CARLTON has fallen devastatingly short to the Western Bulldogs, going down by 3-points at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

The Blues were defiant throughout the night refusing to let the Bulldogs escape with an easy victory.

It may have been Dale Thomas’ 250th game, but it was Charlie Curnow who stole the show, finishing with a career best seven goals and showing exactly why he has the potential to be one of the best young forwards in the AFL.

Q1 Breakdown:

The Dogs were able to get their trademark run and carry flowing early in the term, with a chain of handballs off the halfback line ultimately giving them the first goal of the game. Charlie Curnow moved well up and down the ground, doing his best to provide an option for his under-siege teammates moving the ball out of defence. His efforts were eventually rewarded, kicking the Blues’ first goal for the quarter. A spectacular one-handed pluck by the returning Marc Murphy provided the highlight for the term, as well as a vital goal just before the first break. 

Q2 Breakdown:

Two early goals to the Bulldogs made the task at hand more difficult for the Blues, as the Dogs pushed their lead out to 33 points. Carlton struggled to keep up with the Bulldogs’ running game and defensive pressure, unable to easily move the ball out of their defensive half. Matthew Kreuzer did everything he could to get the Blues back in the game, dominating the hitouts and then sneaking forward to kick a goal. It seemed to do the trick, with the Blues lifting towards the end of the term to cut the margin back to 21 points at half-time. 

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Goal < Celebration. (Photo: @jonathandimaggio) #BoundByBlue

A post shared by Carlton Football Club (@carlton_fc) on Jun 15, 2019 at 4:38am PDT

Q3 Breakdown:

After a disappointing first half, it was a different Carlton that returned to the field after the main break. The Blues were re-energised, bringing the pressure that saw them claw their way back against the Lions the week before. The crowd erupted once the milestone man, Dale Thomas, snuck forward and kicked his very own and then celebrated in true Daisy fashion. Charlie Curnow continued to cause headaches for the Dogs’ defenders, kicking his fifth goal of the game to give the Blues the lead. Late goals from Matthew Suckling and Tory Dickson saw Carlton trail by one straight kick at the final change.

Q4 Breakdown:

The Dogs were able to steady the ship after the Blues got the jump in the third quarter, kicking the first three goals of the quarter and extending their lead out to 28-points. However, the Blues did not stop coming, taking the challenge right up to the opposition, booting five goals in seven minutes to cut their lead to just 3 points. David Cuningham's quick snap for goal set off a chain, before Charlie's seventh goal gave the Blues a real chance. Time was the enemy, however, with the Dogs just able to hold on to the victory. 

Moment of the match:

Dale Thomas stole the show with his first goal of the game. The 250 gamer snuck forward to cut off a wayward Bulldog defensive clearance, before sending the ball sailing through the middle of the big sticks. Daisy celebrated as only he could, receiving a massive cheer from the Bluebaggers in the crowd.

Take a bow, Charlie. #BoundByBlue pic.twitter.com/v0eLnFcA2J

— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) June 15, 2019

Three things from the game:

1. Charlie Curnow seems to have tapped into his potential as one of the best young forwards in the AFL. In what was a truly inspiring performance, Charlie would finish with a career best seven goals for the night helping the Blues hit 100 points for the second time this year. 
2. Dale Thomas may have started his career in different colours but he is well and truly a Bluebagger now. Daisy sent the crowd into a frenzy after sneaking forward to kick an important goal during the second quarter. His grit, relentless efforts and enthusiasm on the field is something fans have come to love about the milestone man, and why he is arguably one of the crowd favourites. 
3. The Bluebaggers in the crowd are playing a massive part. Marvel Stadium was near deafening at stages, and the electric atmosphere created by the Navy Blue surely kept the boys going right until the very end.

Match Summary: