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| Venue: | Adelaide Oval. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date: | Thursday 30 May 2024 (7.30 pm). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: | Won by 36 points. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Crowd: | 40,532 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: | Z. Williams 3.2, H. McKay 3.1, C. Curnow 3.1, P. Cripps 2.0, T. DeKoning 1.1, M. McGovern 1.0, B. Kemp 1.0, A. Cincotta 1.0, B. Acres 1.0, A. Saad 0.1, M. Owies 0.1, E. Hollands 0.1, O. Fantasia 0.1, Rushed 0.2. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Nil. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Umpires: | Nick Foot, Matt Stevic, Jamie Broadbent, Craig Fleer. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Injuries: | Nil. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ladder: | 5th | ||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Incredible final term sees Blues storm home
Carlton has produced a devastating final term to come away with a 36-point win against Port Adelaide. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton MediaA blue blitz. Carlton has stormed home against the Power at Adelaide Oval, kicking eight goals in the final term to break open a tight game and come away with a 36-point victory. In a game where the margin didn’t pass double digits for the opening three quarters, the Blues were utterly brilliant in last 30 minutes, with Patrick Cripps (two final-quarter goals) leading the charge. Sam Walsh and Nic Newman were exceptional, while Tom De Koning continued a career-best 2024 as the Blues recorded their eighth win of the campaign — and second consecutive at the previously problematic Adelaide Oval.
Quarter one
After Port Adelaide made the early break with a goal from a free kick inside the opening minute, Carlton clicked into gear, largely led by ruckman Tom De Koning. The big man started brilliantly, amassing five disposals, two clearances and a goal inside the opening 15 minutes to provide a spark in enemy territory. It shot the Blues into action, with Patrick Cripps bursting out of congestion and assisting Charlie Curnow just minutes later. With two sides who pride themselves on the contest, it was no surprise that the opening term was combative, with Brodie Kemp and Mitch McGovern needing to step up defensively in the early going with intercept marks. When the Blues got going forward, they did everything to keep it there, forcing nine forward-half turnovers in the first quarter but only able to generate one goal from it. After having the upper hand early, the Blues were beaten in the clearance game by the Power in the second half of the term, conceding 10 consecutive clearances as the home side got its territory game going. Nic Newman contributed eight first-quarter disposals to continue his good run of form, as the Blues looked to be more patient with their ball movement to deny the Power after a hot start in the pressure stakes. It paid off in the final minute, with a strong mark by George Hewett ending in a Curnow free kick to level the scores at the first break.
Quarter two
An unlikely goalkicker popped up to set the tone for the Blues, when Brodie Kemp drifted forward and converted for just his second career goal inside the opening moments. From there, eight goalless minutes ensued as an arm wrestle emerged at Adelaide Oval. It was left to Harry McKay to break the deadlock, who forced a turnover inside 50 and snapped truly to give the Blues a game-high lead in the first half. It wasn’t a game where run and carry was prevalent, but that didn’t stop Ollie Hollands from having his say on the contest, accumulating a game-high five tackles in the first half — narrowly ahead of brother Elijah with four. Zak Butters began to get involved for the Power, but Alex Cincotta was diligent in his role on the star Power onballer, restricting him to just one score involvement from 12 first-half disposals. Walsh continued to motor with 10 disposals in the second term, taking his tally to an equal game-high 16 at the main break alongside Newman. It was a clash of opposite styles in terms of going forward, with four of Carlton’s goals from turnover while three of Port’s four goals came from stoppages. The Blues were the No.1 contested possession side coming into the game, but Port had the narrow lead at half time: however, the Blues had eight more tackles than the Power, who led the competition in the stat coming into the night. Carlton’s pressure rating was over 200 for the second straight quarter, but were forced to hold on late, as inaccuracy for the Power - who kicked 1.6 for the term - meant the Blues took a narrow three-point lead into the main break.
