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| Venue: | MCG. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date: | Sunday July 2, 2023 (1.10pm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: | Won by 60 points | ||||||||||||||||||
| Crowd: | 66,337 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: | C. Curnow 3.2, J. Martin 3.1, H. McKay 2.3, A. Cerra 2.0, D. Cuningham 2.0, B. Acres 1.1, S. Docherty 1.0, L. Forgarty 1.0, M. Owies 1.0, J. Silvagni 1.0, E. Curnow 0.1, L. Young 0.1, Rushed 0.1. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Jacob Weitering was reported for striking Lloyd Meek, he was cleared and available for selection the following match. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Umpires: | 42 - Nicholas McGinness, 32 - Jacob Mollison, 12 - Andrew Stephens, 22 - Nathan Williamson. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Injuries: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ladder: | 14th | ||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Blues surge to 10-goal win
Carlton produced a selfless team performance in a 60-point triumph over Hawthorn. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton MediaCarlton has triumphed for the second week running, accounting for Hawthorn by 60 points at the MCG. The game was in the Blues’ control from the outset, keeping the Hawks goalless in the first half while piling on 17 of their own for the game in the 17.10 (112) to 7.10 (52) win. Jack Martin and Charlie Curnow kicked three goals apiece in a team with 11 individual goalkickers, while Blake Acres set the tone early with 12-disposal opening quarter (22 for the game). Sam Docherty finished with 26 disposals and a goal.
Quarter one
It was the late inclusion Lewis Young who started at the centre bounce in the ruck, in the absence of both Tom De Koning and Marc Pittonet. It was just the ninth time that all of Carlton’s 2015 draft class played in the same game, and it was two first-round picks - David Cuningham and Charlie Curnow - who combined for the first goal of the day. Despite conceding height in the ruck stakes, the Blues’ midfielders nullified that at ground level, outpointing their Hawks opponents to dominate the ball early: Blake Acres had 12 first-quarter disposals, while Adam Cerra and Sam Walsh (11 each) weren’t far behind. Some nimble work from McKay at ground level solidified the Blues’ advantage when he assisted Cuningham for his first goal back since a long injury layoff. When the Hawks did attack, Brodie Kemp and Jacob Weitering did well to repel, while Alex Cincotta and Nic Newman were aggressive higher up the ground. Hawthorn began to attack more as the quarter went on, but Carlton’s backline held firm to maintain a 19-point lead.
Quarter two
The Blues’ willingness to fight at ground level was evident inside the opening minute of the second term, when Charlie Curnow, Patrick Cripps and Cuningham combined for the latter’s second goal. After the Blues were +46 for disposals in the opening quarter, the possession count started to even up, as some opportunities in front of goal went begging for the Hawks. The Blues well and truly made their opponents pay at the other end, with some blistering ball movement - led by Patrick Cripps - ending in Cerra hitting the scoreboard. The twin towers in Curnow and McKay followed shortly after, while at the other end, Jacob Weitering was impervious with 14 disposals and seven intercepts against the in-form Mitch Lewis. It was Carlton’s spread which was key, having 61 more uncontested possession than the Hawks to half time, as the Blues kept the Hawks goalless in the first half — the first time they’ve managed to do that after 170 games against them.
Quarter three
Sam Docherty didn’t take long into the first half to provide one of the individual highlights of the match, shrugging off a tackle and curling one home in front of a delighted Carlton Cheersquad. The Blues’ defence was finally breached for the first time at the six-minute mark of the third quarter, which was quickly followed by two more to bring the margin back to 38 points. With the Blues under increasing pressure, Acres - who had worked tirelessly all day - was the one to step up, taking a strong mark on the goal line to give the Blues some extra breathing room. As the Hawks looked to take the game to the Blues, the game turned more and more to a battle of transition, with Docherty finding Martin following a turnover for his second major. Lachie Fogarty continued to battle hard with seven tackles to the final change, while Cripps and Docherty led the way with 20 disposals apiece.
Quarter four
The final term started as the third term ended from a Carlton scoreboard point of view, with Martin - after a fingertip mark - kicked his third. It staved off any possibility of a Hawthorn comeback, with the final term largely played on Carlton’s terms like the first half. After an unselfish assist for Cerra, Charlie Curnow kicked his third major before being subbed off for George Hewett for pure management reasons. Carlton spun the magnets around all day, with Cripps and Matthew Kennedy both spending time inside 50, while Cuningham and Fogarty featured at the centre bounce. It was a 60-point margin come the final siren, marking the Blues’ biggest win over the Hawks in nearly 30 years.
Best: S. Docherty, A. Cerra, B. Acres, P. Cripps, H. McKay, J. Martin, J. Weitering, L. Fogarty, D. Cuningham.
Three things we learned
1. The Blues would’ve been wary of the threat the Hawks hold, no matter the buffer. In the last four games between these two sides prior to today, Carlton had kicked out to 36, 31, 23 and 40-point leads: the Blues lost the first two, and then prevailed in close finishes in the others. Despite a brief purple patch in the third term, the Blues had a largely comfortable day this time around, holding off the Hawthorn challenge.
