CARLTON may have to travel for next week's elimination final after losing to Adelaide by 72 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
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Leading the Crows by 22 points early in the game, the Blues fell away from the start of the second quarter to see the final scores 27.14 (176) to 16.8 (104).
The Blues are confirmed to meet the Brisbane Lions, but will head to the Gabba if the Lions defeat the Sydney Swans on Saturday night.
Troubling Carlton with its swarming handball transition, Adelaide was the harder and more determined side and after half time kicked 14.7 to the Blues' 6.3.
Bryce Gibbs was the Blues' best player with 37 touches, Andrew Walker was solid and Brendan Fevola broke free from Ben Rutten and sometimes a second opponent to kick five goals.
The absence of club-suspended forwards Eddie Betts, Jeff Garlett and Cameron Cloke may have had an impact, too, with Carlton unsuccessful in so many attacking forays.
However, first-year players Chris Yarran and Aaron Joseph showed some very promising signs in support roles to Fevola.
Emerging midfielder Bernie Vince was terrific for Adelaide with 34 possessions and three goals, Andrew McLeod (31) turned back the clock, while Graham Johncock was brilliantly composed for 27 touches and five defensive rebounds.
Michael Doughty was a constant headache for Chris Judd (23 possessions) while Jason Porplyzia (four goals), Chris Knights (four) and Kurt Tippett (four) did the same for the Blues' defenders.
Brett Burton soared in the third term for what could be judged the mark of the year.
It wasn't all good news for Adelaide, however, with Nathan van Berlo suffering a back injury in the first quarter and David Mackay an ankle complaint late in the game.
For the Blues, Nick Stevens spent time on the bench in the first half after crashing into Judd's knee, but returned to play out the game.
It was Carlton that started the better side, cruising to its game-high lead after 17 minutes through its midfield dominance.
Stevens was providing the most impetus and after Burton and McLeod – from a Walker turnover – steadied Adelaide, he kicked the first of his two goals.
His second followed replies from Simon Goodwin and Porplyzia, with the latter on the end of Carlton's backward clearance from the centre.
With the margin just five points at the end of a high-scoring term, Adelaide coach Neil Craig found even more success by dropping Trent Hentschel behind the ball.
Stevens' absence was also hurting the Blues as the Crows broke away to kick four of the first five goals of the new term.
Kade Simpson had taken only 30 seconds to kick the opening goal, but a booming set shot from Patrick Dangerfield was what regained the lead for the Crows.
By the time Fevola kicked his second, almost 16 minutes had passed and the Crows led by 11 points.
With Vince dominating in the middle and Johncock playing a smart game across half back, the Crows took absolute ascendancy in the second stage of the quarter.
Vince kicked two goals in two minutes from errors made in Carlton's backline and it took Fevola's mark against Andy Otten and a perfect shot to keep his side's deficit at 20 points.
Adelaide found another gear after the main break, kicking three goals through Knights, Mackay and Tippett.
Fevola kicked a terrific check-side goal to give the Blues some fight but when Brad Symes, Hentschel and Porplyzia responded, the Crows were more than eight goals ahead.
The crowd erupted with Burton's mark over Bret Thornton and Matthew Kreuzer and even though he slewed his kick, it meant little.
With 53 points the margin at the last break, Carlton rallied to kick four goals but Adelaide mustered another seven.
GOALS
Carlton: Fevola 5, Stevens 2, Walker, O'hAilpin, Hampson, Joseph, Simpson, Gibbs, Murphy, Carrazzo, Yarran
Adelaide: Porplyzia 4, Knights 4, Tippett 4, Vince 3, Dangerfield 2, Hentschel 2, Burton 2, McLeod, Goodwin, Mackay, Symes, Thompson, Sellar
BEST
Carlton: Gibbs, Walker, Stevens, Fevola, Scotland, Judd
Adelaide: Vince, McLeod, Knights, Johncock, Symes, Maric, Thompson, Porplyzia
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Adelaide: van Berlo (back strain), Mackay (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Vozzo, McBurney, Meredith
Official crowd: 42,356 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
