Reserves Season 2022
Coach: Daniel O'Keefe
Captain: Matt Shannon
Best & Fairest: Paddy Dow
2nd Best & Fairest: Alex CIncotta
3rd Best and Fairest: Will Hayes
Position: 5th
Premier: Casey Demons
Other Awards:
Reserves Best Young Player: Joel Trudgeon
Best Clubmen: Jesse Glass-McCasker and Matt Shannon.
Carlton's 2022 Reserves Team Squad.
Zane Barzen, Ned Cahill, Alex Cincotta, Josh Cripps, Ben Crocker, Jesse Glass-McCasker, Luke Goetz, Aaron Gundry, Hugh Hamilton, David Handley, Will Hayes, Cody Hirst, Owen King, Tyreece Leiu, Michael Lewis, Charlie McKay, Mitchell Moschetti, Tom North, Darcy Porter, Stefan Radovanovic, Oliver Sanders, Matt Shannon, Hamish Sinnott, Cooper Stephens, Archie Stevens, Lachlan Swaney, Joel Trudgeon, Toby Wooller.
The Carlton Reserves have powered to a 42-point win in Round 1 VFL action. - By Cristian Filippo and Tarquin Oakley
The Carlton Reserves have kicked their season off with a comfortable 42-point win at IKON Park. Prevailing over the Brisbane Lions, the Blues led from the first quarter to last, steadily building their lead over the course of the evening. While it wasn’t always the prettiest affair, the likes of Paddy Dow and Will Hayes did the damage in the middle, allowing the Blues to start their VFL season on the right note.
Q1:
It was a vastly different affair to the last one between these two sides in the early rounds of last season, which saw the Blues pile on 12 first-quarter goals. It’s not to say that it wasn’t through the want of trying, with Jack Newnes getting the Blues on the board with a classy instinctive snap. However, it proved to be the only goal of the first term which was largely dominated territory-wise by the Blues, before a late Brisbane flurry. Jordan Boyd provided some customary drive across half-back with seven disposals, while Jack Newnes led all comers with eight.
Q2:
The scrappy contest which emerged at the end of the first term continued into the second quarter, with the Lions unable to convert their narrow ascendancy into scoreboard pressure. That was to the Blues’ benefit when they eventually tidied things up in the forward half, with Will Hayes capping off an impressive first half (17 disposals) with a goal. Two moments of individual brilliance in front of the big sticks soon followed, with Zavier Maher bursting through congestion to record his first of the day before Paddy Dow did something similar just minutes later. Brisbane eventually broke through with its first of the day, but Lewis Young had some key moments down back late in term to quell any further damage.
Q3:
The Blues put the foot down in the third term, breaking away from the Lions and putting a clear gap on the scoreboard. It started with the work in the middle from Alex Mirkov, with Paddy Dow using his speed and power to full effect to surge the Blues out of the middle. Jesse Glass-McCasker turned provider for the first goal of the term, setting up Ben Crocker, before kicking his own from the follow-up clearance. In another moment of class around Carlton goal, Ned Cahill snapped truly from a forward stoppage, kicking the Blues out to a game-high lead in the process.
Q4:
On his Carlton debut, one of the Blues’ key performers opened the account for the team in the final term: with his 29th disposals, Will Hayes produced his second goal. Carlton’s defence stood up well whenever Brisbane threatened to get back into the contest. If not for inaccuracy in front of goal, the Blues’ winning margin could’ve been even greater, with the hosts not threatened on the scoreboard for the entirety of the second half. The icing was put on the Navy Blue cake by Matt Cottrell, who - with his fourth shot of the game - took an intercept mark and converted the set shot in the closing stages of the contest.
Three things we learned:
1. Will Hayes has been a great pickup in the off-season. He was a consistent performer across all four quarters and finished with 33 disposals, six tackles, six clearances and two goals. The former Bulldog will bring AFL experience and plenty of know-how to the Blues this season.
2. While the AFL side last night took the most of their chances with 16 goals and just six behinds, the same couldn’t be said about Carlton Reserves tonight. The boys created plenty of great opportunities but kicked a wasteful 11.18 (84) and could’ve come away with an even larger victory if they’d had their kicking boots on.
3. The Blues midfield in the AFL is firing on all cylinders at the moment, with Paddy Dow similarly shining for the Carlton Reserves on Friday night. His 32 disposals, seven clearances and nicely-finished goal was great to watch for the Bluebaggers who ventured down to IKON Park.
6 - Will Hayes (Car)
6 - Lewis Young (Car)
4 - Ryan Lester (BL)
4 - Jack Newnes (Car
It was a happy away trip for the VFL Blues with their third consecutive win - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves have won their opening three games of the season after a 52-point win over Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium. After a tight opening term, the Blues kicked six goals in the second quarter to give themselves a handy lead over the Suns and never looked back. Liam Stocker was prolific with 35 disposals off half back, while forward livewires Ben Crocker and Sam Philp combined for seven goals between them.
Quarter one
The match started well for the Blues, with Jack Newnes firing home the opening goal of the game from 40 metres out. Gold Coast then owned territory for most of the quarter, but its inaccuracy allowed Carlton to stay in touch. Despite the Suns leading the inside-50 count by five, a steadying goal late in the term from Sam Philp - who caused the turnover with his forward pressure - meant the quarter ended at two goals apiece. Jack Newnes was running amok on the wing, complementing his goal with eight touches.
Quarter two
As the Suns continued to waste chances, the Blues started to take them. Sam Philp willed the ball onto his boot whilst being tackled to sneak through his second goal of the game to put the Carlton Reserves back in front. From there the Blues took all the momentum, looking ever so dangerous whenever the ball went inside 50. Ben Crocker, Cody Hirst and Lachie Swaney all kicked goals from the pocket as Sam Philp continued his day out with another goal. Crocker’s second of the match was enough for a 24-point lead at half time. Liam Stocker and Paddy Dow both had great halves, each collecting 15 disposals.
Quarter three
The Carlton Reserves continued their good work in the first half in this quarter, as the lead of the Blues blew out to 37 points at one stage. This was thanks to a Zavier Maher tackle and goal, a Paddy Dow snap and a Cody Hirst major on the run. The Suns then hit back with three of the last four goals of the quarter. The only Blues goal mixed in that run was to Crocker, a running drop punt from tight on the boundary line that sailed through. Luke Parks was crucial in this quarter, taking a number of intercept marks to keep the Suns at bay.
Quarter four
While it wasn’t quite the nine-goal final quarter from last week, the Blues still finished off very strong on the Gold Coast. Matt Cottrell found himself out the back of the Suns’ defence on two separate occasions to start the term and kicked two goals as a result. The Blues then kicked away with Maher and Jesse Glass-McCasker kicking goals, as well as Crocker kicking his fourth, to finish with a big win. Maher’s final term deserves to be highlighted, as his eight touches and a goal saw him finish with 28 disposals and two majors for the game.
Three things we learned:
1. Welcome back, Sam Philp. Just as he did in his last outing before a rib injury, Sam Philp once again hit the scoreboard for a classy triple. He kicked three of the Blues first four goals, which were incredibly important at a time where the Suns were on top in the contest.
2.The Blues mean business. It’s only a small sample size, but we’re three games in and the Carlton Reserves are still undefeated, sitting top of the VFL ladder. It’s been a terrific start to the season, with two scores of over 100 points.
3. Ben Crocker’s got a bag of tricks. It’s not often you put up two nominations for VFL goal of the year in one game, but last year’s Carlton Reserves Best and Fairest might’ve just done that. His banana from the pocket in the second term, followed by a drop punt from the boundary line in the third were two brilliant finishes.
Gold Coast kicked away any hope it had of remaining undefeated as Carlton consolidated top spot on the ladder with a 52-point win at Metricon Stadium on Sunday. The Suns booted a woeful 7.19 and were up against it by half-time when they trailed by 24 points despite having one more scoring shot, and fell away in the last term as Liam Stocker caused them nightmares in defence on his way to 35 disposals, five marks and a whopping 14 rebound-50s.
Missing star recruit Will Hayes, who was a late withdrawal from what would have been his 100th VFL match with gastro, Zavier Maher (29, five marks, six tackles, seven rebounds, two goals), David Handley (27, five marks, nine tackles, five clearances, five inside-50s) and Joel Trudgeon (27, five tackles, five clearances) turned in career-best displays, while Jack Newnes (32, seven marks, one goal), Cooper Stephens (26, eight marks, seven rebounds), Ben Crocker (20, six marks, four goals), Paddy Dow (24, seven clearances, one goal), Ned Cahill (21, 11 marks, six tackles, six inside-50s), Matt Cottrell (22, two goals) and Sam Philp (three goals) were all key parts of the win. Darcy Macpherson was Gold Coast’s best with 30 disposals, seven marks and six clearances while Jeremy Sharp (24, nine marks, five inside-50's), Mac Andrew (23, eight marks, five inside-50's), Elijah Hollands (22, six marks, five clearances, one goal) and Sam Flanders (24, five inside-50s) also did well and Oleg Markov had 19 in his 50th game.
8 - Zavier Maher (Car)
5 - Ben Crocker (Car)
3 - Darcy Macpherson (GC)
2 - Cooper Stephens (Car)
2 - Liam Stocker (Car)
Carlton Reserves storm home to overcome Werribee
The VFL Blues have recorded their fourth win of the season. - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves kicked the last five goals of the match to surge to a 19-point victory at Avalon Airport Oval. The Blues trailed by 12 points at one stage in the final quarter but managed to fight back and gain a valuable four points. Jack Carroll put in another stellar performance, collecting 25 disposals and slotting two goals while Tom Williamson was important in a new role at crucial times.
Quarter one
Werribee got off to the fast start, kicking the opening three goals of the contest. The Blues then grinded their way back into the game, halting the Tigers’ momentum and kicking a goal themselves. It was Ned Cahill who pounced on a loose ball inside 50 and used his speed to break away from his opponent and nail the Blues’ first. Will Hayes was doing his best to keep Carlton in the game with eight touches in the opening quarter.
Quarter two
After seeing off a barrage of Werribee attacks early in the term, Carlton started to click into gear. A quickfire two goals from Ben Crocker pulled the Blues within a goal, before Will Hayes took full advantage of a 50-metre penalty to convert a set shot that put the Blues in front. Werribee then responded with the last two majors to give them a 10-point lead at half time, but the game was well and truly in the balance. Liam Stocker had eight touches in the second term were pivotal in repelling some Werribee attacks, while Jack Carroll also lifted to amass 15 disposals in the first half.
Quarter three
Despite the opening goal of the term going to Werribee, Carlton began to turn the tide of the game in this quarter. Crocker’s third of the match and a Jack Carroll goal got the margin back to just six points, before Werribee answered yet again with two majors of its own. The term finished with a flurry of Blues’ goals through Cahill, Tom Williamson and Brodie Kemp to put Carlton in front at the final change. Paddy Dow’s centre-bounce work (seven clearances) in this term was pivotal, while the Blues’ commitment was demonstrated with a mark of pure courage from Lachie Fogarty on the siren.
Quarter four
Keeping with the trend of the game, Werribee started the term strongly and skipped out to a two-goal lead. The Blues would come again, only this time there was no response from the Tigers. Paddy Dow’s snapped goal was the kick-starter Carlton needed: then, it was Josh Cripps’ time to stand up. The big forward snapped two goals late in the game to give his side a buffer that couldn’t be overcome. Jack Carroll and Lochie O'Brien also found themselves on the scoresheet as the Blues ran away with a 19-point win.
Three things we learned:
1. These Blues have a lot of fight in them. This is the fourth time this season that the Carlton Reserves have won the final quarter convincingly, and it has led them to victory. The Blues’ fitness and ability to fight the game out to the final siren is a big advantage over opposition sides.
2. Ben Crocker can’t stop kicking goals. Another three today makes it 14 goals for the season, which currently has him sitting in second in the competition: he has kicked multiple goals in every game this year.
3. Jack Carroll was damaging in the middle. He drove the Carlton Reserves inside 50 a total of eight times, as well as kicking two goals himself. After an impressive return last week, he backed it up with a great performance in Round 5 as the Blues went 4-1.
6 - Will Hayes (Car)
4 - Liam Stocker (Car)
3 - Jack Henderson (Wer)
3 - Shaun Mannagh (Wer)
2 - Tom Gribble (Wer)
1 - Nathan Cooper (Wer)
1 - Kye Declase (Wer)
Marchbank's successful return despite shock Blue defeat.
By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media.
The Carlton Reserves were left to rue a big missed opportunity on Saturday night, coughing up a match-winning lead to fall by seven points against Frankston. Leading by 48 points at the final change in a game dictated by the end which had the breeze, the Dolphins piled on 10 goals to leave the Blues stunned at SkyBus Stadium. In positive news, Caleb Marchbank made a highly impressive return from injury, collecting 20 disposals in three scheduled quarters to be one of his side’s best.
Quarter one
The Blues were kicking with a hefty breeze at Skybus Stadum, and they made the most of it. The ball got rolling - literally - with Lachie Fogarty’s opener, whose inside 50 from just forward of the centre circle bounced all the way through for a goal. It was the first of five the Blues would kick for the quarter, with Paddy Dow also converting from long range. It wasn’t all simple for the Blues, as the home side converted into the breeze as tempers began to flare. It looked as though the Carlton Reserves would take a slender lead into the first change, but late goals from VFL-listed leaders Will Hayes and Ben Crocker was exactly what the Navy Blue doctor ordered.
Quarter two
The Blues knew the assignment in the second term was going to be tough, but Paddy Dow’s second in the opening stages - where he snapped truly after taking advantage from a downfield free kick - was the perfect start. As the Blues’ defensive 50 started to see more of the Sherrin, the second term presented the chance for Carlton fans to see exactly what they had been missing for a long time in the form of Caleb Marchbank. The key defender intercepted at will and repelled a number of Frankston forward entries, finishing the half with 16 disposals: the equal-most on the ground alongside Will Setterfield. A number of chances went begging from a Dolphins perspective, as the Blues took a 21-point lead into the main break.
Quarter three
Cooper Stephens started the third term in the same manner as the others: with a Carlton player kicking a classy goal to get things going. It was an opener indicative of the quality of the Blues’ goals to come that term, with a pair of classy majors from Ben Crocker and a Tom North banana from deep in the pocket adding to it. With Will Setterfield coming from the ground at half time as planned, Paddy Dow and Lachie Fogarty continued their strong form in the middle. They were well-supported by Alex Mirkov, who added to his strong of improving form with seven clearances to three-quarter time: more than anyone else on the ground.
Quarter four
Disappointingly from a Carlton perspective, the final term was where three quarters of good work was undone. Kicking with the breeze, Frankston got wind in its sail when it kicked three goals in the opening 10 minutes of the term, and didn’t look back from there. Ultimately, the home side kicked 10 consecutive goals, as the Blues struggled to get their hands on the footy out of the middle of the ground, while ill-discipline cost them at various stages. Sam Philp dribbled a goal to give the Blues some hope, but it was very much a case of a lost opportunity once the final siren blared out around SkyBus Stadium and the Blues were left wondering how they’d let it slip.
Three things we learned
1. Welcome back, Caleb Marchbank. It was an outstanding return to action for the defender, who - in his first game for over a year - amassed 20 disposals in three quarters of game time. The second quarter in particular was where the returning Caleb Marchbank proved his wares, amassing 10 disposals for the term and holding up well amid a Frankston barrage of inside 50's. His presence was missed in the final term.
2. The midfield duo of Paddy Dow and Lachie Fogarty were important in their team’s good work on Saturday night. In conditions which suited the latter in particular, the AFL-listed duo were central in the Blues. Dow’s stat line continued to blossom with 33 disposals, 10 clearances and two goals, while Lachie Fogarty added a game-high 12 tackles to 27 disposals and the opening goal of the game.
3. Round 7 will go down as a case of ‘what might have been’ for the Blues. The Blues dominated three quarters, making the most of their time with their breeze while also stopping the Dolphins in their tracks in the second term. However, the final term was a wake-up call for the Blues, who couldn’t arrest the momentum from Frankston on the way to the hosts kicking 10 straight goals to resign the Blues to a second defeat of the campaign.
9 - Will Fordham (Fra)
5 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)
3 - Liam Reidy (Fra)
2 - Sam Fletcher (Fra)
1 - Alex Mirkov (Car)
1 - Stefan Radovanovic (Car)
The Carlton Reserves got themselves back on the winners' list at Preston City Oval, claiming a nine-point win over the Northern Bullants in Round 10 of the VFL. Despite trailing by 25 points early in the final quarter, the Blues rallied to pile on six goals to one for the remainder of the match to claim victory. Ben Crocker and Sam Philp were both a constant threat up forward slotting three goals each, while Will Setterfield impressed through the midfield with 23 disposals as well as eight clearances.
Quarter one:
It was a see-sawing opening quarter of the contest, with both sides trading blows in a free-flowing affair. The Blues got the first of the afternoon through a Zavier Maher set shot, before the Bullants responded with two quick goals. Ben Crocker’s 21st major of the season levelled the scores, but the Blues could only manage one more goal to the Bullants’ three for the remainder of the term: that came from a crafty Jesse Glass-McCasker snap that dribbled through the big sticks. Will Setterfield made a productive start with eight touches to the first break, while Ben Crocker added six disposals to his opening-quarter goal.
Quarter two:
The Bullants kicked the opener before Josh Cripps jagged his first of the day. The Blues then wasted plenty of opportunities, kicking six behinds to the Bullants’ one goal straight right up until the dying stages of the half. Ben Crocker was able to convert his second goal of the game after the siren to bring the Blues back within 11 points at the major break. Jack Martin was one of the Blues’ best to this point of the game, with some desperate efforts to smother and apply pressure a real positive of his performance.
Quarter three:
Sam Philp got the Blues going with a tidy finish to bring the margin back under a kick. After the Bullants responded, Cripps managed to gather a loose ball in the goal square to kick his second and keep the Blues in touch. However, the last two goals of the term both went to the Bullants and the Blues were left with plenty of work to do in the final quarter. Joel Trudgeon was proving to be a vital cog in the Carlton midfield, recording seven touches for the quarter in a game where he finished with eight clearances.
Quarter four:
As Anakin Skywalker would say, this is where the fun begins. After the Bullants got out to a game-high lead of 25 points, the Blues flicked the switch. It started with Tom Williamson who snapped truly to bring the margin back to 19, then Sam Philp kept the momentum going with his second. A few behinds later, the margin sat at 11 and when Ned Cahill dobbed his set shot the Blues were within a kick. Sam Philp then kept his composure to slot his third and put the Blues in front, before the fun was halted momentarily as the Bullants responded to take back the lead. Enter Dom Akuei. The defender turned match-winning forward floated across the pack to take a contested mark and held his nerve to put the Blues back in front. Crocker’s third major late in the match sealed the win.
Three things we learned:
1. Ben Crocker is one of the most dangerous forwards in the VFL competition. He could have had six or seven goals on Sunday, but he ended up with 3.4 to make it 23 majors for the season. His 23 disposals were a season-high for him as well.
2. Tom Williamson was as reliable as ever across the wing, collecting 22 disposals as well as laying six tackles. He was also sent to defence throughout the game to play as a loose man, picking up some important touches to counter the Bullants’ attacks.
3. Third time’s the charm. The Blues had lost two close games consecutively in their previous two matches but managed to stand up when it mattered in Round 10. After seven and four-point losses to Frankston and Sandringham respectively, made the nine-point win over the Bullants that little bit sweeter.
100 VFL Goals: Ben Crocker (Carlton/Collingwood) 100 VFL goals/59 matches
First Goal: Dom Akuei
2. 13.15 93 was Carlton's highest score v Northern Bullants at Preston City Oval (10.8 68, 2021)
5 - Alex Cincotta (Car)
4 - Will Mitchell (NB)
4 - Tom Williamson (Car)
3 - Tom Wilson (NB)
2 - Will Setterfield (Car)
2 - Jean-Luc Velissaris (NB)
1 - Jordan Boyd (Car)
1 - Sam Philp (Car)
The Carlton Reserves succumbed to a nine-point defeat at Windy Hill in Round 12 VFL action. Leading for the majority of the contest, the Blues fell behind for the first time late in the last quarter, and couldn’t wrestle back the lead kicking into the breeze. VFL-listed Alex Cincotta was Carlton’s best, while Will Setterfield and Paddy Dow were prolific with 34 and 27 disposals respectively.
Quarter one
The Blues were fast starters with Ben Crocker picking up where he left off before the bye, slotting his 24th goal for the year from a tight angle. Harvey Gallagher put through the Blues’ second of the day – and the first of his VFL career - after a high tackle in front of goal to extend the margin to 13 points. Essendon then charged back into the contest with two goals of its own, before Ned Cahill took matters into his own hands against his old side: his first goal came from a quick snap after a crumb off hands followed by a long-range finish from outside 50 that skidded home. Brodie Kemp ended the term with a set-shot goal to give the Blues a 20-point lead at the first change. Paddy Dow and Jack Carroll were busy in the opening quarter, picking up 10 disposals each.
Quarter two
It was the Bombers who owned the second term with the breeze at their backs, but the Blues’ back six managed to stem the tide for majority of the quarter. Essendon kicked the first of the term before a goal-saving tackle from Sam Durdin, in his first game as a Blue, kept the Bombers at bay. Essendon did manage to get within a goal, but a Jesse Motlop spin out of an oncoming tackler allowed him to set up Sam Philp with a handball and he steadied the Navy Blue ship. The Bombers managed to close the gap again to five points just before half time. Alex Cincotta had a big quarter with 11 touches to make it 20 for the opening half.
Quarter three
The third term was more free flowing than the first half, with both sides trading blows to kick four goals each. The first of those for the Blues came from a Will Setterfield snap from just inside 50 that sailed through. A pair of Bombers’ majors were answered by a pair of Blues’ goals through Paddy Dow and Brodie Kemp, who was swung forward at different times throughout the afternoon. Despite Carlton having the breeze, Essendon just wouldn’t go away on its home deck, finishing stronger in the dying stages of the quarter to stay within single digits. Will Setterfield was a standout performer for the Blues in this term, with seven disposals to add to his classy goal early in the quarter.
