Round 22, 2015

Carlton 2.4 16 4.9 33 5.9 39 7.9 51 GWS 2.3 15 5.8 38 13.11 89 20.12 132
Venue:	Sydney Showgrounds
Date:	Saturday, August 29, 2015. 1.45 pm
Result:	Lost by 81 points
Crowd:	9,538
Goalkickers:	T. Bell, B. Boekhorst , A. Everitt, J. Tutt, A. Walker, B. Walsh, M. Watson 1.
Reports:
Umpires:	L. Fisher, N. Foot, S. Hay, B. Wallace (4 umpires for the 3rd game in a row)
Injuries:	D. Ellard (concussion), C. Yarran (hamstring)
Ladder:

Game Review

Despite a much-needed win over Melbourne the previous week, and a positive reaction to the appointment of Brendon Bolton as Carlton’s senior coach for 2016, the Blues were slapped down again when the GWS Giants overwhelmed their visitors in the second half of this match and won by 81 points. Already stricken by injury, Carlton had lost another three players in the lead-up to the game, and couldn’t hold the Giants when they surged after the long break.

Captain Marc Murphy, veteran Andrew Carrazzo and swingman Kristian Jaksch were the trio ruled out on selection night, replaced by Chris Yarran, Cameron Wood and Bradley Walsh – with the latter named as the Blues’ substitute. Western Sydney provided a gorgeously sunny late-winter afternoon - and a customary sparse crowd of less than 10,000 - as Tom Bell and Sam Rowe ran out to play their 50th games in navy blue. The first quarter was a scrappy, crowded affair, riddled with mistakes. Pat Cripps’ long kick to Matthew Watson on the lead for Carlton’s first goal was a highlight, as was Blaine Boekhorst’s conversion from free kick 40 metres out. At the other end of the ground, Michael Jamison and Sam Rowe were holding a resolute Blues defence together, and at quarter-time Carlton led by a point.

As the second quarter unfolded, both sides missed gettable shots on goal, until Andrejs Everitt ran onto a pass by Sam Docherty and kicked truly. Tom Bell followed up with the goal of the match - on the run, hard up against the boundary at right half-forward – soon after David Ellard had left the field heavily concussed. Meanwhile, Matthew Kreuzer was being out-jumped by the Giants’ impressive young ruckman Tom Downie, who was involved in successive late majors to put the home side five points ahead at half-time.

Carlton’s hopes of an upset were shattered from the opening bounce of the third quarter, as GWS put their foot down and in a thirty-minute blitz, slammed through 8.3 to 1.0. The Blues’ only goal for the term – indeed, their only score for the quarter – came from Walker, who followed up with another of his spectacular high marks on centre-wing. A melee erupted right on the three-quarter time siren, but by then the difference between the sides was 50 points and the final margin was the only real talking point.

After being well-held in the first half, the Giants’ star full-forward Jeremy Cameron had inspired his team’s third-quarter charge by kicking four goals. In the final term, Cameron added another three, as the Giants continued their rampage by kicking 7.1 to 2.0. The only glimmer for Carlton came from Bradley Walsh, who had replaced Ellard at half-time. Eighteen minutes into the quarter, the teenager launched a bomb from just inside the 50-metre arc, and it sailed through for his first career goal.

Nevertheless, when the final siren echoed across the near-empty terraces, Carlton had suffered another massive defeat, and the only consolation left was that there was only one more week of this awful season to endure. Not for the first time, consistent efforts from Carlton players were hard to find, although Pat Cripps (30 disposals) Ed Curnow (26) Kade Simpson and Tom Bell (24 apiece) all tried hard to lift their team at various stages.

Team

B:	15 Sam Docherty	40 Michael Jamison (Acting Captain)	17 Sam Rowe
HB:	31 Matthew Dick	42 Zach Tuohy	13 Chris Yarran
C:	12 Blaine Boekhorst	2 Troy Menzel	22 Jason Tutt
HF:	6 Kade Simpson	33 Andrejs Everitt	28 Tom Bell
F:	10 Matthew Watson	1 Andrew Walker	46 David Ellard
Ruck:	8 Matthew Kreuzer	9 Patrick Cripps	35 Ed Curnow
Interchange:	7 Dylan Buckley	24 Mark Whiley	36 Cameron Wood
Substitute:	34 Bradley Walsh
Emergencies:	20 Nick Holman	25 Clem Smith	37 Tom Fields
Coach:	John Barker

Changes

In : Chris Yarran, Cameron Wood, Bradley Walsh.
Out : Marc Murphy, Andrew Carrazzo, Kristian Jaksch.

Subs: Bradley Walsh replaced David Ellard during the second quarter.

Milestones

50 Games : Tom Bell, Sam Rowe
First Goal : Bradley Walsh
Last Game : Chris Yarran, Bradley Walsh

Brownlow Votes

3. Jeremy Cameron, GWS
2. Adam Treloar, GWS
1. Tomas Bugg, GWS

Best & Fairest Votes

Tom Bell 4, Dylan Buckley 4, Patrick Cripps 4, Ed Curnow 4, Matthew Dick 4

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Round 21 | Round 23