Quarter three
After being beaten in the clearance count in the first two quarters, the Blues well and truly dialled it up at the source to start the third term. Alex Cincotta and Ollie Hollands started to get their hands on the ball after spending a lot of the first half defending, while the Blues managed to turn the territory game around, recording the first seven inside 50s of the quarter. However, as is so often the case, the Blues - like the Power in the second term - failed to capitalise, and their opposition looked to make them pay. On the Blues’ side, however, was third-quarter Charlie Curnow, who has proven to be a different beast in 2024. Curnow recorded a goal himself while registering a direct assist for McKay, with Carlton looking to keep their noses in front against a dogged Port Adelaide outfit. The Blues had to be up for the fight, with Walsh recording seven disposals and six tackles in the third quarter alone, while Jacob Weitering shut down Charlie Dixon expertly with just one disposal before the Port forward was subbed out. McGovern had a crucial defensive moment while the Blues’ heat on the ball was fierce, with a late goal to Zac Williams ensuring the Blues took a seven-point lead into the final change.
Quarter four
Last week when the game needed someone to dictate proceedings, Patrick Cripps stepped up: he doubled down this week. Inside the opening four minutes, Cripps - who had relatively quiet by his standards in the third term - turned the game on its head, kicking back-to-back goals and starting an unbelievable run for the Blues. In the final term, Carlton piled on 8.1, with 7.1 coming directly from clearances after being well held in the statistic all night. Cripps had nine disposals and two goals, Walsh had 11 and four tackles, Acres 10 disposals and a goal as the Blues’ midfielders well and truly got on top. There were some nervy moments, with Jeremy Finlayson and Todd Marshall kicking majors to keep them within a sniff, but the Blues weren’t to be denied. Their contested possession count surged past the Power and they comfortably beat their opponents in the tackle count, recording 75 for the game as their pressure and contest was sustained over four quarters. It was an emphatic finish from the Blues, with McKay and Williams taking their tally to three for the game on a brilliant night away from home for Carlton.
Best: S. Walsh, N. Newman, T. De Koning, J. Weitering, P. Cripps, A. Saad, A. Cincotta.
Blistering fourth quarter sees Blues power past Port
An eight-goal final term has set Carlton up for a 36-point win over Port Adelaide - By Gemma BastianiCarlton has shaken off a poor record at Adelaide Oval to post a commanding 36-point win over fellow top-four fancy Port Adelaide on Thursday evening. It's just the side's second win at the venue in 11 years, and its first win over a South Australian side. An immense fourth quarter, in which they doubled their goal tally for the game, saw the Blues run away 16.11 (107) to 10.11 (71) winners over the Power. After a quiet start to the game, Carlton captain Patrick Cripps (22 disposals, two goals) made a massive statement to open the final term, slotting two big goals to stretch the margin after the lead swung back and forth six times in the first three quarters. In stark contrast to the previous 90 minutes, Carlton became super-efficient coming out of centre stoppages late, finding four quick goals thanks to that clearance control, putting the Power on the back foot. Much of this was a result of Tom De Koning's (28 hitouts, eight clearances, one goal) superb work in the ruck, who was impressive all evening. Sam Walsh (33 disposals, 13 tackles, eight clearances) was tireless, while Nic Newman's (29 disposals, eight marks) impact was consistent throughout the game.
It wasn't simply the Blues' ability to get it forward that was so damaging, but the speed with which the ball was going inside 50. That speed opened the attacking arc wide, offering plenty of composed opportunities at goal. The Power did enjoy some serious attacking muscle out of the midfield for large patches, by way of Zak Butters (23 disposals, five clearances) and Jason Horne-Francis (22 disposals, 10 clearances). The latter's impressive run through stoppages became a feature as the game wore on, with no Blues able to go with him. In a seriously hot contest, pressure on the ball carrier and attempts to force the opposition into smaller and smaller pockets of space was evident from both sides. Port Adelaide's ability to squeeze the Blues, combined with its host of intercepting defenders, made life especially difficult for Carlton's forwards. Rarely did they enjoy a clean run at the footy, and the visitors' ball use going inside 50 was at times rushed and panicked.