Quarter four
The Blues attempted to shut the gate on the Bombers, who continued to surge with a home crowd and the wind behind them. Unable to make the most of some half chances in attack in the early going, Carlton - led by VFL-listed defender Stefan Radovanovic - battled manfully and held onto the lead in the first half of the term. However, once the Bombers got the lead from a counter-attacking goal, the Blues were unable to wrestle back momentum nor the lead, finishing nine points in arrears come the final siren.
Three things we learned:
1. The Blues can’t help but find themselves in nail-biting finishes at the moment. It was the fourth match in a row the game has been decided by a single-digit margin: unfortunately for the Blues, they’ve gone down in three of those.
2. After getting drafted to the senior side last week, Will Hayes was eager to perform at Windy Hill. He brought great intent right from the get-go and finished with nine tackles and 23 disposals, locking down a role on the wing for the majority of the afternoon.
3. Will Hayes’ fellow mid-season draftee was just as busy. In his first game for his new side following a whirlwind few weeks, Sam Durdin had plenty asked of him in an end-to-end game which saw both sides record over 50 inside 50's apiece. He finished the day with 14 disposals, six marks and three rebound 50s.
6 - Alex Cincotta (Car)
6 - Paddy Dow (Car)
5 - Massimo D’Ambrosio (Ess)
2 - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Ess)
1 - Nick Bryan (Ess)
1 - Will Setterfield (Car)
The Carlton Reserves have moved back into the top four after a four-point win in Round 14 of the VFL. The Blues survived a barrage of late Coburg attacks and managed to hold on to record their eighth win of the campaign. Paddy Dow was herculean in midfield collecting 34 disposals and slotting a vital goal while Liam Stocker was crucial down back with 28 touches and 10 marks.
Quarter one
The Lions nailed the opening goal of the game but it wasn’t long before the Blues responded, and in style. Carlton recorded the next 11 inside 50s of the match and were rewarded on the scoreboard: goals to Jesse Glass-McCasker, debutant Oliver Sanders and Ned Cahill in quick succession gave the Blues a handy advantage. The game then turned into an arm wrestle for the remainder of the quarter, with both sides missing opportunities: that was until Ben Crocker struck for the Blues after the siren to extend the margin to 17 points at the first change. Liam Stocker was a brick wall behind the footy for the Blues in the opening term, collecting 10 disposals and taking five marks down back.
Quarter two
Coburg kicked the first goal of the quarter again, only this time there wasn’t an immediate response from Carlton. The Lions then brought the margin back to three points and with all the momentum were seemingly set to take the lead. However, the Blues found a steadying major just when they needed to: Zavier Maher went on a bursting run and found Will Hayes over the back of the Coburg defence who kicked the easiest of goals from 15 metres out. Despite the quarter not going the Blues’ way on the scoreboard, the clearance count was certainly not the issue. Paddy Dow and Jack Carroll had the same number of clearances as Coburg between them, with the overall total 24 to nine Carlton’s way.
Quarter three
It was the Blues’ turn to start the better of the two sides in the third: Crocker became the first multiple goal scorer of the night with a set shot from 40 metres. A Coburg major was then answered by Carlton with six behinds as the wayward Blues attempted to put a gap between themselves and the Lions. The term petered out with neither team able to take a strangle hold of the contest. Patrick Dozzi was a shining light for the Blues in the third quarter, collecting eight disposals in just his second game for Carlton this season.
Quarter four
The first two goals of the last quarter went to Coburg and the margin was back to a solitary point. It took some Paddy Dow magic to find the Blues’ first goal in over 40 minutes of football: he brought down a high kick to a one-on-one contest, gathered the loose ball and found a way through multiple defenders to slam through a 45-metre drop punt that sailed over the goal umpire’s head. The Lions would come again and make sure this contest went right down to the wire. There was under a goal between the two sides for the last 12 minutes of the game, with the Blues’ defence holding out a late Coburg surge to claim a valuable victory.
Three things we learned:
1. It was as gritty a win as possible for the Blues. With Will Setterfield subbed into the game at AFL level and Sam Philp coming from the ground injured in the first term, the Blues ultimately finished the contest with just one on the bench. The way the undermanned Blues were able to grind out a result would’ve pleased Daniel O’Keefe.
2. Will Hayes continues to put in standout performances for the Carlton Reserves: the mid-season draftee collected 25 disposals, took nine marks and kicked a goal. That’s three weeks of strong form from Hayes since returning from injury.
3. It was another thrilling finish at IKON Park, something the Blues have become accustomed to this season. It’s the fifth time in six matches that the game has been decided by a single-figure margin: the Blues have now won two of them.
4 - Ben Crocker (Car)
4 - Liam Stocker (Car)
4 - Joel Trudgeon (Car)
3 - Jesse Corigliano (Cob)
2 - Nathan Boucher (Cob)
2 - Will Hayes (Car)
1 - Mitch Podhajski (Cob)
The Carlton Reserves moved into the top four with after a thrilling win over Geelong that went right down to the wire. The Blues kicked the opening five goals of the match before losing their lead in the last quarter, only to snatch it back at the death. Mitch McGovern and Marc Pittonet both made successful returns to action, while Will Setterfield was best afield with 40 disposals and eight marks.
Quarter one
For the first half of the quarter, it was a physical battle between the two sides, with only one point scored to the 15 minute-mark of the term. Ned Cahill broke the deadlock to find the opening goal of the match for the second week running: some great pressure inside forward 50 was rewarded with a holding-the-ball-free and he slotted the set shot from directly in front. The Blues then found their mojo: Lochie O’Brien nailed a goal from 35 metres out in what was a terrific opening quarter from the Blues’ No.4. He collected 11 disposals, took four marks and had two inside 50s to set the tone early for the Blues. Cahill kicked his a second with a long snap and Jesse Glass-McCasker slotted the Blues’ fourth just before the quarter-time siren to give Carlton a nice buffer at the first change. The Blues were left to do the job without Ed Curnow, who came from the ground injured in the first ter and didn’t return.
Quarter two
Defender-turned-forward Dom Akuei found the ball out the back and strolled into an open goal to make it five goals to zip at the start of the second term in favour of the Blues. However, this was where Geelong found their way back into the contest: the Cats pegged back three goals in the remainder of the quarter as the Blues failed to do any scoreboard damage. It wasn’t due to winning the ball at the source: Carlton was dominant around the stoppages, leading the clearance count by over 10 at half time. Marc Pittonet was a big reason for that dominance in his first half back since injuring his knee in Round 6 of the AFL, getting to plenty of ruck contests and amassing five clearances himself.
Quarter three
The Cats made it five in a row after a slow start to the second half for the Blues and the margin was back within a kick. Ben Crocker ended a run of six behinds in a row from Carlton to kick the team’s first major in 42 minutes of football and extend the margin back to beyond a goal in the process. Geelong had the game on its terms though, answering Carlton’s major and making a surge for the lead. A crucial Mitch McGovern intercept mark was enough to hold the Blues’ minor advantage just before the three-quarter-time siren. Will Setterfield continued to be a crucial cog of Carlton’s on-ball brigade in the third term, gathering 10 disposals and working hard between the arcs.
Quarter four
The Cats found the opening goal of the last term to hit the front for the first time since the 15-minute mark of the first quarter. When the Cats kicked their third in a row to take an eight-point lead, it looked as though the game was getting away from the Blues, but they still had plenty of fight left in them. Even after Tom North’s goal was answered by Geelong, Carlton didn’t stop surging. When Ollie Sanders brought the margin back to one point at the 20-minute mark of the term, it was time to swing Mitch McGovern forward. And didn’t it pay off: Cahill heaved the ball to the top of the goal square where Mitch McGovern, playing in front, got to the drop of the ball first and took the most important mark of the day. He slotted the goal and Jesse Glass-McCasker found a sealer a few minutes later as the Blues claimed an incredibly valuable victory.
Three things we learned:
1. Returning Blues Marc Pittonet and Mitch McGovern were both very important in the win over the Cats. Marc Pittonet racked up nine clearances, 15 disposals and 22 hitouts and covered the ground well, while Mitch McGovern got better as the game went on and finished with 17 disposals, four marks and one match-winning goal.
2. The victory was absolutely crucial for the Blues’ finals hopes. A loss would’ve put Carlton in danger of falling outside the top eight, but they now sit inside the top four and should stay there by the end of the round.
3. It’s the second time in as many weeks the Blues have found a second wind in the last quarter to finish the game. Last week they just fell short of a 34-point comeback victory, but on Saturday, four of the last five goals of the match was enough to grab the win.
6 - Paddy Dow (Car)
6 - Marc Pittonet (Car)
4 - Shannon Neale (Gee)
4 - Nick Stevens (Gee)
1 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)
The Carlton Reserves were left to rue missed opportunities after they fell to Williamstown by 14 points on Saturday. The Blues kicked six behinds to one goal straight in a wasteful second quarter after the Seagulls got the fast start in the opening term. Despite an improved last quarter, Carlton - who were without Liam Stocker (concussion) in the second half) couldn’t redeem their three-goal effort to the last change and ultimately fell short.
Quarter one
It was a heavily wind-affected match in Williamstown, and the Seagulls were kicking with a strong breeze in the opening quarter. It was the hosts who had all the early ascendancy, winning 12 of the first 13 inside 50's and nine of the first 10 clearances of the match. They were winning the ball at the source and taking ground, opening up a 20-0 score line before the Blues had even landed a punch. That soon came though, with Zavier Maher claiming a loose ball inside 50 and snapping truly for the Blues’ first. A quick reply from Williamstown was answered with Carlton’s second major of the term: Dom Akuei roved his own marking contest at ground level and dished the handball back to Jack Martin who did the rest from the top of the goal square. Williamstown finished the quarter with another goal to push the margin out to 22 at the first change. The early stages of the match could’ve been worse if it wasn’t for Sam Durdin, who took three intercept marks to help repel the constant Williamstown attacks in the first term. Jack Martin also started strongly, collecting eight disposals and two marks in addition to his first-quarter goal.
Quarter two
This was the term the Blues were left kicking themselves. Heading towards the scoring end, Carlton failed to kick a goal despite creating plenty of opportunities. The majority of the game was being played in one portion of the ground, with the swirling breeze pushing the ball towards the Blues’ left half-forward flank. Despite the large amount of time in their forward half and 17 inside 50's, Carlton couldn’t reduce the quarter-time lead and went into the sheds at the major break still trailing by 22 points. Before coming from the field through injury, Liam Stocker was a shining light for the Blues in the first half. Of his 11 disposals, 10 were kicks and he also took three marks in his time on the ground.
Quarter three
Williamstown was quick to kill the game off at the start of the second half. The opening three goals of the third term all went to the Seagulls as they sprung out to a 41-point buffer late in the quarter. It took some Mitch Moschetti magic to open up the game through the middle of the ground for the Blues to get a chance at scoring. He got the one-two and burst up the middle of Williamstown oval, sending the ball inside 50 where Paddy Dow found the football and managed to scrag a major. The Seagulls had the answers again, however, finishing the quarter with their 10th goal of the game and a match-high 42-point lead.
Quarter four
Ned Cahill bobbed up for the first goal of the last quarter: a regulation set shot from directly in front. Williamstown found the next one, but then it was the Blues who finished all over the Seagulls. David Handley got the Blues’ fifth of the day before a great contested mark from Brodie Kemp allowed him to snap a major. Moschetti brought the margin back to 20 points and when Cahill became the Blues’ first multiple goal scorer there was the thought that perhaps the game could be pinched. However, the siren sounded less than a minute later and Carlton had fallen short by 14 points. Lachie Fogarty improved as the game went on for the Blues, finishing with 30 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances.
Three things we learned:
1. Brodie Kemp can do it at both ends: the third-year Blue collected 20 disposals and a season-high 10 marks, as well as slotting a goal after being sent forward in the last term. He was one of the Blues' best on a disappointing day.
2. The breeze played a significant role in the match, with 76 of the game’s 97 inside 50's going to the grandstand side of Williamstown Oval. It was an important coin toss to win for the Seagulls, who got the fast start kicking with the breeze in the opening term.
3. The loss means the Blues fall outside of the top four, but still hanging onto a place in the top eight with two games remaining. Carlton has a bye next week, followed by a trip to Casey Fields to take on the undefeated Demons before a final-round showdown with Collingwood at IKON Park.
The Carlton Reserves recorded a thrilling 10-point win over Collingwood in their curtain-raiser match on the MCG. The result means that Carlton will play Collingwood again next week in an elimination final, taking place at Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon.Will Hayes and Alex Cincotta both recorded 26 disposals while Ned Cahill was a livewire up forward, recording three goals.
Quarter one
The Blues couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Josh Honey finding himself in behind the Magpies’ defence to mark and snap truly. Collingwood responded to hit the front, before a brilliant one-two between Brodie Kemp and Will Hayes finished with Brodie Kemp taking the lead back. Ned Cahill extended the margin before quarter time after a picture-perfect set shot from just inside 50 on a 45-degree angle. Will Hayes used his running power to full effect in the opening term, collecting nine disposals, three marks and a goal assist.
Quarter two
It was tough going in the second stanza for the Blues, as Collingwood fired back with the first two goals of the quarter. Carlton’s only goal for the term came from the boot of Cahill after a 50-metre penalty took him right to the goal line and he made no mistake to register his second. Collingwood managed to find a late major and the scores were all tied up at halftime. The game couldn’t have been more evenly poised, with the Magpies leading the inside-50 count by just one and the Blues leading the tackle count by a single tackle.
Quarter three
Both sides struggled to take control of the contest in this quarter, as the first major came 23 minutes into the term. It was Cahill again, superbly crumbing the pack and accelerating away to snap a goal that put the Blues back in front. However, it didn’t take long for a Magpie answer: they struck straight back to level the scores and that’s the way it would stay at the final change. One quarter of football remained to decide the Blues’ finals chances. Will Hayes’s game ended at three-quarter time, but he put in a brilliant performance until that point: he gathered 26 disposals and 12 marks, doing most of his work along the southern wing.
Quarter four
It was make or break in this quarter for the Blues, and Kemp got his team off to the perfect start after he nailed his second to put Carlton a goal up. Ben Crocker then took his moment: he turned onto his right foot to snap his 33rd goal of the season, but more importantly, put the Blues 11 points ahead and one step closer to a finals berth. Some desperate defence in the closing stages held off Collingwood and Carlton booked its place in the VFL finals series.
Three things we learned:
1.The Blues are playing finals. It’s the first time that a Carlton-affiliated VFL side has made finals since 2011. Details for the Carlton Reserves’ clash with - fittingly - Collingwood will be announced soon.
2. The Blues will head into the finals series with a 4-1 record against top-eight teams after their 10-point win over the Pies. Their only loss came last week to ladder-leaders Casey.
3. The Bluebaggers made plenty of noise to will the Blues home in the last quarter at the MCG. With a huge crowd piling into the home of football for the AFL clash, there was plenty of noise in the final term, particularly when Carlton locked in its top-eight spot come the final siren.
For the first time since 2011, a Carlton-affiliated VFL side will be playing finals football. The VFL Blues made sure their season would last at least an extra week by defeating the Magpies on Sunday at the MCG in their curtain-raiser to the AFL clash. Ben Crocker played a crucial role in the victory, kicking the final goal of the match to extend the Blues’ lead beyond a kick and all but seal a finals berth. The 2021 best-and-fairest winner was pleased to have gotten the job done with so much on the line. “We knew we had to win this one, so it made it even a little bit sweeter for us … it was pretty tight in the end but the boys did well,” he told Channel 7 post-game. The victory meant a little bit more to Crocker as he was playing against his old club in Collingwood, something the former Pie isn’t accustomed to. “It’s not often that you get to play your old team, I think I’ve only done it maybe even just once because of COVID,” he said. “It’s funny, there’s a lot of new faces at Collingwood but there’s still a few boys that I know so it’s always good to get the win when you were at the club.”
Crocker is no stranger to the MCG, the 25-year-old played 18 AFL games on the home of football in his time at Collingwood, kicking 12 majors including a three-goal haul against the Hawks. However, for a handful of Blues playing on Sunday, it was the first time they’d experienced playing on the sacred turf. “For some of these boys that have never been on the ‘G, so it’s the biggest game that they’ve played in their life,” he said. “The VFL as a whole is pretty young now and our group especially is really young, so I think games like this build maturity.” The Carlton Reserves’ 10-point win over Collingwood was the eighth time in the past 12 matches they’ve had a game decided by under two goals. Crocker, who finished sixth in the league’s goalkicking with 33 goals for the season, believes that constantly playing in tight finishes could bring its advantages going into the finals. “We spoke about it towards the back end of the year, we had a few close games and I reckon they’re the games you want going into finals just so you know how you can ice them out,” he said. “So, we’ve managed to get this one (over Collingwood) and now we’re in the finals, so we’ll see how we go.” The Carlton Reserves will play Collingwood again in an elimination final this Sunday afternoon at 1:05pm at Victoria Park.
The Carlton Reserves’ campaign has come to an end in the second week of the finals after Brisbane won by 12 points this afternoon. The somewhat waterlogged ground at the Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex played host to the semi final, with the Lions’ dominant third quarter proving to be the difference in the end. Carlton came charging home in the last quarter to level the scores, but Brisbane found the match-winning goals in the final minute. Paddy Dow capped off his terrific VFL season with a 14-clearance and 37-disposal game, while Liam Stocker was a brick wall in defence and collecting 23 disposals (17 of those kicks).
Quarter one
The Blues started the game full of running but blazed away going inside 50, which cost them dearly as the Lions found the opening major of the game. It was a battle of willpower for much of the term, with the contested ball sacrosanct in these conditions. Ned Cahill bobbed up to take a mark directly in front and from 20 metres out made no mistake to bring the Blues back within a point. Red-time goals came towards the end of the quarter for the Lions, who took advantage of the breeze to kick late two majors. Liam Stocker imposed himself from the get-go in this contest, laying a couple of big bumps as well as collecting some crucial intercepts to keep the Lions at bay.
Quarter two
You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second stanza from a Carlton perspective, as Jesse Motlop lifted his Blues’ teammates with a magnificent finish from the pocket. He then followed that effort up with an assist, as some fantastic pressure and fight in the forward half led to a Mitch Moschetti snap from a Jesse Motlop handball. It was all Carlton as Brisbane struggled to get the ball outside their defensive half, and the heat from the Blues led to another goal: Brodie Kemp smothered a kick in and then allowed the Lions to rush a deliberate behind, kicking a goal from the resulting free kick. The team in Navy Blue had the lead for the first time today, however it didn’t last long as Brisbane levelled the scores just before the major break. Alex Mirkov was enjoying the wet conditions in the first half: he amassed 24 hit-outs in the opening half on return to lead the Blues to a 25-21 clearance lead.
Quarter three
Brisbane owned this quarter with a heavier breeze at their backs. The Lions had all the territory and found five goals in a row to take a 32-point lead. It took Joel Trudgeon putting his head over the ball and earning a free kick for in the back to give the Blues a chance, which he took with aplomb to give Carlton some momentum into the final quarter. Paddy Dow and Jack Carroll were brilliant in the first three quarters, collecting a combined 55 disposals.
Quarter four
Paddy Dow closed the gap to 19 points at the start of the last, before Ben Crocker lifted to find a couple of big goals and the Blues were charging. There were plenty of chances, with Carlton kicking 3.8 in a row to level the scores and the game hung in the balance for the final five minutes. It didn’t go the way of the Blues, with their season ending in heartbreak as the Lions found two goals in the final minute after the Blues dominated all facets of the final term to work their way back into the contest.
Three things we learned:
1. That’s it for the VFL Blues in season 2022. The side made great strides in a second year - and first full campaign - under Daniel O’Keefe, winning an elimination final and finished with a 12-8 win-loss record after the finals campaign.
2. Some young Blues gained some valuable finals experience over the past couple of weeks. The likes of Dom Akuei, Jesse Motlop and Alex Mirkov played in their first finals series at Carlton and all made valuable contributions.
3. While it may feel like the season ended somewhat abruptly, particularly given the final quarter, the Carlton Reserves should hold their heads high following a bruising final against a Brisbane side which lost one game at home in the regular season.
Coach: Daniel O'Keefe
Captain: Matt Shannon
Best & Fairest: Paddy Dow
2nd Best & Fairest: Alex CIncotta
3rd Best and Fairest: Will Hayes
Position: 5th
Premier: Casey Demons
Other Awards:
Reserves Best Young Player: Joel Trudgeon
Best Clubmen: Jesse Glass-McCasker and Matt Shannon.
Carlton's 2022 Reserves Team Squad.
Zane Barzen, Ned Cahill, Alex Cincotta, Josh Cripps, Ben Crocker, Jesse Glass-McCasker, Luke Goetz, Aaron Gundry, Hugh Hamilton, David Handley, Will Hayes, Cody Hirst, Owen King, Tyreece Leiu, Michael Lewis, Charlie McKay, Mitchell Moschetti, Tom North, Darcy Porter, Stefan Radovanovic, Oliver Sanders, Matt Shannon, Hamish Sinnott, Cooper Stephens, Archie Stevens, Lachlan Swaney, Joel Trudgeon, Toby Wooller.
Round 1, 2022.
| CARLTON | 1.4.10 | 4.7.31 | 8.12.60 | 11.18 (84) |
| BRISBANE | 0.3.3 | 1.7.13 | 3.11.29 | 5.12 (42) |
| Venue: | Ikon Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Friday 25th March 2022 (5.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 42 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 2.2, Will Hayes 2.0, Matt Cottrell 1.3, Paddy Dow 1.1, Zavier Maher 1.1, Joel Trudgeon 1.1, Ned Cahill 1.0, Jack Newnes 1.0, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.0, Brodie Kemp 0.2, Jesse Motlop 0.2, Cody Hirst 0.1, Alex Mirkov 0.1, Stefan Radavanovic 0.1, Rushed 0.3. | |||
| Best: | Will Hayes, Paddy Dow, Lewis Young, Jack Newnes, Matt Cottrell, Jordan Boyd. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Blues kick off season with comfortable winThe Carlton Reserves have powered to a 42-point win in Round 1 VFL action. - By Cristian Filippo and Tarquin Oakley
The Carlton Reserves have kicked their season off with a comfortable 42-point win at IKON Park. Prevailing over the Brisbane Lions, the Blues led from the first quarter to last, steadily building their lead over the course of the evening. While it wasn’t always the prettiest affair, the likes of Paddy Dow and Will Hayes did the damage in the middle, allowing the Blues to start their VFL season on the right note.