2. Contributors all over the park. Much like the last Carlton game, the Blues could hang their hat on a proper team performance against the Hawks. It started in the middle of the ground, with makeshift rucks Lewis Young and Jack Silvagni putting in a shift all afternoon. There wasn’t one dominant ballwinner (eight Blues had 19 disposals or more), while the Blues once again had 11 individual goalkickers.
3. It was selfless a team performance as Carlton has produced this year. On numerous occasions, the Blues chose to find a teammate than go for glory themselves, with their commitment to one another evident. Carlton produced 86 tackles for the game (its highest tally for the year), while also taking 20 marks inside 50 (second highest in 2023).
Blues cruise to 19-year first, Star’s ‘open hand’ claim despite striking report: - David Zita Foz Sports.
Carlton has registered back-to-back wins for the first time since round four, with a barnstorming opening half paving the way for a comfortable win over Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday, 17.10 (112) to 7.10 (52). The Blues kept their opponent goalless in the opening half for the first time since 2004, with the Hawks never able to realistically threaten from that point onward. A stern test faces the Blues next week, when they travel to Perth to take on Fremantle, while Hawthorn will also travel to take on Greater Western Sydney.
1st Quarter
Tom De Koning was a late out with a knee issue and was replaced by Lewis Young. Finn Maginness (Hawthorn) and George Hewett (Carlton) were the subs. The Blues stormed out to an early lead, looking synchronised as they did against the Gold Coast Suns a fortnight prior. Charlie Curnow kicked the first goal of the game, with Jack Martin and David Cunningham joining the party next. Hawthorn had chances to hit the scoreboard but were unable to convert them for goals. Carlton entered quarter-time with a 19-point lead.
2nd Quarter
Proceedings resumed in the second quarter, with the Hawks rarely threatening to score while the Blues continued to add to their goal tally. A heavy collision between Jack Martin and Dylan Moore was the only sour point for the Blues, with Martin going into the Blues changerooms afterwards. By the close of the half, the Hawks had recorded their first goalless opening half since 2017. The Blues took a whopping 50-point lead into the main break and it was the first time the Blues held a team goalless in an opening half since 2004.
3rd Quarter
Hawthorn finally got on the board just under six minutes into the third quarter after some classy work from Chad Wingard set up Mitch Lewis in an open goalsquare. The Hawks added another two goals to their total over the next five minutes, with the Hawthorn faithful beginning to find voice in earnest. Carlton steadied to an extent to take a 38-point lead into the final quarter.
4th Quarter
The Blues did more than enough to dash any hopes of a Hawthorn upset in the final term. The only concern for the Blues will be for star defender Jacob Weitering, who was reported for striking during the match and faces a nervous wait for the Match Review Officer’s findings.
!!!!THE 3-2-1
3) BARNSTORMING BLUES BOOK IN BACK-TO-BACK WINS
There was plenty to like about Carlton for the second consecutive match, with the side firing on all cylinders in a blistering first half. For Hawthorn, the side has regressed to the mean after a shock win over the Brisbane Lions heading into the bye, with heavy losses to Gold Coast and now the Blues. There’s more to like about Carlton than there was to dislike about Hawthorn, according to Brisbane Lions premiership great Jonathan Brown. “I think it‘s more about Carlton. They’ve been really connected out there on the field, their work rate has been outstanding on offence and defence,” he said at the close of the first half, when the Blues had kept the Hawks goalless and opened up a 50-point lead. “They’ve had 43 tackles, which is a really high number in a half of football considering you’re about 10 goals up. “They’ve been able to set up really well behind the ball as well.” Key to the side’s performance was Jacob Weitering, with the star defender imposing himself on the contest for much of the day. He finished the match with nine intercepts and four score involvements to go with nine marks. “Jacob Weitering has been influential with his intercept marks, but I think it‘s more symbolic of the way they set up behind the ball,” Brown said at half-time. “He’s one of the highest rated players on the ground and starting to get back into form over the last few weeks. He’s been outstanding in that regard. “He’s had 14 disposals, obviously it helps to set up behind the ball, but he’s been very good.”
2) BLUES STAR SET TO SWEAT ON MRO
Weitering’s form makes it all the more concerning that he was placed on report for striking and could miss against Fremantle next week. The 25-year-old struck Lloyd Meek during the match and gave away a free kick, with strikes off the ball usually graded intentional conduct under match review guidelines. Also to note, such incidents are usually not classified as low impact, even if the actual impact was low. It lowers the threshold for Weitering to receive at least a one-match ban when the Match Review Officer’s findings drop on Monday night. Intentional conduct with medium impact would mean Weitering would miss at least one match. If contact is graded high, it would result in a two-match ban, while contact graded as body would mean a one-match ban. “I’ve never been placed on report before,” Jacob Weitering told Kath Loughnan on Fox Footy post-match. “I felt like it was open hand on the chest. “We’ll see what happens later on in the week. I play the game contested, so we’ll just see and worry about next week.”
