IN A back-and-forth game, the Carlton Reserves fell short against Werribee on Saturday.
Following a big loss last week, the Blues welcomed back some AFL-listed talent, but were unable to get over the line in the 9.8 (62) to 14.10 (94) defeat.
Brodie Kemp (25 disposals, 13 marks) and Billy Wilson (27) topped the possession count, while Hudson O’Keeffe (seven clearances) and Jaxon Binns (eight tackles, two goals) battling hard all day.
Quarter one:
It was a slow start for the Blues at Avalon Airport Oval, allowing Werribee to gain possession over the ball and spend most of the time in their forward half. In his first VFL game for the year, Sam Durdin took an early intercept mark to settle in, while Jack Carroll hunted for the ball in the middle of the ground. Good control of the ball and transition down the ground allowed Alex Mirkov to kick his first VFL career goal, while Dom Akuei had some important defensive moments to bring the ball back into Carlton’s forward half. Some late chances weren’t converted for Carlton as Werribee largely dominated possession, with the Blues trailing by 13 points at the first break.
Quarter two:
The second quarter began in a similar fashion to the first, with Werribee taking control of the ball. However, the Blues’ aggression was turning the game into a contest, with Carroll (14 first-half disposals) busy in the middle while Ashton Moir provided a target forward of the ball. After drawing a 50-metre penalty, Will White kicked his first of the game to bring the Blues back into it on the scoreboard. However, from there, the Blues struggled to cope with Werribee’s pressure. An Akuei intercept led to a chance for Jaxon Binns late in the quarter, which he converted to give the Blues their second of the term: however, the Blues still trailed by 32 points at half time.
Quarter three:
It was a solid start to the third quarter for the Blues, who gained possession of the ball from the centre bounce which ended in Binns kicking his second of the game. Strong work up forward from White led to Carroll kicking the Blues’ second in under five minutes, while Brodie Kemp stood up behind the ball with his determination to win the ball back. As the Blues looked to get back into the game, Werribee was able to take control of the contest and make the most of their forward opportunities. A free kick to Hudson O’Keeffe registered the Blues’ third of the quarter, leaving the Blues trailing by 40 at three-quarter time.
Quarter four:
Liam McMahon kicked his first goal of the game on the back of the Blues’ good work at the contest, and after being swung forward in the second half, Harry Lemmey registered his first of the season. Kemp continued his good afternoon on the way to finish with 25 disposals and a game-high 13 marks, with the Blues’ effort not waning despite the game being out of their reach. However, it wasn’t to be at Avalon Airport Oval, with the Blues falling by 32 points come the final siren.
WERRIBEE 3.4 8.6 12.9 14.10 (94)
CARLTON 1.3 3.4 6.5 9.8 (62)
GOALS
Carlton: Binns 2, McMahon 2, Carroll, Lemmey, Mirkov, O’Keeffe, White
BESTS
Carlton: Kemp, Carroll, Akuei, Durdin, Binns, McMahon
