THE Carlton Reserves have moved back into the top four with a 37-point victory over GWS.
The Blues kicked six unanswered goals in the third quarter to give themselves a buffer that couldn’t be headed.
Marc Pittonet was again a shining light from an AFL-listed standpoint, while Caleb Marchbank was impressive in his first game for six weeks.
David Handley played his best game as a Blue, collecting 35 disposals and amassing five inside 50s while Jesse Glass-McCasker and Archie Stevens, were dynamic up forward each slotting three goals.
Quarter one
Ben Crocker answered the Giants’ opener with a dead-eye set shot from directly in front, but from thereon GWS had the better of the opening term. Two more majors to the travelling side gave them a handy buffer, so a Jesse Glass-McCasker goal was exactly what the doctor ordered. The skipper on the night took full advantage of a free kick and converted from close range. GWS closed out the term with their fourth of the opening quarter to take a 10-point lead into the first change. VFL-listed Blue David Handley started the game brilliantly with 11 disposals to his name come the quarter-time siren.
Quarter two
It was the Mitch Moschetti show this quarter: the second gamer slotted the first of his two goals in the term with a left-foot banana after roving the pack brilliantly inside 50. The Giants kicked back-to-back goals again to reach a match-high lead for the visitors, but it was Moschetti again who brought the Blues back within a kick with another quick snap. A massive Dom Akuei contested mark allowed him to level up the scores from the set shot, then a couple of behinds meant Carlton would head to the major break with the lead. The Blues’ ruck duo was proving too much to handle for the Giants: Marc Pittonet and Alex Mirkov combined for 34 hitouts in the first half, while GWS only managed the two.
Quarter three
The team in Navy Blue turned it up a notch in the third term, kicking six goals to zero to take charge of the match. Glass-McCasker, Archie Stevens and Paddy Dow each kicked multiple goals in the quarter and the Blues found themselves 42 points to the good as the last change. The pick of the lot was Dow’s second on the night: he roved the pack superbly and sent a 30-metre dribble through the big sticks. Tom North was everywhere in the third term for Carlton, racking up 12 touches and driving the Blues forward on a number of occasions.
Quarter four
The Giants found the opening goal of the quarter but it was to no avail as Zavier Maher bobbed up to kick the sealer five minutes into the term to push the margin beyond seven goals again. GWS posed more of a threat in this quarter compared to the third but could only manage two final-quarter goals. Ben Crocker - who kicked the first for the Blues on the night - finished the game with a second via a quick snap from a congested scenario deep inside 50. The Blues ran out 38-point victors as the rain bucketed down at IKON Park.
Three things we learned:
1. Caleb Marchbank made a successful return from knee surgery. He collected 18 disposals and took five marks on managed minutes, donning the long Navy Blue sleeves in the process.
2. Good things come in twos. Carlton’s dominant third quarter was the difference in the match, and it came in two-goal bursts from three Blues. Glass-McCasker kicked the opening two goals of the half, followed by an Archie Stevens double and a Paddy Dow brace to finish the term.
3. Carlton’s ruck dominance was a big reason for their victory on the night. The Blues won the hitouts 56-4, with Pittonet recording 33 of those while Mirkov had 23. It led to a big clearance differential as well: the Blues won that count 44-33, Handley had 10 of those to his name.
CARLTON RESERVES 2.2 5.8 11.15 13.17 (95)
GWS GIANTS 4.0 6.0 6.3 9.4 (58)
GOALS
Carlton Reserves: Glass-McCasker 3, Stevens 3, Crocker 2, Dow 2, Moschetti 2, Akuei
BEST
Carlton Reserves: Handley, Pittonet, Dozzi, Cincotta, Dow, Stevens
Tarquin Oakley is a student at La Trobe University, undergoing his Bachelor of Media and Communications (Sports Journalism). He is currently undertaking an internship at the Carlton Football Club as part of its partnership with La Trobe University.