Q1:
It was a vastly different affair to the last one between these two sides in the early rounds of last season, which saw the Blues pile on 12 first-quarter goals. It’s not to say that it wasn’t through the want of trying, with Jack Newnes getting the Blues on the board with a classy instinctive snap. However, it proved to be the only goal of the first term which was largely dominated territory-wise by the Blues, before a late Brisbane flurry. Jordan Boyd provided some customary drive across half-back with seven disposals, while Jack Newnes led all comers with eight.
Q2:
The scrappy contest which emerged at the end of the first term continued into the second quarter, with the Lions unable to convert their narrow ascendancy into scoreboard pressure. That was to the Blues’ benefit when they eventually tidied things up in the forward half, with Will Hayes capping off an impressive first half (17 disposals) with a goal. Two moments of individual brilliance in front of the big sticks soon followed, with Zavier Maher bursting through congestion to record his first of the day before Paddy Dow did something similar just minutes later. Brisbane eventually broke through with its first of the day, but Lewis Young had some key moments down back late in term to quell any further damage.
Q3:
The Blues put the foot down in the third term, breaking away from the Lions and putting a clear gap on the scoreboard. It started with the work in the middle from Alex Mirkov, with Paddy Dow using his speed and power to full effect to surge the Blues out of the middle. Jesse Glass-McCasker turned provider for the first goal of the term, setting up Ben Crocker, before kicking his own from the follow-up clearance. In another moment of class around Carlton goal, Ned Cahill snapped truly from a forward stoppage, kicking the Blues out to a game-high lead in the process.
Q4:
On his Carlton debut, one of the Blues’ key performers opened the account for the team in the final term: with his 29th disposals, Will Hayes produced his second goal. Carlton’s defence stood up well whenever Brisbane threatened to get back into the contest. If not for inaccuracy in front of goal, the Blues’ winning margin could’ve been even greater, with the hosts not threatened on the scoreboard for the entirety of the second half. The icing was put on the Navy Blue cake by Matt Cottrell, who - with his fourth shot of the game - took an intercept mark and converted the set shot in the closing stages of the contest.
Three things we learned:
1. Will Hayes has been a great pickup in the off-season. He was a consistent performer across all four quarters and finished with 33 disposals, six tackles, six clearances and two goals. The former Bulldog will bring AFL experience and plenty of know-how to the Blues this season.
2. While the AFL side last night took the most of their chances with 16 goals and just six behinds, the same couldn’t be said about Carlton Reserves tonight. The boys created plenty of great opportunities but kicked a wasteful 11.18 (84) and could’ve come away with an even larger victory if they’d had their kicking boots on.
3. The Blues midfield in the AFL is firing on all cylinders at the moment, with Paddy Dow similarly shining for the Carlton Reserves on Friday night. His 32 disposals, seven clearances and nicely-finished goal was great to watch for the Bluebaggers who ventured down to IKON Park.
VFLCA Votes
10 - Paddy Dow (Car)6 - Will Hayes (Car)
6 - Lewis Young (Car)
4 - Ryan Lester (BL)
4 - Jack Newnes (Car
Video
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A big last quarter has led to a second win of the year for the Carlton Reserves - By Tarquin Oakley.
Nine goals in the final term fired the Carlton Reserves to a 46-point win at Box Hill City Oval. The game was in the balance heading into the final change, but the Blues were dominant in the last quarter kicking nine goals to the Hawks’ one. Will Hayes and Paddy Dow got plenty of the football, while Jesse Motlop and Ned Cahill were lively up forward, kicking four goals each.
Quarter one:
It was a scrappy opening to the game with neither team making a fast start. Eventually, Box Hill found the opening couple of goals, but they were answered with a Ned Cahill set shot to get the Blues going. Will Hayes picked up where he left off last week, gathering 12 touches in the first quarter.
Quarter two:
Carlton Reserves made the early running in the second term, with Ben Crocker kicking the opening goal from a few metres out. The Blues then found themselves with all the momentum, kicking five goals in a row to build a nice lead heading into the main break: a Cody Hirst snap and a beautiful running goal from Alex Cincotta were the main highlights from a fantastic quarter of football for the Blues’ perspective. Matt Cottrell had a huge individual term and finished with 19 disposals in the first half, while Alex Cincotta also had 13 disposals to add to his fantastic goal.
Quarter three:
It was tough quarter for the Blues, with the Hawks mounting a fightback as the hosts kicked to the scoring end of Box Hill City Oval. A Zavier Maher intercept in the front half set up Jesse Motlop’s first of the game to answer the Hawks’ early goal. However, the Hawks then piled on three consecutive majors to take the lead. Carlton Reserves steadied late in the term to halt Box Hill’s momentum and go into three-quarter time only one point down. Liam Stocker worked his way into the match in the third term, producing some important moments when the game was in the balance for the Blues.
Quarter four:
There was plenty to like in this quarter of football from a Carlton perspective. Jesse Motlop’s tackle inside 50 was rewarded and he converted the set shot to give the Blues back the lead, in what was the first example of Carlton’s small forwards capitalising in attack. Cahill slotted his third of the afternoon from the goal square, before Jesse Motlop unleashed a 55-metre bomb that bounced through to excite the Blues fans in Box Hill. The midfield was right on top in the closing stanza, led by Paddy Dow: the on-baller finished with 15 clearances for the day as well as two goals in the last quarter. Jesse Motlop and Cahill both recorded their fourth respective goals as the Blues romped to a 46-point win.
Three things we learned:
1. Liam Stocker’s return to football was a success, after he got through Sunday afternoon’s win unscathed. He patrolled the back half and racked up 18 disposals, including 15 kicks and four marks, with 13 of those coming in the second half.
2. Jesse Motlop continues to showcase his unquestionable talent. The mercurial small forward sparked to life in the last quarter, kicking three goals when the match was on the line to propel the Blues to victory in just his second senior VFL game. He complemented his four goal with 19 disposals, four tackles and five inside 50s, spending portions of the final term at the centre bounce.
3. Despite slow starts in both matches so far in season 2022, the Carlton Reserves have found a way to win comfortably in each of their first two hitouts. The Blues have managed just one goal in each of their opening quarters this year, however their ability to capitalise when having momentum has allowed them to pile on goals quickly and still kick a winning score.
8 - Paddy Dow (Car)
4 - Hugh Beasley (Box)
3 - Jesse Motlop (Car)
2 - Alex Mirkov (Car)
2 - Jack Newnes (Car)
1 - Ben Crocker (Car)
1 - Luke Parks (Car)
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 2, 2022.
| CARLTON | 1.1.7 | 6.3.39 | 7.6.48 | 16.9 (105) |
| BOX HILL HAWKS | 2.3.15 | 3.4.22 | 7.7.49 | 8.11 (59) |
| Venue: | Box Hill City Hawks. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 3rd April 2022 (3.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 46 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ned Cahill 4.1, Jesse Motlop 4.1, Ben Crocker 3.1, Paddy Dow 2.0, Alex Cincotta 1.0, Cody Hirst 1.0, Xavier Maher 1.0, Jack Newnes 0.2, Joshua Cripps 0.1, Rushed 0.3. | |||
| Best: | Paddy Dow, Jesse Motlop, Will Hayes, Luke Parks, Ben Crocker, Alex Mirkov. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Two in a row for Carlton ReservesA big last quarter has led to a second win of the year for the Carlton Reserves - By Tarquin Oakley.
Nine goals in the final term fired the Carlton Reserves to a 46-point win at Box Hill City Oval. The game was in the balance heading into the final change, but the Blues were dominant in the last quarter kicking nine goals to the Hawks’ one. Will Hayes and Paddy Dow got plenty of the football, while Jesse Motlop and Ned Cahill were lively up forward, kicking four goals each.
Quarter one:
It was a scrappy opening to the game with neither team making a fast start. Eventually, Box Hill found the opening couple of goals, but they were answered with a Ned Cahill set shot to get the Blues going. Will Hayes picked up where he left off last week, gathering 12 touches in the first quarter.
Quarter two:
Carlton Reserves made the early running in the second term, with Ben Crocker kicking the opening goal from a few metres out. The Blues then found themselves with all the momentum, kicking five goals in a row to build a nice lead heading into the main break: a Cody Hirst snap and a beautiful running goal from Alex Cincotta were the main highlights from a fantastic quarter of football for the Blues’ perspective. Matt Cottrell had a huge individual term and finished with 19 disposals in the first half, while Alex Cincotta also had 13 disposals to add to his fantastic goal.
Quarter three:
It was tough quarter for the Blues, with the Hawks mounting a fightback as the hosts kicked to the scoring end of Box Hill City Oval. A Zavier Maher intercept in the front half set up Jesse Motlop’s first of the game to answer the Hawks’ early goal. However, the Hawks then piled on three consecutive majors to take the lead. Carlton Reserves steadied late in the term to halt Box Hill’s momentum and go into three-quarter time only one point down. Liam Stocker worked his way into the match in the third term, producing some important moments when the game was in the balance for the Blues.
Quarter four:
There was plenty to like in this quarter of football from a Carlton perspective. Jesse Motlop’s tackle inside 50 was rewarded and he converted the set shot to give the Blues back the lead, in what was the first example of Carlton’s small forwards capitalising in attack. Cahill slotted his third of the afternoon from the goal square, before Jesse Motlop unleashed a 55-metre bomb that bounced through to excite the Blues fans in Box Hill. The midfield was right on top in the closing stanza, led by Paddy Dow: the on-baller finished with 15 clearances for the day as well as two goals in the last quarter. Jesse Motlop and Cahill both recorded their fourth respective goals as the Blues romped to a 46-point win.
Three things we learned:
1. Liam Stocker’s return to football was a success, after he got through Sunday afternoon’s win unscathed. He patrolled the back half and racked up 18 disposals, including 15 kicks and four marks, with 13 of those coming in the second half.
2. Jesse Motlop continues to showcase his unquestionable talent. The mercurial small forward sparked to life in the last quarter, kicking three goals when the match was on the line to propel the Blues to victory in just his second senior VFL game. He complemented his four goal with 19 disposals, four tackles and five inside 50s, spending portions of the final term at the centre bounce.
3. Despite slow starts in both matches so far in season 2022, the Carlton Reserves have found a way to win comfortably in each of their first two hitouts. The Blues have managed just one goal in each of their opening quarters this year, however their ability to capitalise when having momentum has allowed them to pile on goals quickly and still kick a winning score.
VFLCA Votes
9 - Will Hayes (Car)8 - Paddy Dow (Car)
4 - Hugh Beasley (Box)
3 - Jesse Motlop (Car)
2 - Alex Mirkov (Car)
2 - Jack Newnes (Car)
1 - Ben Crocker (Car)
1 - Luke Parks (Car)
Video
Round 3, 2022.
| CARLTON | 2.1.13 | 8.4.52 | 12.6.78 | 17.11 (113) |
| GOLD COAST SUNS | 2.6.18 | 3.10.28 | 7.16.58 | 7.19 (61) |
| Venue: | Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 10th April 2022 (12.35 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 52 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 4.1, Sam Philp 3.1, Matt Cottrell 2.0, Cody Hirst 2.0, Zavier Maher 2.0, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.1, Lachie Swaney 1.1, Paddy Dow 1.0, Jack Newnes 1.0, Ned Cahill 0.2, Brodie Kemp 0.1, Joel Trudgeon 0.1, Rushed 0.3. | |||
| Best: | Jack Newnes, Xavier Maher, Ben Crocker, Ned Cahill, Cooper Stephens, Liam Stocker. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Undefeated start continues for Carlton Reserves.It was a happy away trip for the VFL Blues with their third consecutive win - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves have won their opening three games of the season after a 52-point win over Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium. After a tight opening term, the Blues kicked six goals in the second quarter to give themselves a handy lead over the Suns and never looked back. Liam Stocker was prolific with 35 disposals off half back, while forward livewires Ben Crocker and Sam Philp combined for seven goals between them.
Quarter one
The match started well for the Blues, with Jack Newnes firing home the opening goal of the game from 40 metres out. Gold Coast then owned territory for most of the quarter, but its inaccuracy allowed Carlton to stay in touch. Despite the Suns leading the inside-50 count by five, a steadying goal late in the term from Sam Philp - who caused the turnover with his forward pressure - meant the quarter ended at two goals apiece. Jack Newnes was running amok on the wing, complementing his goal with eight touches.
Quarter two
As the Suns continued to waste chances, the Blues started to take them. Sam Philp willed the ball onto his boot whilst being tackled to sneak through his second goal of the game to put the Carlton Reserves back in front. From there the Blues took all the momentum, looking ever so dangerous whenever the ball went inside 50. Ben Crocker, Cody Hirst and Lachie Swaney all kicked goals from the pocket as Sam Philp continued his day out with another goal. Crocker’s second of the match was enough for a 24-point lead at half time. Liam Stocker and Paddy Dow both had great halves, each collecting 15 disposals.
Quarter three
The Carlton Reserves continued their good work in the first half in this quarter, as the lead of the Blues blew out to 37 points at one stage. This was thanks to a Zavier Maher tackle and goal, a Paddy Dow snap and a Cody Hirst major on the run. The Suns then hit back with three of the last four goals of the quarter. The only Blues goal mixed in that run was to Crocker, a running drop punt from tight on the boundary line that sailed through. Luke Parks was crucial in this quarter, taking a number of intercept marks to keep the Suns at bay.
Quarter four
While it wasn’t quite the nine-goal final quarter from last week, the Blues still finished off very strong on the Gold Coast. Matt Cottrell found himself out the back of the Suns’ defence on two separate occasions to start the term and kicked two goals as a result. The Blues then kicked away with Maher and Jesse Glass-McCasker kicking goals, as well as Crocker kicking his fourth, to finish with a big win. Maher’s final term deserves to be highlighted, as his eight touches and a goal saw him finish with 28 disposals and two majors for the game.
Three things we learned:
1. Welcome back, Sam Philp. Just as he did in his last outing before a rib injury, Sam Philp once again hit the scoreboard for a classy triple. He kicked three of the Blues first four goals, which were incredibly important at a time where the Suns were on top in the contest.
2.The Blues mean business. It’s only a small sample size, but we’re three games in and the Carlton Reserves are still undefeated, sitting top of the VFL ladder. It’s been a terrific start to the season, with two scores of over 100 points.
3. Ben Crocker’s got a bag of tricks. It’s not often you put up two nominations for VFL goal of the year in one game, but last year’s Carlton Reserves Best and Fairest might’ve just done that. His banana from the pocket in the second term, followed by a drop punt from the boundary line in the third were two brilliant finishes.
Gold Coast kicked away any hope it had of remaining undefeated as Carlton consolidated top spot on the ladder with a 52-point win at Metricon Stadium on Sunday. The Suns booted a woeful 7.19 and were up against it by half-time when they trailed by 24 points despite having one more scoring shot, and fell away in the last term as Liam Stocker caused them nightmares in defence on his way to 35 disposals, five marks and a whopping 14 rebound-50s.
Missing star recruit Will Hayes, who was a late withdrawal from what would have been his 100th VFL match with gastro, Zavier Maher (29, five marks, six tackles, seven rebounds, two goals), David Handley (27, five marks, nine tackles, five clearances, five inside-50s) and Joel Trudgeon (27, five tackles, five clearances) turned in career-best displays, while Jack Newnes (32, seven marks, one goal), Cooper Stephens (26, eight marks, seven rebounds), Ben Crocker (20, six marks, four goals), Paddy Dow (24, seven clearances, one goal), Ned Cahill (21, 11 marks, six tackles, six inside-50s), Matt Cottrell (22, two goals) and Sam Philp (three goals) were all key parts of the win. Darcy Macpherson was Gold Coast’s best with 30 disposals, seven marks and six clearances while Jeremy Sharp (24, nine marks, five inside-50's), Mac Andrew (23, eight marks, five inside-50's), Elijah Hollands (22, six marks, five clearances, one goal) and Sam Flanders (24, five inside-50s) also did well and Oleg Markov had 19 in his 50th game.
VFLCA Votes
10 - Jack Newnes (Car)8 - Zavier Maher (Car)
5 - Ben Crocker (Car)
3 - Darcy Macpherson (GC)
2 - Cooper Stephens (Car)
2 - Liam Stocker (Car)
Video
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Carlton Reserves fall for the first time
The VFL Blues’ undefeated start to the season came to an end at IKON Park. - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves couldn’t recover from a slow start as Richmond ran away 25-point winners in Round 4. The Blues trailed by 40 points at the major break and despite a gallant effort in the second half, the margin was too great to overcome. Will Hayes starred in his 100th VFL match, collecting 35 disposals, while Jack Carroll and Tom Williamson were both solid contributors on return with 23 touches each.
Quarter one
It was a tough battle for the opening 12 minutes, with neither side managing a score. The Tigers then took advantage of a couple of forward-50 free kicks that helped them build an early lead. Joel Trudgeon found himself in behind Richmond’s defence to kick the Carlton Reserves’ first, but the Tigers used the breeze to their favour and continued to score heavily. Tom De Koning mark and goal after the siren was badly needed and brought the margin back to 19 points at the first change. Jack Carroll had a strong opening term in his first VFL game of the home-and-away season, recording 11 disposals and three clearances.
Quarter two
The Blues had no problem taking their chances in this term, but couldn’t stop the Tigers’ scoring power either. Richmond kicked the opening two goals of the quarter, before consecutive majors within a minute to Sam Philp and Brodie Kemp quickly had Carlton back in touch. However, for the rest of the term, a pair of Ben Crocker goals were the only scores for Carlton interspersed between five Richmond majors as the away side pulled away in the contest.
Quarter three
If the message at half time was to stop the bleeding, the Blues certainly followed it. The Tigers only managed a solitary point for the entire term, as the Blues owned territory and field position. The positive of the first half was that Carlton took its chances, but that wasn’t the case in the third term. The Blues’ 2.5 (17) didn’t reflect their dominance, as the Tigers managed to hold a four-goal lead heading into the final change: Sam Philp with his second major and a Ned Cahill snap were the only goals of the quarter. Will Hayes willed the Blues back into the contest in his 100th VFL game, as he collected 14 disposals in the term.
Quarter four
It was an arm-wrestle for the first 10 minutes as both sides jostled to find the ever-important opening goal of the quarter. Eventually the Tigers broke through, and there was no way back for the Blues despite a late flurry of goals. Will Hayes deservedly found a major to complement his 35-disposal game, while Jesse Motlop and Cody Hirst also kicked late goals. The final margin was a respectable but disappointing 25 points.
Three things we learned:
1. You can’t win them all. Despite the magnificent start to the VFL season that saw the Blues win their opening three matches, Sunday afternoon’s clash was a bit of a reality check. It’s a long season, and Carlton will be looking to bounce back against Werribee next week.
2. Will Hayes and Jack Carroll can find the football at the coalface. The midfield duo battled manfully, racking up 18 clearances between them. Hayes’ 10 clearances were a game-high, as he continues to go from strength-to-strength this season: he is averaging 35 disposals and a goal a game.
3. Lachie Plowman was very important down back for the Carlton Reserves, as he collected 21 disposals including 13 kicks. His eight marks were a team-high, including a couple of intercepts that helped repel some Tiger attacks.
6 - Jake Aarts (Ric)
5 - Kane Lambert (Ric)
5 - Ivan Soldo (Ric)
4 - Will Hayes (Car)
3 - Rhyan Mansell (Ric)
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 4, 2022.
| CARLTON | 2.0.12 | 6.0.36 | 8.5.53 | 11.6 (72) |
| RICHMOND | 5.1.31 | 12.4.76 | 12.5.77 | 15.7 (97) |
| Venue: | Ikon Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 17th April 2022 (11.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 25 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 2.2, Sam Philp 2.0, Tom De Koning 1.1, Ned Cahill 1.0, Will Hayes 1.0, Cody Hirst 1.0, Brodie Kemp 1.0, Jesse Motlop 1.0, Joel Trudgeon 1.0, Jordan Boyd 0.1, Rushed 0.2. | |||
| Best: | Will Hayes, Lachie Plowman, Xavier Maher, Jack Carroll, Jordan Boyd, Stefan Radovanovic. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
The remarkable day of achievements continued as Richmond ended Carlton’s undefeated start to the season by 25 points at Ikon Park, with both the game’s milestone men in imperious form. Celebrating Jake Aarts’ 100th VFL match, the Tigers defeated Carlton at Ikon Park for the first time in VFA/VFL history and knocked the Blues over for the first time anywhere in nearly 125 years – September 19, 1896, at Richmond City Reserve to be exact. And they did the damage early, kicking five goals to two in the first quarter and seven to four in the second to lead by 40 at the main break as Aarts himself carved up the Blues with 32 disposals, seven clearances, 10 tackles and a goal in a best-on-ground performance as the Tigers recorded their 100th VFA/VFL away victory in their 150th match of the VFL era. While Richmond kicked just one behind in the third quarter, Carlton (2.5) missed the chance to get back into the game as Sydney Stack found his dynamic best with 23 disposals, six marks and three goals, while captain Lachlan Street (27 touches, 10 marks, eight rebounds), Will Martyn (24, eight marks, six rebounds, and Sam Banks (22, nine marks, six rebounds) starred in defence, Kane Lambert (25, six marks, two goals), Rhyan Mansell (25, 11 marks), Riley Collier-Dawkins (25) and Maurice Rioli (21, seven tackles) and Ivan Soldo (41 hitouts, five clearances, two goals) all dominated. Carlton’s own 100th gamer Will Hayes was unstoppable for his team after missing last week with gastro, racking up another 37 disposals, six marks, 10 clearances and a goal in a near one-man show, while Jack Carroll (23, seven clearances), Lachie Plowman (21, eight marks), Tom Williamson (23) and Zavier Maher (20) were also solid.Carlton Reserves fall for the first time
The VFL Blues’ undefeated start to the season came to an end at IKON Park. - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves couldn’t recover from a slow start as Richmond ran away 25-point winners in Round 4. The Blues trailed by 40 points at the major break and despite a gallant effort in the second half, the margin was too great to overcome. Will Hayes starred in his 100th VFL match, collecting 35 disposals, while Jack Carroll and Tom Williamson were both solid contributors on return with 23 touches each.
