Here’s a snapshot of Carlton stories making news this week:

Umpires boss Wayne Campbell concedes Troy Menzel should have been awarded free kick against Jared Rivers in loss to Geelong
Herald Sun - Sam Edmund and Nathan Hewitt

UMPIRES boss Wayne Campbell has admitted the umpires cost Carlton a shot at victory against Geelong in a clash littered with contentious incidents.

With the Blues trailing by five points with 35 seconds left, Troy Menzel was collected high 15m in front of goal by Jared Rivers, but wasn’t awarded a free.

Campbell said match officials had blundered, but that the mass of players around the ball meant they didn’t see the contact.

“It was a free kick” Campbell told SEN yesterday.

“The angle showed that Rivers got him over the shoulder. Ben Ryan, who was the umpire, was unsighted. His positioning was fine, but given the amount of players between him and the contest he just couldn’t see it.


Carlton's Troy Menzel deserved a free kick, admits AFL umpires boss Wayne Campbell
The Age - Jon Pierik

AFL umpiring director Wayne Campbell has admitted it was an error that Carlton’s Troy Menzel was not paid a free kick in the final minute of Friday night’s clash at Etihad Stadium but says the right call was made in the Mitch Robinson incident.

During a stoppage on the edge of Carlton's goal square with 13 seconds remaining and the Blues trailing by five points, Geelong runner Nigel Lappin made front-on contact with Robinson, prompting the Blue to angrily push him away.


Carlton coach Mick Malthouse livid over last-minute umpiring calls in five-point loss to Geelong at Etihad Stadium
Herald Sun - Bruce Matthews

ANGRY Carlton coach Mick Malthouse will seek explanations from the AFL umpires department over contentious decisions on Friday night.

Malthouse claimed Blue Mitch Robinson was blocked by Geelong runner Nigel Lappin from getting to a contest in the last minute of the game at Etihad Stadium.

The Blues coach believes Lappin’s obstruction should have prompted a free kick. And it was his view that the umpires missed an obvious infringement on young forward Troy Menzel in the last frantic seconds just out from Carlton’s goal.

“Robinson couldn’t get to the football in the last minute of the game. What do you think the ruling should be? Well, it should have been a free kick then, shouldn’t it?,’’ Malthouse said.


Carlton coach Mick Malthouse blasts umpiring non-calls.
The Age - Jake Niall

Carlton coach Mick Malthouse has questioned three umpiring decisions - including a last-minute incident involving Geelong runner Nigel Lappin and Mitch Robinson - in the wake of Carlton's unlucky five-point defeat on Friday and will seek clarification from the umpiring department next week.

Malthouse said the Blues were ''just disappointed'' to have decisions not paid in the last minute of the game, as the coach pointed to a free kick not paid to his young gun Troy Menzel "five metres out", and the subsequent Lappin-Robinson incident with 13 seconds left. The ball was deep in Carlton's attack on both occasions that no free was paid.


Brave sides deserve brave umpiring decisions, says disappointed Malthouse
AFL Website - Nick Bowen

A FUMING Mick Malthouse says the umpires should have been "brave" enough to pay free kicks to Blues Mitch Robinson and Troy Menzel late in Carlton's five-point loss to Geelong on Friday night.

The incidents involving Robinson and Menzel took place in the final minute of Friday night's game, when Carlton had the ball pinned deep in its forward line as it desperately searched for the goal that would almost certainly have won the game.


Geelong lucky to get past Carlton after a hard slog
The Age - Jake Niall

In one of the better matches of 2014, Joel Selwood managed to break from a stoppage with barely a minute left and convert a long angle shot to snatch the lead - and the win - for a Geelong side that can consider itself fortunate to defeat an admirable Carlton.

The Blues had opened up what had seemed to be a match-winning lead of seven points deep into time-on, following a fourth goal to Bryce Gibbs, who was easily best afield and played what was close to the best game of his career. Gibbs had eclipsed Selwood in their individual duel, but Selwood again proved the adage that while sometimes it cannot be your best game, it can always be your moment.


Judd makes guest appearance for Northern Blues
The Age - Brent Diamond

Carlton veteran Chris Judd made a guest appearance for the Northern Blues in the VFL, but more importantly says he’s looking forward to making his AFL return against Hawthorn on Friday night.

Judd, who returned from a hamstring injury sustained in round five against the Western Bulldogs, got through unscathed and impressed with 18 disposals on limited game time in his first ever VFL hit-out.


Judd good to go after surviving VFL debut
AFL Website - Travis King

CHRIS Judd will put his hand up to play Hawthorn next Friday night after a successful return from a hamstring injury in the VFL on Saturday.

Judd played about 70 per cent game time in the Northern Blues' tight win over Sandringham at Princes Park.

The two-time Brownlow medallist said he pulled-up well and expects to play just his second game for the year after his ill-fated six minutes against the Western Bulldogs in round five.