AN INSPIRED fourth-quarter comeback has seen Carlton fall agonisingly short against Melbourne at the MCG.

Trailing the Demons by 30 points at the final change, the young Blues fought until the final siren, kicking five consecutive goals to momentarily hit the lead late in the game. 

However, Melbourne’s only goal of the final quarter through Jayden Hunt was enough to see the visitors leave with the victory.

Q1 Breakdown:

It was a fairly lacklustre start at the MCG, with both teams struggling to gain any form of momentum or advantage. Melbourne then raced out to an early lead, kicking the first three goals of the game and dominating possession around the ground. Carlton’s backline did well under constant bombardment by the Demons who controlled the play,  at one stage leading the inside 50 count 14-5. Carlton was finally able to wrestle their way back into the contest late in the term, with Levi Casboult converting from a tight angle for the Blues’ first goal of the game. Paddy Dow’s goal late in the quarter cut the Demon’s lead to just two goals at the first break.

Q2 Breakdown:

The second quarter looked to be going in the same direction as the first, with the Demons able to hold possession and control the pace of the game. Again, Melbourne put on the first two goals of the quarter, before Casboult was able to get the Blues back on the board with his second of the afternoon. Jack Silvagni’s presence was truly felt in the second quarter, with his trademark pressure and tackling causing a turnover and resulting in Matt Kennedy’s first goal of the game.


Q3 Breakdown:

Melbourne once again raced out of the blocks with the first two goals of the quarter to extend their half-time lead to over 30 points. Silvagni’s move deeper forward sparked some excitement for the Blues’ fans in the term, kicking two consecutive Carlton goals to help cut down the Demon’s lead. While Kennedy’s second goal of the day seemed to give the Blues some momentum, the Demons had all the answers, piling on seven goals to Carlton’s five to take an even five-goal lead into the final break.

Q4 Breakdown:

Bucking the trend of the previous three quarters, it was Carlton who started the final quarter with an energy and urgency that had significantly shifted from the beginning of the game. The Blues stormed out of the blocks, kicking three unanswered goals to get them right back in the contest. Setterfield’s second goal of the game saw the MCG erupt as Carlton clawed back the Demon’s 30-point half-time advantage to just five points. The Blues had hope when they took a one-point lead late in the game, but were left heartbroken after the Demons were able to respond with their only goal of the term to secure the victory.

Moment of the match: 

The Blues may have already been on the march in the fourth quarter, but it was a sensational goal off the boot of Michael Gibbons that truly gave the team the lift they needed. Gibbons set shot from deep in the pocket sent the crowd into a frenzy, and brought the Blues to within just 11 points. 

Three things from the game:

  1. Ruck, back, forward… In the absence of some key targets up forward, Levi Casboult was once again in familiar territory this week with a noticeable impact. Marking and leading well, Casboult was the best of the Blues’ forward targets, kicking three goals and providing a headache for Melbourne’s defenders from the opening bounce.
  2. Jack Silvagni’s actions off the ball are just as important as what he does with ball in hand. Silvagni heaped the pressure on the opposition, forcing turnovers, tackling well and running hard to put himself in the best position to score. His efforts didn’t go unrewarded, with the 21-year-old finishing the day with three goals from 18 disposals.
  3. Since returning from injury, Marc Murphy has been one of the Blues’ most consistent performers. The experienced midfielder stood up once again in the absence of Patrick Cripps, finishing with 24 disposals - 15 of those coming in the second half - and eight clearances. 

CARLTON        2.4       5.4       10.6     15.10 (100)
MELBOURNE  4.4       7.11     14.12   15.15 (105)

GOALS
Carlton: Casboult 3, Silvagni 3, Kennedy 2, Setterfield 3, Dow, Fisher, O'Brien, Gibbons,

BEST
Carlton: Silvagni, Casboult, Murphy, Kreuzer, Fisher, Walsh, Ed Curnow

INJURIES
Carlton: Weitering (concussion)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Deboy, Heffeman

Official crowd: 55,593 at the MCG