Quarter one
It was a tough battle for the opening 12 minutes, with neither side managing a score. The Tigers then took advantage of a couple of forward-50 free kicks that helped them build an early lead. Joel Trudgeon found himself in behind Richmond’s defence to kick the Carlton Reserves’ first, but the Tigers used the breeze to their favour and continued to score heavily. Tom De Koning mark and goal after the siren was badly needed and brought the margin back to 19 points at the first change. Jack Carroll had a strong opening term in his first VFL game of the home-and-away season, recording 11 disposals and three clearances.
Quarter two
The Blues had no problem taking their chances in this term, but couldn’t stop the Tigers’ scoring power either. Richmond kicked the opening two goals of the quarter, before consecutive majors within a minute to Sam Philp and Brodie Kemp quickly had Carlton back in touch. However, for the rest of the term, a pair of Ben Crocker goals were the only scores for Carlton interspersed between five Richmond majors as the away side pulled away in the contest.
Quarter three
If the message at half time was to stop the bleeding, the Blues certainly followed it. The Tigers only managed a solitary point for the entire term, as the Blues owned territory and field position. The positive of the first half was that Carlton took its chances, but that wasn’t the case in the third term. The Blues’ 2.5 (17) didn’t reflect their dominance, as the Tigers managed to hold a four-goal lead heading into the final change: Sam Philp with his second major and a Ned Cahill snap were the only goals of the quarter. Will Hayes willed the Blues back into the contest in his 100th VFL game, as he collected 14 disposals in the term.
Quarter four
It was an arm-wrestle for the first 10 minutes as both sides jostled to find the ever-important opening goal of the quarter. Eventually the Tigers broke through, and there was no way back for the Blues despite a late flurry of goals. Will Hayes deservedly found a major to complement his 35-disposal game, while Jesse Motlop and Cody Hirst also kicked late goals. The final margin was a respectable but disappointing 25 points.
Three things we learned:
1. You can’t win them all. Despite the magnificent start to the VFL season that saw the Blues win their opening three matches, Sunday afternoon’s clash was a bit of a reality check. It’s a long season, and Carlton will be looking to bounce back against Werribee next week.
2. Will Hayes and Jack Carroll can find the football at the coalface. The midfield duo battled manfully, racking up 18 clearances between them. Hayes’ 10 clearances were a game-high, as he continues to go from strength-to-strength this season: he is averaging 35 disposals and a goal a game.
3. Lachie Plowman was very important down back for the Carlton Reserves, as he collected 21 disposals including 13 kicks. His eight marks were a team-high, including a couple of intercepts that helped repel some Tiger attacks.
VFLCA Votes
7 - Sydney Stack (Ric)6 - Jake Aarts (Ric)
5 - Kane Lambert (Ric)
5 - Ivan Soldo (Ric)
4 - Will Hayes (Car)
3 - Rhyan Mansell (Ric)
Video
Round 5, 2022.
| CARLTON | 1.2.8 | 4.5.29 | 9.6.60 | 14.9 (93) |
| WERRIBEE | 3.7.25 | 5.9.39 | 8.11.59 | 10.14 (74) |
| Venue: | Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 23rd April 2022 (2.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 19 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 3.2, Ned Cahill 2.0, Jack Carroll 2.0, Joshua Cripps 2.0, Paddy Dow 1.1, Brodie Kemp 1.1, Tom Williamson 1.1, Lochie O'Brien 1.0, Will Hayes 1.0, Lachie Fogarty 0.1, Alex Cincotta 0.1, Stefan Radavanovic 0.1, Rushed 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Jack Carroll, Tom Williamson, Liam Stocker, Alex Cincotta, Will Hayes, Ben Crocker | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Carlton stretched its impressive start to the season to 4-1 after coming from behind to sink Werribee by 19 points at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday. The Blues suffered a convincing loss to Richmond last week but showed it was merely a blip as they overhauled handy Werribee leads three times to win running away. The Tigers flew out of the blocks but wasted their opportunity to put the game away by kicking only 3.9 to 1.2 by the four-minute mark of the second term with three quick goals giving the Blues the lead 10 minutes later. Werribee again kicked clear by three goals during the third quarter and 11 at the 14-minute mark of the last after trailing by a point turning for home but Carlton finished full of running with the last five goals of the game, including two to youngster Josh Cripps. Gun Carlton recruit Will Hayes continued to put his hand up for the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft with another star turn that featured 32 disposals, 10 marks, five tackles and a goal as he vied for best-afield honours with youngster Jack Carroll (27, six marks, eight inside-50s, two goals) and Liam Stocker (27, seven marks, seven rebounds), while Lochie O'Brien (25, seven marks, one goal) and Alex Cincotta (25) also impressed. Tom Gribble was in stunning touch as he did his best to arrest Werribee’s second consecutive slow start to a season, picking up a huge 42 disposals, five marks, six clearances and seven inside-50s and Jack Henderson starred again with 32, five marks, six clearances, seven tackles and two goals, while Kye Declase (28, seven marks, seven inside-50s), Ollie Hanrahans (27, seven marks) and Shaun Mannagh (23, six inside-50s, five rebounds, six tackles, two goals) were also good.Carlton Reserves storm home to overcome Werribee
The VFL Blues have recorded their fourth win of the season. - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves kicked the last five goals of the match to surge to a 19-point victory at Avalon Airport Oval. The Blues trailed by 12 points at one stage in the final quarter but managed to fight back and gain a valuable four points. Jack Carroll put in another stellar performance, collecting 25 disposals and slotting two goals while Tom Williamson was important in a new role at crucial times.
Quarter one
Werribee got off to the fast start, kicking the opening three goals of the contest. The Blues then grinded their way back into the game, halting the Tigers’ momentum and kicking a goal themselves. It was Ned Cahill who pounced on a loose ball inside 50 and used his speed to break away from his opponent and nail the Blues’ first. Will Hayes was doing his best to keep Carlton in the game with eight touches in the opening quarter.
Quarter two
After seeing off a barrage of Werribee attacks early in the term, Carlton started to click into gear. A quickfire two goals from Ben Crocker pulled the Blues within a goal, before Will Hayes took full advantage of a 50-metre penalty to convert a set shot that put the Blues in front. Werribee then responded with the last two majors to give them a 10-point lead at half time, but the game was well and truly in the balance. Liam Stocker had eight touches in the second term were pivotal in repelling some Werribee attacks, while Jack Carroll also lifted to amass 15 disposals in the first half.
Quarter three
Despite the opening goal of the term going to Werribee, Carlton began to turn the tide of the game in this quarter. Crocker’s third of the match and a Jack Carroll goal got the margin back to just six points, before Werribee answered yet again with two majors of its own. The term finished with a flurry of Blues’ goals through Cahill, Tom Williamson and Brodie Kemp to put Carlton in front at the final change. Paddy Dow’s centre-bounce work (seven clearances) in this term was pivotal, while the Blues’ commitment was demonstrated with a mark of pure courage from Lachie Fogarty on the siren.
Quarter four
Keeping with the trend of the game, Werribee started the term strongly and skipped out to a two-goal lead. The Blues would come again, only this time there was no response from the Tigers. Paddy Dow’s snapped goal was the kick-starter Carlton needed: then, it was Josh Cripps’ time to stand up. The big forward snapped two goals late in the game to give his side a buffer that couldn’t be overcome. Jack Carroll and Lochie O'Brien also found themselves on the scoresheet as the Blues ran away with a 19-point win.
Three things we learned:
1. These Blues have a lot of fight in them. This is the fourth time this season that the Carlton Reserves have won the final quarter convincingly, and it has led them to victory. The Blues’ fitness and ability to fight the game out to the final siren is a big advantage over opposition sides.
2. Ben Crocker can’t stop kicking goals. Another three today makes it 14 goals for the season, which currently has him sitting in second in the competition: he has kicked multiple goals in every game this year.
3. Jack Carroll was damaging in the middle. He drove the Carlton Reserves inside 50 a total of eight times, as well as kicking two goals himself. After an impressive return last week, he backed it up with a great performance in Round 5 as the Blues went 4-1.
VFLCA Votes
10 - Jack Carroll (Car)6 - Will Hayes (Car)
4 - Liam Stocker (Car)
3 - Jack Henderson (Wer)
3 - Shaun Mannagh (Wer)
2 - Tom Gribble (Wer)
1 - Nathan Cooper (Wer)
1 - Kye Declase (Wer)
Video
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Blues grab fifth win of the season
The VFL Blues have moved to 5-1 after their victory over the Roos. - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves have continued their great start to the season with a 55-point VFL win over North Melbourne at IKON Park. The Blues kicked 11 goals to three across the second and third quarters to set up the big win. Paddy Dow was the standout performer on the ground, collecting 32 disposals and six clearances, while Tom Williamson was dangerous on the wing kicking three goals.
Quarter one
It was a free-flowing first term of football with both sides able to put some goals on the scoreboard. Will Hayes got the Blues off to a flyer, after roving the pack and slotting through a goal from 35 metres out. The Kangaroos responded with a couple of majors in quick succession, before a long range set shot from David Handley levelled the game back up again. North then book-ended a couple of Carlton goals through Hirst and Tom Williamson with two of their own, as the sides finished with four goals each at the first change. Paddy Dow had a blinder in the opening term, gathering 15 disposals and laying three tackles to set the tone early for the Blues.
Quarter two
Ben Crocker’s snapped goal from the pocket was the perfect start to the second term, and the Blues didn’t look back from there. Carlton piled on five goals in a row, dominating territory and getting repeat entries inside 50. Stefan Radovanovic, Josh Cripps, Ned Cahill and Jordan Boyd all put majors through the big sticks, with the latter’s arguably the pick of the bunch: a great piece of team play allowed the rebounding defender to stroll to 50 metres out and nail the goal. Carlton won the inside 50 count 30-21 in the first half, with Dow recording six of those while Lachie Fogarty had four.
Quarter three
A snap-happy Tom Williamson became the Blues first multiple goalkicker for the day, as his opening goal of the half extended the lead beyond six straight kicks. It was goal for goal for the next period of the game before the Blues fired home the last four majors of the term to give themselves a nine-goal lead at the last change. The highlight of the quarter was a magnificent diving smother, gather and handball from Alex Cincotta which set up a Jesse Motlop snap from the pocket that sailed through. The Blues were taking their chances in this term, slotting six goals straight without a blemish.
Quarter four
It took 10 minutes for the Blues to find their first goal of the last term, with Ned Cahill bagging his second of the game from a difficult angle. The aptly named small forward then completed his hat-trick, with an unbelievable finish coming out of a pack of players. It was just the two majors each for both sides in the final term as the Blues ran out 55-point winners. Will Hayes found a way to reach 30 disposals again, racking up 11 touches in the last quarter.
Three things we learned:
1. It is a team game after all. Carlton had 11 individual goalkickers on its way to a big 55-point win. The tone was set in the first half, when the Blues’ nine goals were all kicked by different players.
2. Tom Williamson is making the wing his own. After kicking his first major of the season last week, Williamson has got an eye for goal now. His three goals all came on the run, and he also gathered 19 disposals in a stellar outing.
3. It was a true four-quarter performance from the Carlton Reserves, as the Blues won every term of the match. The middle two quarters were the most dominant, with the Blues kicking 11.5 (71) to the Roos’ 3.2 (20) across that period of the game.
5 - Will Hayes (Car)
4 - Ned Cahill (Car)
4 - Tom Williamson (Car)
3 - Stefan Radovanovic (Car)
2 - Mat Walker (NM)
1 - Jordan Boyd (Car)
1 - Jesse Motlop (Car)
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 6, 2022.
| CARLTON | 4.3.27 | 9.8.62 | 15.8.98 | 17.12 (114) |
| NORTH MELBOURNE | 4.0.24 | 5.1.31 | 7.2.44 | 9.5 (59) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 30th April 2022 (2.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 55 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Tom Williamson 3.1, Ned Cahill 3.1, Ben Crocker 2.3, Joshua Cripps 2.2, Jordan Boyd 1.0, David Handley 1.0, Will Hayes 1.0, Cody Hirst 1.0, Zavier Maher 1.0, Jesse Motlop 1.0, Stefan Radavanovic 1.0, Alex Cincotta 0.1, Alex Mirkov 0.1, Sam Philp 0.1, Joel Trudgeon 0.1, Rushed 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Paddy Dow, Stefan Radovanovic, Ned Cahill, Jesse Motlop, Jordan Boyd, Tom Williamson. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Carlton shrugged off North Melbourne after quarter-time to win by 55 points at Ikon Park on Saturday to move into second spot on the ladder. The Blues led by just three points at quarter-time, but five goals to one in the second term and six to two in the third put paid to any thoughts the Kangaroos had of pinching an upset in what remarkably was the teams’ first clash at Princes Park at VFA/VFL level. Carlton prime-movers Paddy Dow (32 disposals, seven clearances, seven inside-50s) and Will Hayes (31, five marks, one goal) again did as they pleased, with Will Hayes’ goal from an impossible angle being a real highlight of the game. Ned Cahill and Tom Williamson caused plenty of headaches for the Kangaroos coaching staff with identical numbers of 19 disposals, five marks and three goals each and Stefan Radovanovic (19, eight marks) was outstanding in defence. Marty Hore was a clear standout for North Melbourne, roaming the backline to pick up 24 disposals, seven marks and 11 rebounds to minimise the damage as much as possible, while Mat Walker played his best game since crossing from Hawthorn, taking eight marks and kicking four goals after the late withdrawal of Charlie Comben. Tom Powell had 18 and seven clearances, Will Phillips 18 and five inside-50's and Sam Collins and Patrick Walker 17 and six marks each, but it was a comprehensive display from the Blues.Blues grab fifth win of the season
The VFL Blues have moved to 5-1 after their victory over the Roos. - By Tarquin Oakley.
The Carlton Reserves have continued their great start to the season with a 55-point VFL win over North Melbourne at IKON Park. The Blues kicked 11 goals to three across the second and third quarters to set up the big win. Paddy Dow was the standout performer on the ground, collecting 32 disposals and six clearances, while Tom Williamson was dangerous on the wing kicking three goals.
Quarter one
It was a free-flowing first term of football with both sides able to put some goals on the scoreboard. Will Hayes got the Blues off to a flyer, after roving the pack and slotting through a goal from 35 metres out. The Kangaroos responded with a couple of majors in quick succession, before a long range set shot from David Handley levelled the game back up again. North then book-ended a couple of Carlton goals through Hirst and Tom Williamson with two of their own, as the sides finished with four goals each at the first change. Paddy Dow had a blinder in the opening term, gathering 15 disposals and laying three tackles to set the tone early for the Blues.
Quarter two
Ben Crocker’s snapped goal from the pocket was the perfect start to the second term, and the Blues didn’t look back from there. Carlton piled on five goals in a row, dominating territory and getting repeat entries inside 50. Stefan Radovanovic, Josh Cripps, Ned Cahill and Jordan Boyd all put majors through the big sticks, with the latter’s arguably the pick of the bunch: a great piece of team play allowed the rebounding defender to stroll to 50 metres out and nail the goal. Carlton won the inside 50 count 30-21 in the first half, with Dow recording six of those while Lachie Fogarty had four.
Quarter three
A snap-happy Tom Williamson became the Blues first multiple goalkicker for the day, as his opening goal of the half extended the lead beyond six straight kicks. It was goal for goal for the next period of the game before the Blues fired home the last four majors of the term to give themselves a nine-goal lead at the last change. The highlight of the quarter was a magnificent diving smother, gather and handball from Alex Cincotta which set up a Jesse Motlop snap from the pocket that sailed through. The Blues were taking their chances in this term, slotting six goals straight without a blemish.
Quarter four
It took 10 minutes for the Blues to find their first goal of the last term, with Ned Cahill bagging his second of the game from a difficult angle. The aptly named small forward then completed his hat-trick, with an unbelievable finish coming out of a pack of players. It was just the two majors each for both sides in the final term as the Blues ran out 55-point winners. Will Hayes found a way to reach 30 disposals again, racking up 11 touches in the last quarter.
Three things we learned:
1. It is a team game after all. Carlton had 11 individual goalkickers on its way to a big 55-point win. The tone was set in the first half, when the Blues’ nine goals were all kicked by different players.
2. Tom Williamson is making the wing his own. After kicking his first major of the season last week, Williamson has got an eye for goal now. His three goals all came on the run, and he also gathered 19 disposals in a stellar outing.
3. It was a true four-quarter performance from the Carlton Reserves, as the Blues won every term of the match. The middle two quarters were the most dominant, with the Blues kicking 11.5 (71) to the Roos’ 3.2 (20) across that period of the game.
VFLCA Votes
10 - Paddy Dow (Car)5 - Will Hayes (Car)
4 - Ned Cahill (Car)
4 - Tom Williamson (Car)
3 - Stefan Radovanovic (Car)
2 - Mat Walker (NM)
1 - Jordan Boyd (Car)
1 - Jesse Motlop (Car)
Video
Round 7, 2022.
| CARLTON | 5.3.33 | 6.4.40 | 11.7.73 | 12.7 (79) |
| FRANKSTON | 1.3.9 | 2.7.19 | 3.7.25 | 13.8 (86) |
| Venue: | Skybus Stadium, Frankston | |||
| Date: | Saturday 7th May 2022 (7.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 7 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 3.2, Paddy Dow 2.1, Will Hayes 1.1, Lachie Fogarty 1.0, Joshua Cripps 1.0, Tom North 1.0, Sam Philp 1.0, Matt Shannon 1.0, Cooper Stephens 1.0, Jesse Motlop 0.1, Hugh Hamilton 0.1, Rushed 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Paddy Dow, Lachie Fogarty, Stefan Radovanovic, Caleb Marchbank, Alex Mirkov, Sam Philp. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
It could be dubbed The Miracle On Kars Street. Outclassed, outplayed and out-enthused, Frankston had only three goals on the board and trailed by 48 points at three quarter-time against top-four opponent Carlton in their Smithy’s VFL clash at Skybus Stadium on Saturday night. But then something changed, and it would be too simplistic to say it was the withdrawal of returning Blues defender Caleb Marchbank at the final change after an impressive 20-disposal, five-mark, seven-rebound-50 performance. There was still no sign of things to come when Jeremy Burton goalled at three-minute mark and then missed a couple of minutes later, but Tom Small added another on seven minutes and the floodgates opened with a strong breeze at their backs. Best-on-ground Will Fordham (10), Kai Owens (12), Josh Begley (13 and 16), Connor Riley (19 and 20) and Liam Reidy (22) made it eight goals in 15 minutes and the sixth-biggest last-quarter comeback in VFA/VFL history - and the biggest since Port Melbourne beat Box Hill in Round 13, 2002 - was complete when Taylin Duman kicked a 10th for the quarter to give the Dolphins a 13-point lead at the 28-minute mark. Sam Philp got one back for Carlton but Frankston professionally shut the game down for a win that lifted it back to 3-3 and could kickstart its season. Fordham was a lone hand for the Dolphins for the first three quarters and it was fitting his third goal started that final term avalanche as he finished with 26 disposals, seven clearances, 11 tackles and those three goals to be a clear best-on-ground for the second time in three matches. Skipper Josh Newman (23 disposals, eight marks, five inside-50's, six rebounds) was outstanding at both ends, with Sam Fletcher (22, five clearances, five tackles), Trent Mynott (20, six clearances, six tackles), Riley (19, seven tackles, two goals) and Jackson Voss (19, seven marks, five inside-50s) also continuing their fine seasons. In-form Blue Paddy Dow was the catalyst for his team’s big lead, racking up another 33 touches, 10 clearances, five tackles and two goals, while Lachie Fogarty (27, six clearances, five inside-50s, 12 tackles, one goal) starred alongside him in the middle, Stefan Radovanovic (26, seven marks) was a great offsider for Caleb Marchbank down back, Alex Mirkov had a huge 56 hitouts and seven clearances and Ben Crocker kicked three goals.Marchbank's successful return despite shock Blue defeat.
By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media.
The Carlton Reserves were left to rue a big missed opportunity on Saturday night, coughing up a match-winning lead to fall by seven points against Frankston. Leading by 48 points at the final change in a game dictated by the end which had the breeze, the Dolphins piled on 10 goals to leave the Blues stunned at SkyBus Stadium. In positive news, Caleb Marchbank made a highly impressive return from injury, collecting 20 disposals in three scheduled quarters to be one of his side’s best.
Quarter one
The Blues were kicking with a hefty breeze at Skybus Stadum, and they made the most of it. The ball got rolling - literally - with Lachie Fogarty’s opener, whose inside 50 from just forward of the centre circle bounced all the way through for a goal. It was the first of five the Blues would kick for the quarter, with Paddy Dow also converting from long range. It wasn’t all simple for the Blues, as the home side converted into the breeze as tempers began to flare. It looked as though the Carlton Reserves would take a slender lead into the first change, but late goals from VFL-listed leaders Will Hayes and Ben Crocker was exactly what the Navy Blue doctor ordered.
Quarter two
The Blues knew the assignment in the second term was going to be tough, but Paddy Dow’s second in the opening stages - where he snapped truly after taking advantage from a downfield free kick - was the perfect start. As the Blues’ defensive 50 started to see more of the Sherrin, the second term presented the chance for Carlton fans to see exactly what they had been missing for a long time in the form of Caleb Marchbank. The key defender intercepted at will and repelled a number of Frankston forward entries, finishing the half with 16 disposals: the equal-most on the ground alongside Will Setterfield. A number of chances went begging from a Dolphins perspective, as the Blues took a 21-point lead into the main break.
