keeley Sherar’s first goal, getting the Blues on the board and opening her career account in the process. A quarter later, a dribbler from Jess Good saw the forward-ruck produce her first goal in her fifth game.
You love to see it.
CARLTON 3.1 5.5 5.5 7.6 (48)
ST KILDA 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 (2)
GOALS
Carlton: Moody 2, Vescio 2, Good, Jones, Sherar
BEST
Carlton: Gee, Prespakis, Vescio, Egan, Laloifi, Hill