This forced Carlton to get creative inside 50, assisted by the contested marking strength of Charlie Curnow and De Koning, but also the ability of players like George Hewett and Brodie Kemp to either offer a neat link or hit the scoreboard themselves. Curnow (three goals, seven marks) was immense, competing beautifully in the air and slotting goals from all areas, and often made his teammates forward 50 entries look better than they necessarily were. Being able to tick the scoreboard over when things weren't quite as neat as they'd like meant the Blues were in a position to pounce when they hit the accelerator after the final break. This wasn't the case for Port Adelaide, however, with a dominant second quarter respawning the side's conversion issues that have hurt it this year, kicking just one goal from seven scores. But one player's who had no problems kicking majors rather than minors was Mitch Georgiades, who kicked four goals to take charge of the Power's attack.
Holding the ball?
After an adjustment to the interpretation of holding the ball was made during the week, Thursday's clash was the first look at the impact it would have on the competition. While players certainly looked to get rid of the football with a little more efficiency throughout the match, there wasn't a significant increase in free kicks for holding the ball. The adjustment, however, was clear in the case of the player with the footy having one arm restricted, the new interpretation came into play, with two paid in the opening half against Carlton's Charlie Curnow, and Port Adelaide's Kane Farrell.
Best: P. Cripps, C. Curnow, T. De Koning, N. Newman, S. Walsh, Z. Williams.
'They spanked us there': Hinkley rues dominant Blues
Ken Hinkley has pointed to Carlton's dominant fourth quarter as where it all went wrong for Port Adelaide - By Gemma BastianiKen Hinkley has admitted his side was "spanked" in the last quarter of its 36-point loss to Carlton on Thursday evening. After Port Adelaide went into the final break trailing by just seven points, two quick Patrick Cripps goals kickstarted the Blues, and from there the Power simply couldn't regain control. "(It was) solid until three-quarter time between both teams, and then (the Blues) went to another level, around the ball particularly, and they were able to go forward and score," Hinkley said post-game. "They were just dominant in the last quarter… they dominated from ruck to ground, and to the first opportunity after that. They were better than us in the last quarter. It's hard to deny, isn't it? They spanked us there." When the Power did have control, its inability to cash in on the scoreboard ultimately hurt it, kicking one goal from seven scores in the second quarter. "It hurts you, no doubt about that. Scoring when you get your moments is pretty important," he said. But Hinkley was measured in the face of a disappointing loss, pointing to his side's 8-4 record heading into the bye, and sitting third on the ladder with the remainder of the round to play. "We're 8-4, we've played pretty well to this point, we're accurately where we are I think. We're in that mid-tier that's a big group of teams that are fighting. There's clearly one side that's standing out, the rest are trying to still sort it out," Hinkley said. "On tonight's game we've got a lot more to do and a lot more to sort out."
Meanwhile Carlton coach Michael Voss was pleased that his charges were challenged, and able to rise above it to snatch an important win. Coming into the game, the Blues had won just one game at Adelaide Oval, and never defeated a South Australian side at the venue. "We don't play the venue, we play the opposition," Voss said. "I guess as part of our transformation as a team over the last two or three years, it feels like there's been a number of records that we've had to try and change… Wins like tonight I guess go in that bucket a little bit. "It's just that nice little signature moment if you want to call it that, where a record that has been there, or a history that's been there, is not so much a factor anymore." Carlton's ability to put the foot down in the last quarter to really take the game away from the Power was built on a willingness to adapt, as well as lean on leaders like Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh. "We're showing a great ability to be able to adapt at the moment. We're coming in at half time, we're looking at the game, we're seeing what we like, we're seeing what we don't like, and we've been able to change a few things," Voss said. "We never, ever say that anyone steps up in big moments, but sometimes they just show themselves. And 'Crippa' as the captain did that." Although some of the new interpretations of holding the ball went against the Blues, the adjustments are helping to improve the game according to Voss. "There were a couple, and I thought for the better," Voss said. Referring to two calls in particular, one against Charlie Curnow and another against Matthew Owies, Voss felt the adjudication was "safer for the player". "In the current landscape of AFL football, with all the current things that are really important to us, that we say are important to us, I thought those two decisions were correct."