Quarter three
Cooper Stephens started the third term in the same manner as the others: with a Carlton player kicking a classy goal to get things going. It was an opener indicative of the quality of the Blues’ goals to come that term, with a pair of classy majors from Ben Crocker and a Tom North banana from deep in the pocket adding to it. With Will Setterfield coming from the ground at half time as planned, Paddy Dow and Lachie Fogarty continued their strong form in the middle. They were well-supported by Alex Mirkov, who added to his strong of improving form with seven clearances to three-quarter time: more than anyone else on the ground.
Quarter four
Disappointingly from a Carlton perspective, the final term was where three quarters of good work was undone. Kicking with the breeze, Frankston got wind in its sail when it kicked three goals in the opening 10 minutes of the term, and didn’t look back from there. Ultimately, the home side kicked 10 consecutive goals, as the Blues struggled to get their hands on the footy out of the middle of the ground, while ill-discipline cost them at various stages. Sam Philp dribbled a goal to give the Blues some hope, but it was very much a case of a lost opportunity once the final siren blared out around SkyBus Stadium and the Blues were left wondering how they’d let it slip.
Three things we learned
1. Welcome back, Caleb Marchbank. It was an outstanding return to action for the defender, who - in his first game for over a year - amassed 20 disposals in three quarters of game time. The second quarter in particular was where the returning Caleb Marchbank proved his wares, amassing 10 disposals for the term and holding up well amid a Frankston barrage of inside 50's. His presence was missed in the final term.
2. The midfield duo of Paddy Dow and Lachie Fogarty were important in their team’s good work on Saturday night. In conditions which suited the latter in particular, the AFL-listed duo were central in the Blues. Dow’s stat line continued to blossom with 33 disposals, 10 clearances and two goals, while Lachie Fogarty added a game-high 12 tackles to 27 disposals and the opening goal of the game.
3. Round 7 will go down as a case of ‘what might have been’ for the Blues. The Blues dominated three quarters, making the most of their time with their breeze while also stopping the Dolphins in their tracks in the second term. However, the final term was a wake-up call for the Blues, who couldn’t arrest the momentum from Frankston on the way to the hosts kicking 10 straight goals to resign the Blues to a second defeat of the campaign.
VFLCA Votes
9 - Paddy Dow (Car)9 - Will Fordham (Fra)
5 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)
3 - Liam Reidy (Fra)
2 - Sam Fletcher (Fra)
1 - Alex Mirkov (Car)
1 - Stefan Radovanovic (Car)
Video
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The Carlton Reserves couldn’t capitalise on a blistering start at IKON Park, falling by four points to Sandringham. Despite kicking the first four goals in the opening 17 minutes, the Blues only managed five more for the rest of the match which ultimately wasn’t enough. Paddy Dow was the Blues’ best, racking up 30 disposals and eight clearances while Jordan Boyd was very impressive off the half back line with 24 touches and five inside 50's.
Quarter one
Carlton got off to the perfect start, with the long-sleeved Boyd sending home a long-range goal for the Blues’ first. Sam Philp followed that up with a major of his own, before Dow put on a show for the IKON Park crowd. He nailed one of his two goals for the term off a couple of steps from just inside 50, the other a snap out of congestion that sailed just inside the left goal post. Sandringham kicked a much-needed goal just before the siren and the Blues took a three-goal lead into the first change. Jordan Boyd and Paddy Dow picked up 11 touches each as well as getting on the scoresheet, while Tom Williamson - playing on the wing - had 10 handballs in the opening stanza.
Quarter two
It was the Zebras who started the better in the second term, kicking two quick goals to get themselves back within a kick. The Blues however found a way to snag a major when they needed to, answering Sandringham’s fast start with a David Handley snap set up by another Tom Williamson handpass. The quarter finished goal-for-goal as Ben Crocker’s 20th of the season was enough to keep the Blues in front at the half despite Sandringham charging back into the contest. Caleb Marchbank was vital in defence, taking the equal-most marks on the ground with seven along with 13 disposals in the opening half.
Quarter three
Tom Williamson’s lovely left-foot major on the run gave the Blues a handy two-goal break early in the quarter. It was Sandringham who then continued to fight its way back, kicking consecutive goals to take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. The Carlton Reserves managed to stifle the Zebras’ momentum but couldn’t score themselves, as both sides wasted chances in a tight third term. With just two points the difference it was anyone’s game at the final change. Caleb Marchbank came from the field early in the quarter with a sore knee, the opposite to the one he injured last year, and was rested for the remainder of the game.
Quarter four
It wasn’t the start to the final term the Blues wanted, with Sandringham its third and fourth goals in a row to get the margin out to 16 points. The Carlton Reserves then rallied to make sure this one went down to the wire. Joel Trudgeon and Ned Cahill both kicked majors from holding-the-ball free kicks to get the Blues within a goal. The Blues were willing despite ending the game with just one player on the bench, as Alex Mirkov (ankle) and Matt Shannon (hamstring) came from the ground while Josh Honey completed his allocated minutes on return. The effort continued to the final siren, but it wasn’t enough in the end as Sandringham pinched a four-point win.
Three things we learned:
1. The long sleeves may be here to stay for Jordan Boyd, after he put in a great performance at IKON Park. Of his 24 disposals, 18 were kicks: he made sure when he got the ball, he had maximum impact.
2. The Blues fought the game out to the end, none more so than Zavier Maher. Although he didn’t get a lot of the football, Maher - who featured for the Young Guns a fortnight ago - laid 10 tackles which was a game-high.
3. You’ve got to play four quarters. Last time out it was a dominant final term from Frankston that stole the match from the Blues, but in Round 9, the Carlton Reserves couldn’t maintain the rage for the full game after a great opening quarter.
8 - Paddy Dow (Car)
4 - Tom Highmore (San)
3 - Jordan Boyd (Car)
3 - Mitch Owens (San)
2 - Jarrod Lienert (San)
1 - Jarryn Geary (San)
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 8, 2022.
Bye
Round 9, 2022.
| CARLTON | 4.3.27 | 6.6.42 | 7.9.51 | 9.11 (65) |
| SANDRINGHAM | 1.2.8 | 5.7.37 | 7.11.53 | 9.15 (69) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 22nd May 2022 (12.00 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 4 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Paddy Dow 2.1, Jordan Boyd 1.1, Sam Philp 1.1, Ned Cahill 1.1, Ben Crocker 1.0, David Hanley 1.0, Joel Trudgeon 1.0, Tom Williamson 1.0, Jesse Glass-McCasker 0.2, Josh Honey 0.2, Joshua Cripps 0.1, Harvey Gallagher 0.1, Rushed 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Paddy Dow, Jordan Boyd, Tom Williamson, Lachie Fogarty, Alex Cincotta, Joel Trudgeon. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Sandringham continued its impressive start to the year, moving to within percentage of the top four with a thrilling four-point win over Carlton at Ikon Park on Sunday. The Blues entered the clash in fourth spot and looked like continuing on their merry way when they banged on four unanswered goals in the opening 16 minutes – including two to Paddy Dow – before the Zebras gradually started to turn things around. The visitors kicked four goals to two in the second term to get within five points at half-time and took the lead 12 minutes into the third through Mitch Owens’ second goal before ekeing out a 16-point gap early in the last and holding on with a dogged defensive effort. Hunter Clark again impressed in his second game back with 31 touches and seven clearances, while Ryan Byrnes produced a terrific 30 possessions, eight marks and five tackles after flying back in from Adelaide, where he had served as St Kilda’s medi-sub on Saturday night. Jack Bytel (26, five clearances, eight tackles), Owens (24, two goals) and ruckman Tom Campbell (17, six marks, 32 hitouts) and Max Heath (three goals) were others to shine for Sandringham, but it was the back six led by a marvellous 17-mark 26-disposal display Tom Highmore and supported by Jarrod Lienert (24, seven marks, five inside-50s, five rebounds), Jarryn Geary (21, six marks) and Darragh Joyce (18, nine marks) conceding just five goals in 3½ quarters that was the catalyst for the win. Paddy Dow was again Carlton’s most prolific performer with 31 disposals, eight clearances and those two early goals, with Tom Williamson (26, five marks, one goal), Jordan Boyd (24, five inside-50s, six rebounds, one goal), Lachie Fogarty (23, six clearances, seven inside-50s), Alex Cincotta (23, five inside-50s, six rebounds), Will Setterfield (21, five marks, five tackles) and Joel Trudgeon (19, six clearances, seven tackles, one goal) also impressing. Brodie Kemp and Stefan Radovanovic lifted to finish with 13 marks between them down back after Caleb Marchbank (16, seven marks) was forced off at half-time with a fresh injury to his good knee.Blues go down in a thriller
The VFL Blues fell to Sandringham by four points at IKON Park - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves couldn’t capitalise on a blistering start at IKON Park, falling by four points to Sandringham. Despite kicking the first four goals in the opening 17 minutes, the Blues only managed five more for the rest of the match which ultimately wasn’t enough. Paddy Dow was the Blues’ best, racking up 30 disposals and eight clearances while Jordan Boyd was very impressive off the half back line with 24 touches and five inside 50's.
Quarter one
Carlton got off to the perfect start, with the long-sleeved Boyd sending home a long-range goal for the Blues’ first. Sam Philp followed that up with a major of his own, before Dow put on a show for the IKON Park crowd. He nailed one of his two goals for the term off a couple of steps from just inside 50, the other a snap out of congestion that sailed just inside the left goal post. Sandringham kicked a much-needed goal just before the siren and the Blues took a three-goal lead into the first change. Jordan Boyd and Paddy Dow picked up 11 touches each as well as getting on the scoresheet, while Tom Williamson - playing on the wing - had 10 handballs in the opening stanza.
Quarter two
It was the Zebras who started the better in the second term, kicking two quick goals to get themselves back within a kick. The Blues however found a way to snag a major when they needed to, answering Sandringham’s fast start with a David Handley snap set up by another Tom Williamson handpass. The quarter finished goal-for-goal as Ben Crocker’s 20th of the season was enough to keep the Blues in front at the half despite Sandringham charging back into the contest. Caleb Marchbank was vital in defence, taking the equal-most marks on the ground with seven along with 13 disposals in the opening half.
Quarter three
Tom Williamson’s lovely left-foot major on the run gave the Blues a handy two-goal break early in the quarter. It was Sandringham who then continued to fight its way back, kicking consecutive goals to take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. The Carlton Reserves managed to stifle the Zebras’ momentum but couldn’t score themselves, as both sides wasted chances in a tight third term. With just two points the difference it was anyone’s game at the final change. Caleb Marchbank came from the field early in the quarter with a sore knee, the opposite to the one he injured last year, and was rested for the remainder of the game.
Quarter four
It wasn’t the start to the final term the Blues wanted, with Sandringham its third and fourth goals in a row to get the margin out to 16 points. The Carlton Reserves then rallied to make sure this one went down to the wire. Joel Trudgeon and Ned Cahill both kicked majors from holding-the-ball free kicks to get the Blues within a goal. The Blues were willing despite ending the game with just one player on the bench, as Alex Mirkov (ankle) and Matt Shannon (hamstring) came from the ground while Josh Honey completed his allocated minutes on return. The effort continued to the final siren, but it wasn’t enough in the end as Sandringham pinched a four-point win.
Three things we learned:
1. The long sleeves may be here to stay for Jordan Boyd, after he put in a great performance at IKON Park. Of his 24 disposals, 18 were kicks: he made sure when he got the ball, he had maximum impact.
2. The Blues fought the game out to the end, none more so than Zavier Maher. Although he didn’t get a lot of the football, Maher - who featured for the Young Guns a fortnight ago - laid 10 tackles which was a game-high.
3. You’ve got to play four quarters. Last time out it was a dominant final term from Frankston that stole the match from the Blues, but in Round 9, the Carlton Reserves couldn’t maintain the rage for the full game after a great opening quarter.
VFLCA Votes
9 - Ryan Byrnes (San)8 - Paddy Dow (Car)
4 - Tom Highmore (San)
3 - Jordan Boyd (Car)
3 - Mitch Owens (San)
2 - Jarrod Lienert (San)
1 - Jarryn Geary (San)
Video
Round 10, 2022.
| CARLTON | 3.2.20 | 5.8.38 | 7.10.52 | 13.15 (93) |
| NORTHERN BULLANTS | 5.0.30 | 8.1.49 | 11.4.70 | 13.6 (84) |
| Venue: | Genis Steel Oval, Preston. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 29th May 2022 (1.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 9 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 3.4, Sam Philp 3.0, Joshua Cripps 2.0, Ned Cahill 1.3, Tom Williamson 1.2, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.1, Dom Akuei 1.0, Zavier Maher 1.0, Archie Stevens 0.2, Zane Barzen 0.1, Patrick Dozzi 0.1, Joel Trudgeon 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Sam Philp, Tom Williamson, Will Setterfield, Alex Cincotta, Jack Martin, Stefan Radovanovic. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Carlton broke a two-match losing run and the hearts of former spouse Northern Bullants when it came from 25 points down early in the last term to steal a nine-point win at Genis Steel Oval on Sunday. The Blues were staring down the barrel of a second-straight loss to the Bullants since ending their alignment when Matthew King kicked the first goal of the last quarter, but they kicked the next four goals – including two to Sam Philp – to take the lead, and although Ben Hurley wrenched it back for the home team, Carlton answered immediately through an unlikely source in full-back Dom Akuei before Ben Crocker sealed the points. Joel Trudgeon is quietly putting together an excellent season for Carlton and was again terrific with 27 possessions, eight clearances and eight tackles, with Will Setterfield (26, eight clearances, seven tackles), Tom Williamson (25, six marks, six tackles, one goal), Stefan Radovanovic (22, six marks), Crocker (21, seven marks, 3.4), Philp (21, three goals) and Alex Cincotta (21, six rebounds) not far behind. Captain Tom Wilson (29, seven marks, one goal) and Will Mitchell (28, 11 clearances) were again the home team’s one-two punch, although King (22, eight marks, two goals), Tim Jones (23, five marks) and Doug Lawrence (20, eight marks 11 rebounds) were also wonderful contributors and Jack Boyd kicked four goals in a stellar contribution three days out from the mid-season draft. Experienced duo Will Setterfield (23 touches, eight tackles) and Tom Williamson (22 possessions, one goal, six tackles) were important for the Blues in their nine-point, come-from-behind win against the Bullants at Preston City Oval. Jack Martin returned from a calf injury with 16 possessions, while Brodie Kemp won the ball 17 times. Sam Philp was also one of the Blues’ best, with the 20-year-old finishing with 18 disposals and three goals. The Blues are 6-3 and entrenched in the top eight.Blues charge home to grab win over Bullants
The VFL Blues recorded a come-from-behind victory in Preston. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves got themselves back on the winners' list at Preston City Oval, claiming a nine-point win over the Northern Bullants in Round 10 of the VFL. Despite trailing by 25 points early in the final quarter, the Blues rallied to pile on six goals to one for the remainder of the match to claim victory. Ben Crocker and Sam Philp were both a constant threat up forward slotting three goals each, while Will Setterfield impressed through the midfield with 23 disposals as well as eight clearances.
Quarter one:
It was a see-sawing opening quarter of the contest, with both sides trading blows in a free-flowing affair. The Blues got the first of the afternoon through a Zavier Maher set shot, before the Bullants responded with two quick goals. Ben Crocker’s 21st major of the season levelled the scores, but the Blues could only manage one more goal to the Bullants’ three for the remainder of the term: that came from a crafty Jesse Glass-McCasker snap that dribbled through the big sticks. Will Setterfield made a productive start with eight touches to the first break, while Ben Crocker added six disposals to his opening-quarter goal.
Quarter two:
The Bullants kicked the opener before Josh Cripps jagged his first of the day. The Blues then wasted plenty of opportunities, kicking six behinds to the Bullants’ one goal straight right up until the dying stages of the half. Ben Crocker was able to convert his second goal of the game after the siren to bring the Blues back within 11 points at the major break. Jack Martin was one of the Blues’ best to this point of the game, with some desperate efforts to smother and apply pressure a real positive of his performance.
Quarter three:
Sam Philp got the Blues going with a tidy finish to bring the margin back under a kick. After the Bullants responded, Cripps managed to gather a loose ball in the goal square to kick his second and keep the Blues in touch. However, the last two goals of the term both went to the Bullants and the Blues were left with plenty of work to do in the final quarter. Joel Trudgeon was proving to be a vital cog in the Carlton midfield, recording seven touches for the quarter in a game where he finished with eight clearances.
Quarter four:
As Anakin Skywalker would say, this is where the fun begins. After the Bullants got out to a game-high lead of 25 points, the Blues flicked the switch. It started with Tom Williamson who snapped truly to bring the margin back to 19, then Sam Philp kept the momentum going with his second. A few behinds later, the margin sat at 11 and when Ned Cahill dobbed his set shot the Blues were within a kick. Sam Philp then kept his composure to slot his third and put the Blues in front, before the fun was halted momentarily as the Bullants responded to take back the lead. Enter Dom Akuei. The defender turned match-winning forward floated across the pack to take a contested mark and held his nerve to put the Blues back in front. Crocker’s third major late in the match sealed the win.
Three things we learned:
1. Ben Crocker is one of the most dangerous forwards in the VFL competition. He could have had six or seven goals on Sunday, but he ended up with 3.4 to make it 23 majors for the season. His 23 disposals were a season-high for him as well.
2. Tom Williamson was as reliable as ever across the wing, collecting 22 disposals as well as laying six tackles. He was also sent to defence throughout the game to play as a loose man, picking up some important touches to counter the Bullants’ attacks.
3. Third time’s the charm. The Blues had lost two close games consecutively in their previous two matches but managed to stand up when it mattered in Round 10. After seven and four-point losses to Frankston and Sandringham respectively, made the nine-point win over the Bullants that little bit sweeter.
Highlights
Debutants: Patrick Dozzi and Heath Ramshaw.100 VFL Goals: Ben Crocker (Carlton/Collingwood) 100 VFL goals/59 matches
First Goal: Dom Akuei
Interesting Fact
1. Carlton defeated Northern Bullants at Preston City Oval for the first time (1-1)2. 13.15 93 was Carlton's highest score v Northern Bullants at Preston City Oval (10.8 68, 2021)
VFLCA Votes
8 - Ben Crocker (Car)5 - Alex Cincotta (Car)
4 - Will Mitchell (NB)
4 - Tom Williamson (Car)
3 - Tom Wilson (NB)
2 - Will Setterfield (Car)
2 - Jean-Luc Velissaris (NB)
1 - Jordan Boyd (Car)
1 - Sam Philp (Car)
Video
https://www.afl.com.au/video/772225/vfl-match-replay-r10-northern-bullants-v-carlton?videoId=772225&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1653793500001Round 11, 2022.
Bye
Round 12, 2022.
| CARLTON | 5.3.33 | 6.5.41 | 10.10.70 | 10.11 (71) |
| ESSENDON | 2.1.13 | 5.6.36 | 9.7.61 | 12.8 (80) |
| Venue: | Windy Hill, Essendon. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 11th June 2022 (1.45 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 9 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ned Cahill 2.1, Brodie Kemp 2.0, Paddy Dow 1.2, Ben Crocker 1.1, Zavier Maher 1.1, Sam Philp 1.0, Will Setterfield 1.0, Harvey Gallagher 1.0, Lachie Fogarty 0.2, Jack Carroll 0.1, Josh Honey 0.1, Rushed 0.2. | |||
| Best: | Alex Cincotta, Stefan Radovanovic, Will Setterfield, Paddy Dow, Liam Stocker, Zavier Maher. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Will Setterfield was outstanding for Carlton in its shock nine-point loss to lowly Essendon. Will Setterfield did his chances of a recall to the senior side no harm, dominating with 34 disposals, five tackles and a goal. Brodie Kemp led the way in front of goal with two majors, while mid-season recruit Will Hayes has jumped straight back into the big time with an impressive 23-disposal performance. Paddy Dow, one of four Blues omitted from the senior team this week, stood tall with 27 disposals and a goal. The Blues led almost all game, but the Bombers stormed home in junk time to seal victory.Blues pipped late by Bombers
The VFL Blues fell to a late defeat against Essendon. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves succumbed to a nine-point defeat at Windy Hill in Round 12 VFL action. Leading for the majority of the contest, the Blues fell behind for the first time late in the last quarter, and couldn’t wrestle back the lead kicking into the breeze. VFL-listed Alex Cincotta was Carlton’s best, while Will Setterfield and Paddy Dow were prolific with 34 and 27 disposals respectively.
Quarter one
The Blues were fast starters with Ben Crocker picking up where he left off before the bye, slotting his 24th goal for the year from a tight angle. Harvey Gallagher put through the Blues’ second of the day – and the first of his VFL career - after a high tackle in front of goal to extend the margin to 13 points. Essendon then charged back into the contest with two goals of its own, before Ned Cahill took matters into his own hands against his old side: his first goal came from a quick snap after a crumb off hands followed by a long-range finish from outside 50 that skidded home. Brodie Kemp ended the term with a set-shot goal to give the Blues a 20-point lead at the first change. Paddy Dow and Jack Carroll were busy in the opening quarter, picking up 10 disposals each.
Quarter two
It was the Bombers who owned the second term with the breeze at their backs, but the Blues’ back six managed to stem the tide for majority of the quarter. Essendon kicked the first of the term before a goal-saving tackle from Sam Durdin, in his first game as a Blue, kept the Bombers at bay. Essendon did manage to get within a goal, but a Jesse Motlop spin out of an oncoming tackler allowed him to set up Sam Philp with a handball and he steadied the Navy Blue ship. The Bombers managed to close the gap again to five points just before half time. Alex Cincotta had a big quarter with 11 touches to make it 20 for the opening half.
Quarter three
The third term was more free flowing than the first half, with both sides trading blows to kick four goals each. The first of those for the Blues came from a Will Setterfield snap from just inside 50 that sailed through. A pair of Bombers’ majors were answered by a pair of Blues’ goals through Paddy Dow and Brodie Kemp, who was swung forward at different times throughout the afternoon. Despite Carlton having the breeze, Essendon just wouldn’t go away on its home deck, finishing stronger in the dying stages of the quarter to stay within single digits. Will Setterfield was a standout performer for the Blues in this term, with seven disposals to add to his classy goal early in the quarter.