1) RUN HOME REMAINS A TEST
The Blues had a bigger percentage boost on offer, but wins have been hard to come by in recent times for Michael Voss’ side, so back-to-back wins are vital. The equation for them now is still that two or more losses in their final matches will all-but certainly dash their finals hopes. A clash with Fremantle in the West is a much tougher proposition than in Victoria, then Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium presents another fierce challenge. They’ll get another chance for a percentage boost against the Eagles in round 19, but finals still seem a significant challenge given some of their remaining clashes include Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG. It’s not an enviable challenge, but the Blues have left themselves no choice given their six straight losses before round 14. If the switch has truly flicked, we’ll know against the Dockers.
Selfless, simplicity hallmarks for Voss in win
Michael Voss sums up the team's performance in the Round 16 win. - By Carlton Media.Selflessness and simplicity in performance. Carlton had a job to do against Hawthorn in Round 16, and the most pleasing aspect for AFL Senior Coach Michael Voss was that the team stuck to its guns. Spreading the load for the second straight win, the Blues produced their biggest win over the Hawks in nearly three decades, romping to a 60-point victory at the home of football. This is what Voss had to say on the showing as a whole.
On what stood out:
“It was the simplicity of the performance. It was the pressure around the ball and the ability to be able to get after them which was really pleasing. “Through the third quarter, they were able to get out a little bit more, but on the main, we stuck to the task of making it as difficult as possible for them to move the ball with any fluency. We were really strong around contest for most of the day and we were able to play the game mostly in our half.”
On the spread across the board:
“That’s been true for the last couple of weeks. We’re taking a bit more in sharing the load and taking our turn when we need to. We’re seeing more midfielders roll through the middle of the ground — not just the stock players you’ve seen through there. “As a result of that, we’re getting some really good outcomes, but that’s coming on the back of some really good pressure and selfless, teammate behaviour.”
On the key message coming out of the bye:
“I’d like to say that we did something different to what everybody else has done, but everybody has been really conscious of it. Likewise us. What we get to do is look after the controllables, and that’s how we train and prepare. “We’ve got nothing to rest our laurels on: we’ve got a season ahead of us and games we want to impact. We’ve been determined to turn some indifferent form and get a clearer picture on what our style looks like. “When you put that forward, you’ve got some things to work on and you’ve got guys that are committed to making that change, then you get more performances like that.”
On scoring more frequently:
“It hasn’t been because we’ve put a greater emphasis on our offence. We’ve been pretty firm on what our direction needed to look like, and it was making sure we defended really well. “Some of the selfless behaviour in getting a better shot selection in our front half was important, but we came in at halftime and celebrated the five points conceded to Hawthorn more so than the score we kicked.”
On the team staying present:
“Our carrot is to get better against us. We have to find ways to improve, because where we’ve been, we haven’t been good enough. Our competition exists with how we want to get better with our things, the way we want to be able to play and the roles that we want to be able to do. “That’s where our competition lies right now, and if we can full the find full version of that, I know we’ll be okay. If that puts us in with a shout, that puts us in with a shout. But it won’t be the focus for us: we’ll stay completely present, we’ve got a really big game coming up next.”
Team
| B: | 23 Jacob Weitering | 17 Brodie Kemp | 24 Nic Newman |
| HB: | 37 Jordan Boyd | 11 Mitch McGovern | 42 Adam Saad |
| C: | 15 Sam Docherty | 9 Patrick Cripps (c) | 13 Blake Acres |
| HF: | 28 David Cuningham | 8 Lachie Fogarty | 44 Matt Owies |
| F: | 35 Ed Curnow | 30 Charlie Curnow | 10 Harry McKay |
| Ruck: | 33 Lewis Young | 18 Sam Walsh | 5 Adam Cerra |
| Interchange: | 1 Jack Silvagni | 7 Matthew Kennedy | 21 Jack Martin |
| 39 Alex Cincotta | |||
| Substitute: | 29 George Hewett | ||
| Coach: | Michael Voss | ||
| Emergencies: | 32 Jaxon Binns | 12 Tom De Koning | 36 Josh Honey |
-* Late Change Lewis Young replaced Tom De Koning in the selected side
In: Jack Silvagni, Ed Curnow, Lewis Young, George Hewett
Out: Tom De Koning & Marc Pittonet (both injuried), Matthew Cottrell (suspended), Paddy Dow (omitted)
Substitute: George Hewett (replaced Charlie Curnow in 4th Quarter).
Interesting Facts
1. Jack Silvagni had a career-high 12 hit-outs in this game.AFLCA Votes
10 - Adam Cerra (CARL)5 - Sam Walsh (CARL)
5 - Jacob Weitering (CARL)
5 - Harry McKay (CARL)
3 - Blake Acres (CARL)
2 - Patrick Cripps (CARL)
Brownlow Votes
3 - Patrick Cripps (CARL)2 - Sam Walsh (CARL)
1 - Adam Cerra (CARL)
Best and Fairest Votes
Video
Round 15 | Round 17