Quarter four
The Blues attempted to shut the gate on the Bombers, who continued to surge with a home crowd and the wind behind them. Unable to make the most of some half chances in attack in the early going, Carlton - led by VFL-listed defender Stefan Radovanovic - battled manfully and held onto the lead in the first half of the term. However, once the Bombers got the lead from a counter-attacking goal, the Blues were unable to wrestle back momentum nor the lead, finishing nine points in arrears come the final siren.
Three things we learned:
1. The Blues can’t help but find themselves in nail-biting finishes at the moment. It was the fourth match in a row the game has been decided by a single-digit margin: unfortunately for the Blues, they’ve gone down in three of those.
2. After getting drafted to the senior side last week, Will Hayes was eager to perform at Windy Hill. He brought great intent right from the get-go and finished with nine tackles and 23 disposals, locking down a role on the wing for the majority of the afternoon.
3. Will Hayes’ fellow mid-season draftee was just as busy. In his first game for his new side following a whirlwind few weeks, Sam Durdin had plenty asked of him in an end-to-end game which saw both sides record over 50 inside 50's apiece. He finished the day with 14 disposals, six marks and three rebound 50s.
VFLCA Votes
9 - James Stewart (Ess)6 - Alex Cincotta (Car)
6 - Paddy Dow (Car)
5 - Massimo D’Ambrosio (Ess)
2 - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Ess)
1 - Nick Bryan (Ess)
1 - Will Setterfield (Car)
Video
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The Carlton Reserves overcame a slow start to claim a 19-point win over Footscray in Round 13 of the VFL. Despite conceding the opening three goals of the game, the Blues managed to turn the tide of the match and record a hard-fought victory. Lachie Fogarty was prolific in midfield, amassing 32 disposals and nine clearances, while Josh Honey was a livewire up forward slotting four goals. The Blues also recording the victory a player short on the bench after Dom Akuei was ruled out in the opening term due to concussion.
Quarter one
The Bulldogs made all the early running, recording eight of the opening nine inside 50's of the game for a return of three goals to nil. Ben Crocker opened the Blues’ account for the second week running with a set shot from directly in front. It was the fire-starter the Carlton Reserves needed as they surged in front with four consecutive goals: Josh Honey got the Blues’ second set up by a huge Josh Cripps’ contested mark on the wing, then a Jesse Glass-McCasker snap followed by Crocker’s second was enough to give the Blues the lead. Footscray edged back in front after the siren of what was an entertaining opening stanza. Will Setterfield made a fast start under the IKON Park lights, collecting eight disposals and laying three tackles.
Quarter two
The Blues took control of the game in the second term, although they would’ve liked some more reward on the scoreboard. Jesse Glass-McCasker put the Blues in front with his second goal in the opening stages, before the Bulldogs hit back and took the lead nearing the major break. A swift counterattack allowed Josh Honey to get over the back and he made sure Carlton would go into half time with the lead. After losing the inside 50 and clearance count by eight in the first term, the Blues found themselves with one more inside 50 than the Bulldogs at half time and just one behind in the clearance count. That was largely thanks to Lachie Fogarty, who amassed six clearances and 14 disposals in the second quarter alone.
Quarter three
Josh Honey picked up where he left off in the first half: his third goal from a set shot straight in front gave the Blues a handy 14-point lead. The game then hung in the balance for majority of the quarter, before a hugely significant one-on-one win from Brodie Kemp against Footscray’s Josh Bruce repelled a Bulldogs attack and led to a Will Setterfield goal in time on. Crocker then notched his third of the night to make it a three-goal-to-zero term for the Carlton Reserves. Alex Cincotta was impressive off half back in the third quarter, picking up 10 disposals and taking three marks.
Quarter four
The Blues did the damage early in this quarter to put the result beyond doubt. Josh Honey bobbed up again to dribble home his fourth goal of the evening from a forward-50 stoppage in the pocket. Against a familiar opposition, Will Hayes gave the Carlton Reserves a game-high 37-point lead and the Blues couldn’t be headed. A few late goals to the Dogs ended what was a productive night’s work for the Blues.
Three things we learned:
1. Josh Honey was the protagonist of the evening, kicking four goals and taking six marks for the game. He kicked a goal in each of the four quarters, proving to be a consistent contributor across the night in his best performance since his return from injury.
2. Will Setterfield stuffed the stats sheet: he gathered 34 disposals, laid eight tackles, amassed eight inside 50's and took seven marks. You can add a goal to those numbers as well, making it two strong VFL performances in a row for the No.43.
3. The Blues brought the heat in this one. Despite having 38 more disposals than the Bulldogs, the Blues also laid 17 more tackles: Joel Trudgeon led the way with 10 of the Carlton’s 66 tackles on the night.
7 - Ben Crocker (Car)
5 - Will Setterfield (Car)
4 - Riley Garcia (Foot)
4 - Josh Honey (Car)
1 - Hayden Crozier (Foot)
1 - Paddy Dow (Car)
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 13, 2022.
| CARLTON | 4.1.25 | 6.5.41 | 9.8.62 | 11.9 (75) |
| FOOTSCRAY | 4.4.28 | 5.4.34 | 5.7.37 | 8.8 (56) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Friday 17th June 2022 (7.35 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 19 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Josh Honey 4.1, Ben Crocker 3.2, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.2, Will Hayes 1.0, Alex Mirkov 1.0, Will Setterfield 1.0, Paddy Dow 0.1, Joshua Cripps 0.1, Tyreece Leiu 0.1, Joel Trudgeon 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Will Setterfield, Lachie Fogarty, Ben Crocker, Will Hayes, Josh Honey, Paddy Dow. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Lachie Fogarty pressed his case for a senior recall with 31 disposals and nine clearances and Josh Honey put up his hand if Jack Martin is unavailable with four goals in the Blues' 19-point win over Footscray on Friday night. Lachie Fogarty had 16 kicks and 15 handballs including seven clearances along with seven marks and five tackles, while big-bodied midfielder Will Setterfield gathered a game-high 35 touches with eight tackles. Josh Honey was lively up forward, slotting four majors and taking six marks for 13 disposals. Brodie Kemp was solid against Josh Bruce with 14 touches and four marks and may come into contention to replace the injured Sam Durdin as a key defender. Paddy Dow had 29 touches with a game-high eight clearances and Jack Carroll was busy too, with 29 disposals with eight marks and six clearances. Mid-season draftee Will Hayes (29 disposals) was among the Blues' best, while Liam Stocker (26 disposals) and Sam Philp (22 disposals) contributed well. Dom Akuei was concussed early, while Jesse Motlop was quiet with only five touches, three tackles and no goals for the game. Young ruckman Alex Mirkov had 26 hit-outs with six disposals.Blues down Dogs under lights
The VFL Blues get back on the winners’ list at IKON Park. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves overcame a slow start to claim a 19-point win over Footscray in Round 13 of the VFL. Despite conceding the opening three goals of the game, the Blues managed to turn the tide of the match and record a hard-fought victory. Lachie Fogarty was prolific in midfield, amassing 32 disposals and nine clearances, while Josh Honey was a livewire up forward slotting four goals. The Blues also recording the victory a player short on the bench after Dom Akuei was ruled out in the opening term due to concussion.
Quarter one
The Bulldogs made all the early running, recording eight of the opening nine inside 50's of the game for a return of three goals to nil. Ben Crocker opened the Blues’ account for the second week running with a set shot from directly in front. It was the fire-starter the Carlton Reserves needed as they surged in front with four consecutive goals: Josh Honey got the Blues’ second set up by a huge Josh Cripps’ contested mark on the wing, then a Jesse Glass-McCasker snap followed by Crocker’s second was enough to give the Blues the lead. Footscray edged back in front after the siren of what was an entertaining opening stanza. Will Setterfield made a fast start under the IKON Park lights, collecting eight disposals and laying three tackles.
Quarter two
The Blues took control of the game in the second term, although they would’ve liked some more reward on the scoreboard. Jesse Glass-McCasker put the Blues in front with his second goal in the opening stages, before the Bulldogs hit back and took the lead nearing the major break. A swift counterattack allowed Josh Honey to get over the back and he made sure Carlton would go into half time with the lead. After losing the inside 50 and clearance count by eight in the first term, the Blues found themselves with one more inside 50 than the Bulldogs at half time and just one behind in the clearance count. That was largely thanks to Lachie Fogarty, who amassed six clearances and 14 disposals in the second quarter alone.
Quarter three
Josh Honey picked up where he left off in the first half: his third goal from a set shot straight in front gave the Blues a handy 14-point lead. The game then hung in the balance for majority of the quarter, before a hugely significant one-on-one win from Brodie Kemp against Footscray’s Josh Bruce repelled a Bulldogs attack and led to a Will Setterfield goal in time on. Crocker then notched his third of the night to make it a three-goal-to-zero term for the Carlton Reserves. Alex Cincotta was impressive off half back in the third quarter, picking up 10 disposals and taking three marks.
Quarter four
The Blues did the damage early in this quarter to put the result beyond doubt. Josh Honey bobbed up again to dribble home his fourth goal of the evening from a forward-50 stoppage in the pocket. Against a familiar opposition, Will Hayes gave the Carlton Reserves a game-high 37-point lead and the Blues couldn’t be headed. A few late goals to the Dogs ended what was a productive night’s work for the Blues.
Three things we learned:
1. Josh Honey was the protagonist of the evening, kicking four goals and taking six marks for the game. He kicked a goal in each of the four quarters, proving to be a consistent contributor across the night in his best performance since his return from injury.
2. Will Setterfield stuffed the stats sheet: he gathered 34 disposals, laid eight tackles, amassed eight inside 50's and took seven marks. You can add a goal to those numbers as well, making it two strong VFL performances in a row for the No.43.
3. The Blues brought the heat in this one. Despite having 38 more disposals than the Bulldogs, the Blues also laid 17 more tackles: Joel Trudgeon led the way with 10 of the Carlton’s 66 tackles on the night.
VFLCA Votes
8 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)7 - Ben Crocker (Car)
5 - Will Setterfield (Car)
4 - Riley Garcia (Foot)
4 - Josh Honey (Car)
1 - Hayden Crozier (Foot)
1 - Paddy Dow (Car)
Video
Round 14, 2022.
| CARLTON | 4.2.26 | 5.4.34 | 6.10.46 | 7.13 (55) |
| COBURG | 1.3.9 | 3.7.25 | 4.9.33 | 7.9 (51) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 25th June 2022 (5.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 4 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 2.4, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.2, Ned Cahill 1.1, Oliver Sanders 1.1, Paddy Dow 1.0, Will Hayes 1.0, Joshua Cripps 0.2, Zane Barzen 0.1, Jack Carroll 0.1, Joel Trudgeon 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Paddy Dow, Liam Stocker, Ben Crocker, Alex Mirkov, Jesse Glass-McCasker, Joel Trudgeon. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Carlton survived a late surge from Coburg to register a four-point victory at home. Coburg booted the opening goal of the game, but from there the Blues were in control and to lead for the remainder of the match. Midfielder Paddy Dow was prolific, dominating across the ground and finishing with 34 disposals and one goal. Liam Stocker (28 disposals) continued his strong VFL form with another impressive showing, while mid-season recruit Will Hayes kicked a goal and had 25 touches.Blues get back-to-back wins in a thriller
The VFL Blues overcame a resurgent Coburg Lions outfit at IKON Park. - By Tarquin OakleyThe Carlton Reserves have moved back into the top four after a four-point win in Round 14 of the VFL. The Blues survived a barrage of late Coburg attacks and managed to hold on to record their eighth win of the campaign. Paddy Dow was herculean in midfield collecting 34 disposals and slotting a vital goal while Liam Stocker was crucial down back with 28 touches and 10 marks.
Quarter one
The Lions nailed the opening goal of the game but it wasn’t long before the Blues responded, and in style. Carlton recorded the next 11 inside 50s of the match and were rewarded on the scoreboard: goals to Jesse Glass-McCasker, debutant Oliver Sanders and Ned Cahill in quick succession gave the Blues a handy advantage. The game then turned into an arm wrestle for the remainder of the quarter, with both sides missing opportunities: that was until Ben Crocker struck for the Blues after the siren to extend the margin to 17 points at the first change. Liam Stocker was a brick wall behind the footy for the Blues in the opening term, collecting 10 disposals and taking five marks down back.
Quarter two
Coburg kicked the first goal of the quarter again, only this time there wasn’t an immediate response from Carlton. The Lions then brought the margin back to three points and with all the momentum were seemingly set to take the lead. However, the Blues found a steadying major just when they needed to: Zavier Maher went on a bursting run and found Will Hayes over the back of the Coburg defence who kicked the easiest of goals from 15 metres out. Despite the quarter not going the Blues’ way on the scoreboard, the clearance count was certainly not the issue. Paddy Dow and Jack Carroll had the same number of clearances as Coburg between them, with the overall total 24 to nine Carlton’s way.
Quarter three
It was the Blues’ turn to start the better of the two sides in the third: Crocker became the first multiple goal scorer of the night with a set shot from 40 metres. A Coburg major was then answered by Carlton with six behinds as the wayward Blues attempted to put a gap between themselves and the Lions. The term petered out with neither team able to take a strangle hold of the contest. Patrick Dozzi was a shining light for the Blues in the third quarter, collecting eight disposals in just his second game for Carlton this season.
Quarter four
The first two goals of the last quarter went to Coburg and the margin was back to a solitary point. It took some Paddy Dow magic to find the Blues’ first goal in over 40 minutes of football: he brought down a high kick to a one-on-one contest, gathered the loose ball and found a way through multiple defenders to slam through a 45-metre drop punt that sailed over the goal umpire’s head. The Lions would come again and make sure this contest went right down to the wire. There was under a goal between the two sides for the last 12 minutes of the game, with the Blues’ defence holding out a late Coburg surge to claim a valuable victory.
Three things we learned:
1. It was as gritty a win as possible for the Blues. With Will Setterfield subbed into the game at AFL level and Sam Philp coming from the ground injured in the first term, the Blues ultimately finished the contest with just one on the bench. The way the undermanned Blues were able to grind out a result would’ve pleased Daniel O’Keefe.
2. Will Hayes continues to put in standout performances for the Carlton Reserves: the mid-season draftee collected 25 disposals, took nine marks and kicked a goal. That’s three weeks of strong form from Hayes since returning from injury.
3. It was another thrilling finish at IKON Park, something the Blues have become accustomed to this season. It’s the fifth time in six matches that the game has been decided by a single-figure margin: the Blues have now won two of them.
VFLCA Votes
10 - Paddy Dow (Car)4 - Ben Crocker (Car)
4 - Liam Stocker (Car)
4 - Joel Trudgeon (Car)
3 - Jesse Corigliano (Cob)
2 - Nathan Boucher (Cob)
2 - Will Hayes (Car)
1 - Mitch Podhajski (Cob)
Video
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The Carlton Reserves suffered their fifth defeat of the season as they fell to Port Melbourne by three points on Saturday Night. The Blues trailed by 34 points at the last change and despite a final-quarter surge, couldn’t get the job done under lights. Oliver Sanders and Ned Cahill were both lively up forward with three goals each, while Liam Stocker had plenty of the ball with 30 disposals.
Quarter one
The Blues got the fast start: Zavier Maher took an intercept mark at half forward and sent the ball inside 50, where Ned Cahill found the football at ground level and snapped truly. Port Melbourne responded with the next two goals of the game, taking 20 of the opening 24 marks in the process as Carlton struggled to take control of the contest. Ollie Sanders managed to conjure something out of nothing with another snapped major amongst a pack of players, but Port Melbourne then powered away with the next three goals to take an 18-point lead heading into the first change. Ed Curnow was impressive in his first quarter of the 2022 season, collecting six disposals and laying four tackles.
Quarter two
It was déjà vu at North Port Oval: Cahill again snapped truly a minute into the second quarter to bring the margin back to two straight kicks. Paddy Dow nailed one of those: a straightforward set shot from just 25 metres out. The Borough would surge ahead again though, with two more quick goals to cancel out all the Blues’ scoreboard damage in the term. A third goal a few minutes later meant the scoreboard was starting to look ominous, but the Blues found an answer. Goals to Tom North and David Handley from point-blank range brought the margin back to 15 points. However, the momentum continued to swing in this topsy-turvy quarter, as the Borough fired back with another two goals to finish the term. Cahill was the pick of the bunch in the first half for the Blues: the former Bomber complemented his two goals with 12 disposals and three marks.
Quarter three
Port Melbourne got the opening goal of the second half, but yet again it was Ned Cahill who slotted the Blues’ first of the term, again from a quick opportunistic snap. Jesse Glass-McCasker brought the margin back to 20 points and it looked like Carlton was charging, but Port Melbourne had the answers again: the host responded with another two-goal burst to blow the margin out to 34 points. Liam Stocker had a busy quarter mopping up off half back, collecting 14 touches to become the leading disposal winner on the ground with 24.
Quarter four
The Blues would come again: majors to Cripps and Maher brought the game back to life. When Port Melbourne found a steadying goal halfway through the term to extend the margin out beyond four goals, the game seemed to be over. Carlton had other ideas. Maher found his second of the last term, then Trudgeon clunked a mark from the following centre clearance and he added another for the Blues. Then came some Ollie Sanders magic - first a set shot from the pocket and second a high, floating snap that sailed through from 35 metres out – to bring the Blues back within two points. It was a frantic final few minutes, but Carlton couldn’t find a game winner and fell agonisingly short of victory.
Three things we learned:
1. Welcome back, Ed Curnow. The 200-game veteran made a strong return from a calf injury at VFL level in his first game of the season: he collected 19 disposals – and in typical Ed Curnow fashion – also laid five tackles, third-most for the Blues.
2. Despite conceding 56 inside 50's, the Blues’ defence continues to stand tall. The Carlton Reserves are yet to concede 100 points in a game this season and that continued tonight despite the pressure applied from Port Melbourne.
3. Lachie Fogarty played an impressive game under the North Port Oval lights. He found the football, collecting 29 disposals and taking seven marks, but also worked hard defensively laying six tackles.
6 - Ned Cahill (Car)
6 - Nash Holmes (PM)
4 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)
4 - Harvey Hooper (PM)
3 - Liam Stocker (Car)
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 15, 2022.
Bye
Round 16, 2022.
| CARLTON | 2.1.13 | 6.2.38 | 8.5.51 | 14.6 (90) |
| PORT MELBOURNE | 5.1.31 | 10.4.64 | 13.7.85 | 14.9 (93) |
| Venue: | ETU Stadium Port Melbourne. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 9th July 2022 (7.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 3 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ned Cahill 3.2, Oliver Sanders 3.0, Zavier Maher 2.0, Joshua Cripps 1.1, David Handley 1.1, Paddy Dow 1.0, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.0, Tom North 1.0, Joel Trudgeon 1.0, Alex Cincotta 0.1, Lachie Fogarty 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Lachie Fogarty, Ned Cahill, Liam Stocker, Sam Durdin, Paddy Dow, Tyreece Lieu. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Liam Stocker, Lachie Fogarty and Paddy Dow all starred as Carlton fell just short of victory despite a monumental fightback in the final term. The Blues trailed by 34 points at the last change before slamming on six goals to one in the fourth quarter, losing by just three points to Port Melbourne. Liam Stocker (30 disposals), Lachie Fogarty (29) and Paddy Dow (24 and one goal) were all instrumental in the comeback, as VFL-listed player and former Bomber Ned Cahill gathered 20 touches and kicked three goals. Ed Curnow was solid with 19 disposals, Sam Durdin had 14 and Jack Carroll notched up 16 touches.Blues go down fighting against the Borough
The VFL Blues fell just short of completing a miraculous comeback at North Port Oval. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves suffered their fifth defeat of the season as they fell to Port Melbourne by three points on Saturday Night. The Blues trailed by 34 points at the last change and despite a final-quarter surge, couldn’t get the job done under lights. Oliver Sanders and Ned Cahill were both lively up forward with three goals each, while Liam Stocker had plenty of the ball with 30 disposals.
Quarter one
The Blues got the fast start: Zavier Maher took an intercept mark at half forward and sent the ball inside 50, where Ned Cahill found the football at ground level and snapped truly. Port Melbourne responded with the next two goals of the game, taking 20 of the opening 24 marks in the process as Carlton struggled to take control of the contest. Ollie Sanders managed to conjure something out of nothing with another snapped major amongst a pack of players, but Port Melbourne then powered away with the next three goals to take an 18-point lead heading into the first change. Ed Curnow was impressive in his first quarter of the 2022 season, collecting six disposals and laying four tackles.
Quarter two
It was déjà vu at North Port Oval: Cahill again snapped truly a minute into the second quarter to bring the margin back to two straight kicks. Paddy Dow nailed one of those: a straightforward set shot from just 25 metres out. The Borough would surge ahead again though, with two more quick goals to cancel out all the Blues’ scoreboard damage in the term. A third goal a few minutes later meant the scoreboard was starting to look ominous, but the Blues found an answer. Goals to Tom North and David Handley from point-blank range brought the margin back to 15 points. However, the momentum continued to swing in this topsy-turvy quarter, as the Borough fired back with another two goals to finish the term. Cahill was the pick of the bunch in the first half for the Blues: the former Bomber complemented his two goals with 12 disposals and three marks.
Quarter three
Port Melbourne got the opening goal of the second half, but yet again it was Ned Cahill who slotted the Blues’ first of the term, again from a quick opportunistic snap. Jesse Glass-McCasker brought the margin back to 20 points and it looked like Carlton was charging, but Port Melbourne had the answers again: the host responded with another two-goal burst to blow the margin out to 34 points. Liam Stocker had a busy quarter mopping up off half back, collecting 14 touches to become the leading disposal winner on the ground with 24.
Quarter four
The Blues would come again: majors to Cripps and Maher brought the game back to life. When Port Melbourne found a steadying goal halfway through the term to extend the margin out beyond four goals, the game seemed to be over. Carlton had other ideas. Maher found his second of the last term, then Trudgeon clunked a mark from the following centre clearance and he added another for the Blues. Then came some Ollie Sanders magic - first a set shot from the pocket and second a high, floating snap that sailed through from 35 metres out – to bring the Blues back within two points. It was a frantic final few minutes, but Carlton couldn’t find a game winner and fell agonisingly short of victory.
Three things we learned:
1. Welcome back, Ed Curnow. The 200-game veteran made a strong return from a calf injury at VFL level in his first game of the season: he collected 19 disposals – and in typical Ed Curnow fashion – also laid five tackles, third-most for the Blues.
2. Despite conceding 56 inside 50's, the Blues’ defence continues to stand tall. The Carlton Reserves are yet to concede 100 points in a game this season and that continued tonight despite the pressure applied from Port Melbourne.
3. Lachie Fogarty played an impressive game under the North Port Oval lights. He found the football, collecting 29 disposals and taking seven marks, but also worked hard defensively laying six tackles.
VFLCA Votes
7 - Ethan Phillips (PM)6 - Ned Cahill (Car)
6 - Nash Holmes (PM)
4 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)
4 - Harvey Hooper (PM)
3 - Liam Stocker (Car)
Video
Round 17, 2022.
| CARLTON | 4.1.25 | 5.4.34 | 6.8.44 | 10.10 (70) |
| GEELONG | 0.1.1 | 3.4.22 | 6.4.40 | 9.5 (59) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 16th July 2022 (2.35 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 11 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Jesse Glass-McCasker 2.1, Ned Cahill 2.1, Ben Crocker 1.4, Dom Akuei 1.0, Mitch McGovern 1.0, Tom North 1.0, Lochie O'Brien 1.0, Oliver Sanders 1.0, Lachie Fogarty 0.1, Rushed 0.3. | |||
| Best: | Will Setterfield, Paddy Dow, Marc Pittonet, Lachie Fogarty, David Handley, Xavier Maher, Tyreece Leiu, Alex Mirkov. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Carlton survived a late charge from Geelong to eventually hold on for an 11-point win at Ikon Park on Saturday afternoon. The Blues led by as much as 32 points during the second term, but the Cats continued to peg the lead back – even taking the lead by eight points midway through the final term – before the Blues steadied to claim victory. Mitch McGovern was serviceable in his long-awaited comeback, finishing with 17 disposals, four marks and one goal. Will Setterfield pushed for a senior recall clocking up 40 disposals, to go with his seven clearances and eight marks, in a dominant display. Paddy Dow (30 disposals, six tackles) and Lachie Fogarty (26 disposals, six clearances) were equally impressive in the crucial win, which moved Carlton to fourth spot on the ladder. Ned Cahill and Jesse Glass-Mccasker led the way in front of goal with two goals apiece.Returnees shine as Blues snatch vital win
The VFL Blues recorded an 11-point win over the Cats at IKON Park. - By Tarquin Oakley,The Carlton Reserves moved into the top four with after a thrilling win over Geelong that went right down to the wire. The Blues kicked the opening five goals of the match before losing their lead in the last quarter, only to snatch it back at the death. Mitch McGovern and Marc Pittonet both made successful returns to action, while Will Setterfield was best afield with 40 disposals and eight marks.
Quarter one
For the first half of the quarter, it was a physical battle between the two sides, with only one point scored to the 15 minute-mark of the term. Ned Cahill broke the deadlock to find the opening goal of the match for the second week running: some great pressure inside forward 50 was rewarded with a holding-the-ball-free and he slotted the set shot from directly in front. The Blues then found their mojo: Lochie O’Brien nailed a goal from 35 metres out in what was a terrific opening quarter from the Blues’ No.4. He collected 11 disposals, took four marks and had two inside 50s to set the tone early for the Blues. Cahill kicked his a second with a long snap and Jesse Glass-McCasker slotted the Blues’ fourth just before the quarter-time siren to give Carlton a nice buffer at the first change. The Blues were left to do the job without Ed Curnow, who came from the ground injured in the first ter and didn’t return.
Quarter two
Defender-turned-forward Dom Akuei found the ball out the back and strolled into an open goal to make it five goals to zip at the start of the second term in favour of the Blues. However, this was where Geelong found their way back into the contest: the Cats pegged back three goals in the remainder of the quarter as the Blues failed to do any scoreboard damage. It wasn’t due to winning the ball at the source: Carlton was dominant around the stoppages, leading the clearance count by over 10 at half time. Marc Pittonet was a big reason for that dominance in his first half back since injuring his knee in Round 6 of the AFL, getting to plenty of ruck contests and amassing five clearances himself.
Quarter three
The Cats made it five in a row after a slow start to the second half for the Blues and the margin was back within a kick. Ben Crocker ended a run of six behinds in a row from Carlton to kick the team’s first major in 42 minutes of football and extend the margin back to beyond a goal in the process. Geelong had the game on its terms though, answering Carlton’s major and making a surge for the lead. A crucial Mitch McGovern intercept mark was enough to hold the Blues’ minor advantage just before the three-quarter-time siren. Will Setterfield continued to be a crucial cog of Carlton’s on-ball brigade in the third term, gathering 10 disposals and working hard between the arcs.
Quarter four
The Cats found the opening goal of the last term to hit the front for the first time since the 15-minute mark of the first quarter. When the Cats kicked their third in a row to take an eight-point lead, it looked as though the game was getting away from the Blues, but they still had plenty of fight left in them. Even after Tom North’s goal was answered by Geelong, Carlton didn’t stop surging. When Ollie Sanders brought the margin back to one point at the 20-minute mark of the term, it was time to swing Mitch McGovern forward. And didn’t it pay off: Cahill heaved the ball to the top of the goal square where Mitch McGovern, playing in front, got to the drop of the ball first and took the most important mark of the day. He slotted the goal and Jesse Glass-McCasker found a sealer a few minutes later as the Blues claimed an incredibly valuable victory.
Three things we learned:
1. Returning Blues Marc Pittonet and Mitch McGovern were both very important in the win over the Cats. Marc Pittonet racked up nine clearances, 15 disposals and 22 hitouts and covered the ground well, while Mitch McGovern got better as the game went on and finished with 17 disposals, four marks and one match-winning goal.
2. The victory was absolutely crucial for the Blues’ finals hopes. A loss would’ve put Carlton in danger of falling outside the top eight, but they now sit inside the top four and should stay there by the end of the round.
3. It’s the second time in as many weeks the Blues have found a second wind in the last quarter to finish the game. Last week they just fell short of a 34-point comeback victory, but on Saturday, four of the last five goals of the match was enough to grab the win.
VFLCA Votes
9 - Will Setterfield (Car)6 - Paddy Dow (Car)
6 - Marc Pittonet (Car)
4 - Shannon Neale (Gee)
4 - Nick Stevens (Gee)
1 - Lachie Fogarty (Car)
Video
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The Carlton Reserves have moved back into the top four with a 37-point victory over GWS. The Blues kicked six unanswered goals in the third quarter to give themselves a buffer that couldn’t be headed. Marc Pittonet was again a shining light from an AFL-listed standpoint, while Caleb Marchbank was impressive in his first game for six weeks. David Handley played his best game as a Blue, collecting 35 disposals and amassing five inside 50's while Jesse Glass-McCasker and Archie Stevens, were dynamic up forward each slotting three goals.
Quarter one
Ben Crocker answered the Giants’ opener with a dead-eye set shot from directly in front, but from thereon GWS had the better of the opening term. Two more majors to the travelling side gave them a handy buffer, so a Jesse Glass-McCasker goal was exactly what the doctor ordered. The skipper on the night took full advantage of a free kick and converted from close range. GWS closed out the term with their fourth of the opening quarter to take a 10-point lead into the first change. VFL-listed Blue David Handley started the game brilliantly with 11 disposals to his name come the quarter-time siren.
Quarter two
It was the Mitch Moschetti show this quarter: the second gamer slotted the first of his two goals in the term with a left-foot banana after roving the pack brilliantly inside 50. The Giants kicked back-to-back goals again to reach a match-high lead for the visitors, but it was Moschetti again who brought the Blues back within a kick with another quick snap. A massive Dom Akuei contested mark allowed him to level up the scores from the set shot, then a couple of behinds meant Carlton would head to the major break with the lead. The Blues’ ruck duo was proving too much to handle for the Giants: Marc Pittonet and Alex Mirkov combined for 34 hitouts in the first half, while GWS only managed the two.
Quarter three
The team in Navy Blue turned it up a notch in the third term, kicking six goals to zero to take charge of the match. Jesse Glass-McCasker, Archie Stevens and Paddy Dow each kicked multiple goals in the quarter and the Blues found themselves 42 points to the good as the last change. The pick of the lot was Paddy Dow’s second on the night: he roved the pack superbly and sent a 30-metre dribble through the big sticks. Tom North was everywhere in the third term for Carlton, racking up 12 touches and driving the Blues forward on a number of occasions.
Quarter four
The Giants found the opening goal of the quarter but it was to no avail as Zavier Maher bobbed up to kick the sealer five minutes into the term to push the margin beyond seven goals again. GWS posed more of a threat in this quarter compared to the third but could only manage two final-quarter goals. Ben Crocker - who kicked the first for the Blues on the night - finished the game with a second via a quick snap from a congested scenario deep inside 50. The Blues ran out 38-point victors as the rain bucketed down at IKON Park.
Three things we learned:
1. Caleb Marchbank made a successful return from knee surgery. He collected 18 disposals and took five marks on managed minutes, donning the long Navy Blue sleeves in the process.
2. Good things come in twos. Carlton’s dominant third quarter was the difference in the match, and it came in two-goal bursts from three Blues. Jesse Glass-McCasker kicked the opening two goals of the half, followed by an Archie Stevens double and a Paddy Dow brace to finish the term.
3. Carlton’s ruck dominance was a big reason for their victory on the night. The Blues won the hitouts 56-4, with Marc Pittonet recording 33 of those while Alex Mirkov had 23. It led to a big clearance differential as well: the Blues won that count 44-33, Handley had 10 of those to his name.
Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 18, 2022.
| CARLTON | 2.2.14 | 5.8.38 | 11.15.81 | 13.17 (95) |
| GWS GIANTS | 4.0.24 | 6.0.36 | 6.3.39 | 9.4 (58) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 23rd July 2022 (6.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 37 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Jesse Glass-McCasker 3.0, Archie Stevens 3.0, Ben Crocker 2.3, Paddy Dow 2.0, Mitchell Moschetti 2.0, Dom Akuei 1.0, Zavier Maher 0.1, David Handley 0.1, Marc Pittonet 0.1, Stefan Radavanovic 0.1, Tyreece Lieu 0.1, Caleb Marchbank 0.1, Rushed 0.8. | |||
| Best: | David Handley, Marc Pittonet, Patrick Dozzi, Alex Cincotta, Paddy Dow, Archie Stevens. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Paddy Dow booted two goals from 22 disposals to go with his five clearances in the Blues' win over the Giants at Ikon Park on Saturday. Ruck duo Marc Pittonet and Alex Mirkov dominated at stoppages, recording 33 and 23 hitouts respectively. Small forward Corey Durdin took six marks and had 16 touches but didn’t hit the scoreboard, while Caleb Marchbank had 18 disposals and took five marks in his return from a knee injury. Liam Stocker responded to his axing from the senior side with 19 touches, while Brodie Kemp managed 17.Blues victorious over Giants in the wet
The VFL Blues adapted well to the slippery conditions and secured a big win at IKON Park. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves have moved back into the top four with a 37-point victory over GWS. The Blues kicked six unanswered goals in the third quarter to give themselves a buffer that couldn’t be headed. Marc Pittonet was again a shining light from an AFL-listed standpoint, while Caleb Marchbank was impressive in his first game for six weeks. David Handley played his best game as a Blue, collecting 35 disposals and amassing five inside 50's while Jesse Glass-McCasker and Archie Stevens, were dynamic up forward each slotting three goals.
Quarter one
Ben Crocker answered the Giants’ opener with a dead-eye set shot from directly in front, but from thereon GWS had the better of the opening term. Two more majors to the travelling side gave them a handy buffer, so a Jesse Glass-McCasker goal was exactly what the doctor ordered. The skipper on the night took full advantage of a free kick and converted from close range. GWS closed out the term with their fourth of the opening quarter to take a 10-point lead into the first change. VFL-listed Blue David Handley started the game brilliantly with 11 disposals to his name come the quarter-time siren.
Quarter two
It was the Mitch Moschetti show this quarter: the second gamer slotted the first of his two goals in the term with a left-foot banana after roving the pack brilliantly inside 50. The Giants kicked back-to-back goals again to reach a match-high lead for the visitors, but it was Moschetti again who brought the Blues back within a kick with another quick snap. A massive Dom Akuei contested mark allowed him to level up the scores from the set shot, then a couple of behinds meant Carlton would head to the major break with the lead. The Blues’ ruck duo was proving too much to handle for the Giants: Marc Pittonet and Alex Mirkov combined for 34 hitouts in the first half, while GWS only managed the two.
Quarter three
The team in Navy Blue turned it up a notch in the third term, kicking six goals to zero to take charge of the match. Jesse Glass-McCasker, Archie Stevens and Paddy Dow each kicked multiple goals in the quarter and the Blues found themselves 42 points to the good as the last change. The pick of the lot was Paddy Dow’s second on the night: he roved the pack superbly and sent a 30-metre dribble through the big sticks. Tom North was everywhere in the third term for Carlton, racking up 12 touches and driving the Blues forward on a number of occasions.
Quarter four
The Giants found the opening goal of the quarter but it was to no avail as Zavier Maher bobbed up to kick the sealer five minutes into the term to push the margin beyond seven goals again. GWS posed more of a threat in this quarter compared to the third but could only manage two final-quarter goals. Ben Crocker - who kicked the first for the Blues on the night - finished the game with a second via a quick snap from a congested scenario deep inside 50. The Blues ran out 38-point victors as the rain bucketed down at IKON Park.
Three things we learned:
1. Caleb Marchbank made a successful return from knee surgery. He collected 18 disposals and took five marks on managed minutes, donning the long Navy Blue sleeves in the process.
2. Good things come in twos. Carlton’s dominant third quarter was the difference in the match, and it came in two-goal bursts from three Blues. Jesse Glass-McCasker kicked the opening two goals of the half, followed by an Archie Stevens double and a Paddy Dow brace to finish the term.
3. Carlton’s ruck dominance was a big reason for their victory on the night. The Blues won the hitouts 56-4, with Marc Pittonet recording 33 of those while Alex Mirkov had 23. It led to a big clearance differential as well: the Blues won that count 44-33, Handley had 10 of those to his name.
Interesting Fact
This was the first time that these two teams have played against each other.VFLCA Votes
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Round 19, 2022.
| CARLTON | 2.0.12 | 2.6.18 | 3.6.24 | 8.10 (58) |
| WILLIAMSTOWN | 5.4.34 | 6.4.40 | 10.6.66 | 11.6 (72) |
| Venue: | Williamstown Oval. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 30th July 2022 (2.10 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 14 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ned Cahill 2.0, Paddy Dow 1.1, David Handley 1.0, Brodie Kemp 1.0, Zavier Maher 1.0, Jack Martin 1.0, Mitchell Moschetti 1.0, Patrick Dozzi 0.2, Tom North 0.2, Alex Cincotta 0.1, Jesse Glass-McCasker 0.1, Alex Mirkov 0.1, Rushed 0.2. | |||
| Best: | Lachie Fogarty, Brodie Kemp, Tyreece Leiu, Ned Cahill, Sam Durdin, Tom North. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Lachie Fogarty did his best to remind the Blues why they traded for him in 2020, picking up 28 disposals, six clearances and five tackles in Carlton's 14-point loss to Williamstown. The more recently-acquired Sam Durdin was strong in the air with eight marks to go with 18 disposals, and former first round draftee Brodie Kemp took 10 grabs along with 20 touches and a goal. Jack Martin slotted a goal in his 16 disposals and five tackles as he aims to return to the senior side from a calf injury. Also on the comeback trail, Caleb Marchbank had 16 touches in a solid performance. Paddy Dow kicked a major among 17 disposals, Jack Carroll had 15 and Liam Stocker 11.Carlton Reserves fall to Williamstown
The VFL Blues left their run too late against the Seagulls. - By Tarquin OakleyThe Carlton Reserves were left to rue missed opportunities after they fell to Williamstown by 14 points on Saturday. The Blues kicked six behinds to one goal straight in a wasteful second quarter after the Seagulls got the fast start in the opening term. Despite an improved last quarter, Carlton - who were without Liam Stocker (concussion) in the second half) couldn’t redeem their three-goal effort to the last change and ultimately fell short.
Quarter one
It was a heavily wind-affected match in Williamstown, and the Seagulls were kicking with a strong breeze in the opening quarter. It was the hosts who had all the early ascendancy, winning 12 of the first 13 inside 50's and nine of the first 10 clearances of the match. They were winning the ball at the source and taking ground, opening up a 20-0 score line before the Blues had even landed a punch. That soon came though, with Zavier Maher claiming a loose ball inside 50 and snapping truly for the Blues’ first. A quick reply from Williamstown was answered with Carlton’s second major of the term: Dom Akuei roved his own marking contest at ground level and dished the handball back to Jack Martin who did the rest from the top of the goal square. Williamstown finished the quarter with another goal to push the margin out to 22 at the first change. The early stages of the match could’ve been worse if it wasn’t for Sam Durdin, who took three intercept marks to help repel the constant Williamstown attacks in the first term. Jack Martin also started strongly, collecting eight disposals and two marks in addition to his first-quarter goal.
Quarter two
This was the term the Blues were left kicking themselves. Heading towards the scoring end, Carlton failed to kick a goal despite creating plenty of opportunities. The majority of the game was being played in one portion of the ground, with the swirling breeze pushing the ball towards the Blues’ left half-forward flank. Despite the large amount of time in their forward half and 17 inside 50's, Carlton couldn’t reduce the quarter-time lead and went into the sheds at the major break still trailing by 22 points. Before coming from the field through injury, Liam Stocker was a shining light for the Blues in the first half. Of his 11 disposals, 10 were kicks and he also took three marks in his time on the ground.
Quarter three
Williamstown was quick to kill the game off at the start of the second half. The opening three goals of the third term all went to the Seagulls as they sprung out to a 41-point buffer late in the quarter. It took some Mitch Moschetti magic to open up the game through the middle of the ground for the Blues to get a chance at scoring. He got the one-two and burst up the middle of Williamstown oval, sending the ball inside 50 where Paddy Dow found the football and managed to scrag a major. The Seagulls had the answers again, however, finishing the quarter with their 10th goal of the game and a match-high 42-point lead.
Quarter four
Ned Cahill bobbed up for the first goal of the last quarter: a regulation set shot from directly in front. Williamstown found the next one, but then it was the Blues who finished all over the Seagulls. David Handley got the Blues’ fifth of the day before a great contested mark from Brodie Kemp allowed him to snap a major. Moschetti brought the margin back to 20 points and when Cahill became the Blues’ first multiple goal scorer there was the thought that perhaps the game could be pinched. However, the siren sounded less than a minute later and Carlton had fallen short by 14 points. Lachie Fogarty improved as the game went on for the Blues, finishing with 30 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances.
Three things we learned:
1. Brodie Kemp can do it at both ends: the third-year Blue collected 20 disposals and a season-high 10 marks, as well as slotting a goal after being sent forward in the last term. He was one of the Blues' best on a disappointing day.
2. The breeze played a significant role in the match, with 76 of the game’s 97 inside 50's going to the grandstand side of Williamstown Oval. It was an important coin toss to win for the Seagulls, who got the fast start kicking with the breeze in the opening term.
3. The loss means the Blues fall outside of the top four, but still hanging onto a place in the top eight with two games remaining. Carlton has a bye next week, followed by a trip to Casey Fields to take on the undefeated Demons before a final-round showdown with Collingwood at IKON Park.
Interesting Fact
Williamstown played its 1150th match at Williamstown Cricket Ground when it took on Carlton, the Seagulls have an imposing record at its home ground – 740 wins, 390 losses and 19 draws – although a win for the Blues would have been their 100th away from home in VFA/VFL footy.VFLCA Votes
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Invalid YouTube URL providedRound 20, 2022.
Bye
Round 21, 2022.
| CARLTON | 1.1.7 | 4.2.26 | 4.3.27 | 5.3 (33) |
| CASEY DEMONS | 1.4.10 | 3.7.25 | 4.12.36 | 6.13 (49) |
| Venue: | Casey Fields, Cranbourne. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 14th August 2022 (12.00 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 16 points | |||
| Goalkickers: | Tom De Koning 1.1, Lachie Fogarty 1.1, Jesse Glass-McCasker 1.0, Patrick Dozzi 1.0, Oliver Sanders 1.0, Ben Crocker 0.1. | |||
| Best: | ||||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
After watching on from the bench as Carlton’s medi-sub on Saturday night, Paddy Dow racked up 34 possessions at VFL level on Sunday. The Blues managed just five goals in the 16-point defeat, with Tom De Koning and Lachie Fogarty each contributing one major. Tom De Koning, who was demoted after 19 games at AFL level, finished with 14 disposals and 18 hitouts, while Lachie Fogarty had 18 and laid a game-high 13 tackles. Jack Carroll (22 touches and nine tackles), Will Hayes (19 possessions and six tackles) and Sam Durdin (15 disposals) were among the Blues best playerVFLCA Votes
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Round 22, 2022.
| CARLTON | 3.2.20 | 4.5.29 | 5.7.37 | 7.9 (51) |
| COLLINGWOOD | 1.3.9 | 4.5.29 | 5.7.37 | 5.11 (41) |
| Venue: | IKON Park, Carlton. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 21st July 2022 (12.00 pm). | |||
| Result: | Wony by 10 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ned Cahill 3.2, Brodie Kemp 2.0, Ben Crocker 1.2, Josh Honey 1.0, Jack Carroll 0.1, Joel Trudgeon 0.1, Rushed 0.3. | |||
| Best: | Tyreece Leiu, Will Hayes, Jack Carroll, Lachie Plowman, Paddy Dow, Heath Ramshaw, Alex Cincotta, Michael Lewis. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Carlton got over arch-rival Collingwood by 10 points on Sunday afternoon to keep its VFL season alive. Brodie Kemp kicked two goals, including the one that put the Blues in front in the final quarter. After being the unused AFL medical sub last week Paddy Dow impressed with 24 disposals and seven clearances. Mid-season recruits Will Hayes (26 disposals, 12 marks) and Sam Durdin (15 and eight) were busy, as was Jack Carroll with 22 touches. After playing 19 games at senior level this year, exciting big man Tom De Koning made his presence felt with 14 disposals, 15 hitouts and four clearances while Josh Honey kicked a goal to go with 14 touches, seven marks and half a dozen tackles.Carlton Reserves finals bound after win over Pies
The VFL Blues have booked their place in the VFL finals series with a victory on the ‘G. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves recorded a thrilling 10-point win over Collingwood in their curtain-raiser match on the MCG. The result means that Carlton will play Collingwood again next week in an elimination final, taking place at Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon.Will Hayes and Alex Cincotta both recorded 26 disposals while Ned Cahill was a livewire up forward, recording three goals.
Quarter one
The Blues couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Josh Honey finding himself in behind the Magpies’ defence to mark and snap truly. Collingwood responded to hit the front, before a brilliant one-two between Brodie Kemp and Will Hayes finished with Brodie Kemp taking the lead back. Ned Cahill extended the margin before quarter time after a picture-perfect set shot from just inside 50 on a 45-degree angle. Will Hayes used his running power to full effect in the opening term, collecting nine disposals, three marks and a goal assist.
Quarter two
It was tough going in the second stanza for the Blues, as Collingwood fired back with the first two goals of the quarter. Carlton’s only goal for the term came from the boot of Cahill after a 50-metre penalty took him right to the goal line and he made no mistake to register his second. Collingwood managed to find a late major and the scores were all tied up at halftime. The game couldn’t have been more evenly poised, with the Magpies leading the inside-50 count by just one and the Blues leading the tackle count by a single tackle.
Quarter three
Both sides struggled to take control of the contest in this quarter, as the first major came 23 minutes into the term. It was Cahill again, superbly crumbing the pack and accelerating away to snap a goal that put the Blues back in front. However, it didn’t take long for a Magpie answer: they struck straight back to level the scores and that’s the way it would stay at the final change. One quarter of football remained to decide the Blues’ finals chances. Will Hayes’s game ended at three-quarter time, but he put in a brilliant performance until that point: he gathered 26 disposals and 12 marks, doing most of his work along the southern wing.
Quarter four
It was make or break in this quarter for the Blues, and Kemp got his team off to the perfect start after he nailed his second to put Carlton a goal up. Ben Crocker then took his moment: he turned onto his right foot to snap his 33rd goal of the season, but more importantly, put the Blues 11 points ahead and one step closer to a finals berth. Some desperate defence in the closing stages held off Collingwood and Carlton booked its place in the VFL finals series.
Three things we learned:
1.The Blues are playing finals. It’s the first time that a Carlton-affiliated VFL side has made finals since 2011. Details for the Carlton Reserves’ clash with - fittingly - Collingwood will be announced soon.
2. The Blues will head into the finals series with a 4-1 record against top-eight teams after their 10-point win over the Pies. Their only loss came last week to ladder-leaders Casey.
3. The Bluebaggers made plenty of noise to will the Blues home in the last quarter at the MCG. With a huge crowd piling into the home of football for the AFL clash, there was plenty of noise in the final term, particularly when Carlton locked in its top-eight spot come the final siren.
Crocker’s excitement for VFL finals
Ben Crocker talks winning on the ‘G and qualifying for the VFL finals series. - By Tarquin Oakley.For the first time since 2011, a Carlton-affiliated VFL side will be playing finals football. The VFL Blues made sure their season would last at least an extra week by defeating the Magpies on Sunday at the MCG in their curtain-raiser to the AFL clash. Ben Crocker played a crucial role in the victory, kicking the final goal of the match to extend the Blues’ lead beyond a kick and all but seal a finals berth. The 2021 best-and-fairest winner was pleased to have gotten the job done with so much on the line. “We knew we had to win this one, so it made it even a little bit sweeter for us … it was pretty tight in the end but the boys did well,” he told Channel 7 post-game. The victory meant a little bit more to Crocker as he was playing against his old club in Collingwood, something the former Pie isn’t accustomed to. “It’s not often that you get to play your old team, I think I’ve only done it maybe even just once because of COVID,” he said. “It’s funny, there’s a lot of new faces at Collingwood but there’s still a few boys that I know so it’s always good to get the win when you were at the club.”
Crocker is no stranger to the MCG, the 25-year-old played 18 AFL games on the home of football in his time at Collingwood, kicking 12 majors including a three-goal haul against the Hawks. However, for a handful of Blues playing on Sunday, it was the first time they’d experienced playing on the sacred turf. “For some of these boys that have never been on the ‘G, so it’s the biggest game that they’ve played in their life,” he said. “The VFL as a whole is pretty young now and our group especially is really young, so I think games like this build maturity.” The Carlton Reserves’ 10-point win over Collingwood was the eighth time in the past 12 matches they’ve had a game decided by under two goals. Crocker, who finished sixth in the league’s goalkicking with 33 goals for the season, believes that constantly playing in tight finishes could bring its advantages going into the finals. “We spoke about it towards the back end of the year, we had a few close games and I reckon they’re the games you want going into finals just so you know how you can ice them out,” he said. “So, we’ve managed to get this one (over Collingwood) and now we’re in the finals, so we’ll see how we go.” The Carlton Reserves will play Collingwood again in an elimination final this Sunday afternoon at 1:05pm at Victoria Park.
VFLCA Votes
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Ladder end of 2022 VFL Home & Away Season.
1st Qualifying Final - Casey Demons 14.15.99 d Sydney Swans 7.10.52
2nd Qualifying Final - Southport 12.15.87 d Brisbane Lions 5.8.38
1st Elimination Final - Gold Coast 13.16.94 d Box Hill Hawks 10.11.71
The Carlton Reserves will head to Brisbane next week after eliminating Collingwood in an elimination final at Victoria Park. A hot start saw the Blues kick five unanswered goals to begin proceedings and lead by 32 points, and that was the final margin at the end of the match. Ben Crocker slotted three majors, four other Blues kicked multiple and Will Setterfield put in a best-on-ground performance, collecting 38 disposals and kicking two goals.
Quarter one
It all went to plan for the Blues in the opening 25 minutes of the game. They were getting first use out of the middle and taking the available territory, leading the Pies 16-8 in both clearances and inside 50s at quarter time. Crocker got the party started, strolling into an open goal after being set up by a Brodie Kemp handball. Quickfire goals to Ned Cahill from a forward-50 stoppage and Zavier Maher with a snap soon followed, before David Handley had a hot few minutes and he added two more to the Blues’ tally. All of a sudden, the lead was 32 points before the hosts had even registered a score. Collingwood did find the last major of the quarter, but the Carlton Reserves were more than pleased with their opening term. Paddy Dow and Will Setterfield both dominated proceedings in the opening term, collecting 11 disposals each and combining brilliantly at stoppages.
Quarter two
Cahill started the second term where the Blues left off in the first, slotting goal number two with a delightful set shot that went straight over the goal umpire’s hat. This quarter wasn’t as easy for Carlton, with Collingwood stepping it up a notch to find the next two majors. However, the Blues kept finding ways to halt the Pies’ momentum: Crocker kicked his second after Brodie Kemp found him again inside 50, with the combination working magnificently up forward. Another couple of Collingwood majors were then countered by a clutch Jesse Motlop set shot on the half-time siren: the kick never looked like missing and the Blues went into the major break 22 points up.
Quarter three
An early Collingwood major was swiftly answered by a pair of Carlton set shots from Will Setterfield and Crocker. The game was delicately poised for majority of the term, with Collingwood attempting to wrestle momentum from Carlton who were holding firm, with Liam Stocker bringing plenty of physicality behind the ball. The Pies managed to scrag one back as the quarter ticked into time on, but the Blues found Brodie Kemp in space out the back and he made sure that his side would go into the last change with a handy lead of 28 points. Zavier Maher came from the ground in this quarter with a shoulder injury, leaving the Blues with four on the bench for the rest of the game.
Quarter four
With a 28-point lead at the last change, an early goal in the last quarter would be huge for the Blues to snuff out any kind of fightback the Magpies had planned. That was exactly what eventuated, with Tom North launching a 50-metre bomb to extend the margin beyond five goals. That was enough to keep the Pies at bay, with there being a few goals to each side to finish the game - including a stunning banana from Mitch Moschetti - and the Blues were victorious by 32 points. Unfortunately for Handley, he came from the field in the dying stages with a hamstring injury.
Three things we learned:
1. The Blues are through to week two of the VFL finals series. Details for the Carlton Reserves clash with the Brisbane Lions will be released soon, with the winner of that match to play Casey in a preliminary final.
2. The 32-point win today meant the VFL Blues recorded consecutive victories over the Magpies within seven days. Last Sunday the Carlton Reserves won by 10 points on the MCG, this time around the margin was a little bit more comfortable for the team in Navy Blue.
3. Will Setterfield and Paddy Dow were prolific for the Blues, especially at stoppages: they combined for 71 disposals, 16 clearances and two goals. They were ably supported by a number of other Blues, with Carlton arguably producing their most complete performance of the season at a time where it mattered most.
Invalid YouTube URL providedLadder end of 2022 VFL Home & Away Season.
| Pos | Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | Points | For | Against | % |
| 1 | Casey Demons | 17 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 1730 | 1034 | 167.3 |
| 2 | Brisbane Lions | 14 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 1556 | 1171 | 132.9 |
| 3 | Southport | 13 | 5 | 0 | 52 | 1743 | 1231 | 141.6 |
| 4 | Sydney Swans | 13 | 5 | 0 | 52 | 1560 | 1194 | 130.7 |
| 5 | Gold Coast Suns | 12 | 6 | 0 | 48 | 1681 | 1621 | 103.7 |
| 6 | Collingwood | 11 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 1591 | 1326 | 120.0 |
| 7 | Carlton | 11 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 1416 | 1190 | 119.0 |
| 8 | Box Hill Hawks | 11 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 1603 | 1358 | 118.0 |
| 9 | Richmond | 11 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 1481 | 1302 | 113.7 |
| 10 | Werribee Tigers | 9 | 9 | 0 | 36 | 1578 | 1243 | 127.0 |
| 11 | Footscray Bulldogs | 9 | 9 | 0 | 36 | 1487 | 1262 | 117.8 |
| 12 | Sandringham Zebras | 8 | 9 | 1 | 34 | 1442 | 1534 | 94.0 |
| 13 | GWS Giants | 8 | 9 | 1 | 34 | 1302 | 1395 | 93.3 |
| 14 | Geelong | 8 | 10 | 0 | 32 | 1271 | 1444 | 88.0 |
| 15 | Essendon | 8 | 10 | 0 | 32 | 1454 | 1672 | 87.0 |
| 16 | Port Melbourne | 7 | 11 | 0 | 28 | 1346 | 1589 | 84.7 |
| 17 | Frankston | 6 | 12 | 0 | 24 | 1260 | 1363 | 92.4 |
| 18 | North Melbourne | 4 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 1217 | 1685 | 72.2 |
| 19 | Coburg Lions | 4 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 1071 | 1711 | 62.6 |
| 20 | Williamstown | 3 | 15 | 0 | 12 | 1075 | 1629 | 66.0 |
| 21 | Northern Bullants | 1 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 1036 | 1946 | 53.2 |
2022 VFL Finals Series
Week 1
1st Qualifying Final - Casey Demons 14.15.99 d Sydney Swans 7.10.52
2nd Qualifying Final - Southport 12.15.87 d Brisbane Lions 5.8.38
1st Elimination Final - Gold Coast 13.16.94 d Box Hill Hawks 10.11.71
2nd Elimination Final.
| CARLTON | 5.4.34 | 8.6.54 | 11.8.74 | 15.10 (100) |
| COLLINGWOOD | 1.0.6 | 5.2.32 | 7.4.46 | 10.8 (68) |
| Venue: | Victoria Park, Abbottsford. | |||
| Date: | Sunday 28th August 2022 (1.10 pm). | |||
| Result: | Won by 32 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 3.0, Brodie Kemp 2.3, Will Setterfield 2.3, Ned Cahill 2.1, David Handley 2.1, Jesse Motlop 1.1, Zavier Maher 1.0, Mitchell Moschetti 1.0, Tom North 1.0, Paddy Dow 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Will Setterfield, Liam Stocker, Paddy Dow, Ned Cahill, Brodie Kemp, Ben Crocker, Will Hayes, Tom North. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | David Handley (hamstring), Zavier Maher (shoulder). | |||
Match Review
Blue Domintates.
Will Setterfield was dominant to lead Carlton to a 32-point win over Collingwood in their elimination final on Sunday. Will Setterfield, who played 13 AFL games for the Blues in 2022, had 40 disposals, 13 clearances and kicked two goals at Victoria Park. Paddy Dow was also instrumental in the Blues' win with 33 disposals as Carlton moved into the second week of finals. Carlton also had good contributions from Liam Stocker (25 touches), Brodie Kemp (13 and two goals) and Will Hayes (20). Jesse Motlop managed to hit the scoreboard with a goal, while Jack Carroll had 15 disposals.Blues march on after elimination final win.
The VFL Blues have moved into the second week of the VFL finals series after a 32-point win over the Magpies. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves will head to Brisbane next week after eliminating Collingwood in an elimination final at Victoria Park. A hot start saw the Blues kick five unanswered goals to begin proceedings and lead by 32 points, and that was the final margin at the end of the match. Ben Crocker slotted three majors, four other Blues kicked multiple and Will Setterfield put in a best-on-ground performance, collecting 38 disposals and kicking two goals.
Quarter one
It all went to plan for the Blues in the opening 25 minutes of the game. They were getting first use out of the middle and taking the available territory, leading the Pies 16-8 in both clearances and inside 50s at quarter time. Crocker got the party started, strolling into an open goal after being set up by a Brodie Kemp handball. Quickfire goals to Ned Cahill from a forward-50 stoppage and Zavier Maher with a snap soon followed, before David Handley had a hot few minutes and he added two more to the Blues’ tally. All of a sudden, the lead was 32 points before the hosts had even registered a score. Collingwood did find the last major of the quarter, but the Carlton Reserves were more than pleased with their opening term. Paddy Dow and Will Setterfield both dominated proceedings in the opening term, collecting 11 disposals each and combining brilliantly at stoppages.
Quarter two
Cahill started the second term where the Blues left off in the first, slotting goal number two with a delightful set shot that went straight over the goal umpire’s hat. This quarter wasn’t as easy for Carlton, with Collingwood stepping it up a notch to find the next two majors. However, the Blues kept finding ways to halt the Pies’ momentum: Crocker kicked his second after Brodie Kemp found him again inside 50, with the combination working magnificently up forward. Another couple of Collingwood majors were then countered by a clutch Jesse Motlop set shot on the half-time siren: the kick never looked like missing and the Blues went into the major break 22 points up.
Quarter three
An early Collingwood major was swiftly answered by a pair of Carlton set shots from Will Setterfield and Crocker. The game was delicately poised for majority of the term, with Collingwood attempting to wrestle momentum from Carlton who were holding firm, with Liam Stocker bringing plenty of physicality behind the ball. The Pies managed to scrag one back as the quarter ticked into time on, but the Blues found Brodie Kemp in space out the back and he made sure that his side would go into the last change with a handy lead of 28 points. Zavier Maher came from the ground in this quarter with a shoulder injury, leaving the Blues with four on the bench for the rest of the game.
Quarter four
With a 28-point lead at the last change, an early goal in the last quarter would be huge for the Blues to snuff out any kind of fightback the Magpies had planned. That was exactly what eventuated, with Tom North launching a 50-metre bomb to extend the margin beyond five goals. That was enough to keep the Pies at bay, with there being a few goals to each side to finish the game - including a stunning banana from Mitch Moschetti - and the Blues were victorious by 32 points. Unfortunately for Handley, he came from the field in the dying stages with a hamstring injury.
Three things we learned:
1. The Blues are through to week two of the VFL finals series. Details for the Carlton Reserves clash with the Brisbane Lions will be released soon, with the winner of that match to play Casey in a preliminary final.
2. The 32-point win today meant the VFL Blues recorded consecutive victories over the Magpies within seven days. Last Sunday the Carlton Reserves won by 10 points on the MCG, this time around the margin was a little bit more comfortable for the team in Navy Blue.
3. Will Setterfield and Paddy Dow were prolific for the Blues, especially at stoppages: they combined for 71 disposals, 16 clearances and two goals. They were ably supported by a number of other Blues, with Carlton arguably producing their most complete performance of the season at a time where it mattered most.
Video
Week 2
1st Semi Final - Gold Coast Suns 15.9.99 d Sydney Swans 12.15.87
2nd Semi Final.
| CARLTON | 1.0.6 | 4.4.28 | 5.4.34 | 8.12 (60) |
| BRISBANE LIONS | 3.2.20 | 4.4.28 | 9.6.60 | 11.6 (72) |
| Venue: | Moreton Bay Sporting Complex, Brisbane. | |||
| Date: | Saturday 3rd September, 2022 (12.05 pm). | |||
| Result: | Lost by 12 points. | |||
| Goalkickers: | Ben Crocker 2.1, Ned Cahill 1.4, Paddy Dow 1.1, Mitchell Moschetti 1.1, Joel Trudgeon 1.1, Brodie Kemp 1.0, Jesse Motlop 1.0, Jack Carroll 0.1, Tyreece Leiu 0.1, Matt Shannon 0.1, Rushed 0.1. | |||
| Best: | Paddy Dow, Jack Carroll, Liam Stocker, Alex Cincotta, Will Hayes, Joel Trudgeon, Alex Mirkov. | |||
| Reports: | Nil. | |||
| Injuries: | Nil. | |||
Match Review
Blues mid dominates, Lion fights for recall
Paddy Dow was the dominant midfielder on the ground as Carlton fell to a 12-point loss to Brisbane in their semi-final on Saturday. Paddy Dow, pick No.3 in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft who played just four AFL games this year, had 41 disposals, seven tackles, 15 clearances and kicked a goal. With Alex Mirkov (52 hitouts) controlling the ruck contests, Dow and Jack Carroll (32 disposals and 12 clearances) had 27 clearances between them. Will Setterfield gathered 23 disposals and Liam Stocker picked up 25 for the Blues. Will Hayes (22 disposals) was busy, Brodie Kemp kicked a major from his 13 touches and Jesse Motlop also booted a goal from his 11 disposals.Blues’ season comes to abrupt end
In soaking wet conditions, the Blues were eliminated from the VFL finals series after falling to the Lions. - By Tarquin Oakley.The Carlton Reserves’ campaign has come to an end in the second week of the finals after Brisbane won by 12 points this afternoon. The somewhat waterlogged ground at the Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex played host to the semi final, with the Lions’ dominant third quarter proving to be the difference in the end. Carlton came charging home in the last quarter to level the scores, but Brisbane found the match-winning goals in the final minute. Paddy Dow capped off his terrific VFL season with a 14-clearance and 37-disposal game, while Liam Stocker was a brick wall in defence and collecting 23 disposals (17 of those kicks).
Quarter one
The Blues started the game full of running but blazed away going inside 50, which cost them dearly as the Lions found the opening major of the game. It was a battle of willpower for much of the term, with the contested ball sacrosanct in these conditions. Ned Cahill bobbed up to take a mark directly in front and from 20 metres out made no mistake to bring the Blues back within a point. Red-time goals came towards the end of the quarter for the Lions, who took advantage of the breeze to kick late two majors. Liam Stocker imposed himself from the get-go in this contest, laying a couple of big bumps as well as collecting some crucial intercepts to keep the Lions at bay.
Quarter two
You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second stanza from a Carlton perspective, as Jesse Motlop lifted his Blues’ teammates with a magnificent finish from the pocket. He then followed that effort up with an assist, as some fantastic pressure and fight in the forward half led to a Mitch Moschetti snap from a Jesse Motlop handball. It was all Carlton as Brisbane struggled to get the ball outside their defensive half, and the heat from the Blues led to another goal: Brodie Kemp smothered a kick in and then allowed the Lions to rush a deliberate behind, kicking a goal from the resulting free kick. The team in Navy Blue had the lead for the first time today, however it didn’t last long as Brisbane levelled the scores just before the major break. Alex Mirkov was enjoying the wet conditions in the first half: he amassed 24 hit-outs in the opening half on return to lead the Blues to a 25-21 clearance lead.
Quarter three
Brisbane owned this quarter with a heavier breeze at their backs. The Lions had all the territory and found five goals in a row to take a 32-point lead. It took Joel Trudgeon putting his head over the ball and earning a free kick for in the back to give the Blues a chance, which he took with aplomb to give Carlton some momentum into the final quarter. Paddy Dow and Jack Carroll were brilliant in the first three quarters, collecting a combined 55 disposals.
Quarter four
Paddy Dow closed the gap to 19 points at the start of the last, before Ben Crocker lifted to find a couple of big goals and the Blues were charging. There were plenty of chances, with Carlton kicking 3.8 in a row to level the scores and the game hung in the balance for the final five minutes. It didn’t go the way of the Blues, with their season ending in heartbreak as the Lions found two goals in the final minute after the Blues dominated all facets of the final term to work their way back into the contest.
Three things we learned:
1. That’s it for the VFL Blues in season 2022. The side made great strides in a second year - and first full campaign - under Daniel O’Keefe, winning an elimination final and finished with a 12-8 win-loss record after the finals campaign.
2. Some young Blues gained some valuable finals experience over the past couple of weeks. The likes of Dom Akuei, Jesse Motlop and Alex Mirkov played in their first finals series at Carlton and all made valuable contributions.
3. While it may feel like the season ended somewhat abruptly, particularly given the final quarter, the Carlton Reserves should hold their heads high following a bruising final against a Brisbane side which lost one game at home in the regular season.