Voss speaks on "signature" win
It was a four-quarter performance which set up Carlton's 36-point win over Port Adelaide. - By Carlton Media.A signature moment.
Carlton has had a few breakthrough wins under Michael Voss, and the AFL Senior Coach is putting the 36-point triumph over Port Adelaide in a similar basket. After being right up for the fight across the first three quarters, the Blues stormed home in enemy territory, slamming on eight goals in the final term to enjoy their first win over South Australian opposition at Adelaide Oval. This is what Voss had to say.
On a special win at Adelaide Oval, traditionally an unhappy hunting ground:
“It is. As part of our transformation as a team over the last two or three years, it feels like there’s been a number of records that we’ve had to try and change. The results haven’t been in our favour for a period of time as a club, so there a few of those things where the ledger isn’t in the right way. “The last two or three years, we’ve gradually been able to go about creating that transformation and creating that consistency not only as a football team, but as a football club. Wins like tonight probably go in that bucket. It’s a nice little signature moment where a record that has been there or history that has been there isn’t so much a factor anymore. “We certainly don’t see it that way anymore. We tend to look at the way we play: we don’t play the venue, we play the opposition and we want to play a certain way. We were able to do that today.”
On how the last quarter played out:
“I thought that was maybe some reward for large parts of the game. I don’t tend to dive too much into the statistics in the end, but there were a lot in our favour. The game we were trying to play was in our favour, we had a couple of parts that weren’t exactly where we needed it. “Horne-Francis was particularly impressive in that period of time, so clearance wasn’t going our way. The profile of this team is evolving, it’s changing. We’re not one dimensional. While one part of our game might not be going the way we would’ve liked, the guys were able to make the correction and we got to work in the last quarter. By the weight of the way we were playing, we ended up getting the result in the end.”
On what changed over the course of the game:
“There were two or three things. Aliir was one that was intercepting, they were intercepting the ball a bit too much through the third quarter. Again, we’re showing a great ability to be able to adapt at the moment. We’re coming in at half time, we’re looking at the game, we’re seeing what we like and we’re seeing what we don’t like. We’ve been able to change a few things or tinker a few things. “It says to me that the players are in really good form, their ears are open, they’re able to take the information in and they’re able to go out and execute. It tells me they’re in pretty good form and feeling pretty good about themselves.”
On Patrick Cripps’ last-quarter showing:
“He’s certainly a big believer in we weren’t going to stop, we had to keep playing the same way and we had to take them on. It looked a bit like that, didn’t it? It was a centre-square bounce game. We took our moments. Port had to roll the dice a bit more at the end of the game and we were able to create those turnovers that gave us looks back the other way. “We were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over, they needed to be a bit braver to win the game which is fair enough. Despite that, we were able to stick to what we wanted to do, we still kept pressure around the ball and we kept our composure in key moments. We never say that anyone has to step up in big moments, but sometimes they just show themselves. ‘Crippa’, as the captain, did that.”
On the midfield getting to work:
“We just had to get some detail around our stoppages which we needed to fix up. They were breaking far too easily and getting too many metres off that. That was a challenge, so there were a couple of little tidy ups — minor structure, more about method. The boys were really responsive to that. Then it came down to belief, and the belief is growing within this group. “But results like tonight don’t confirm your belief about what you’re about, we’ve been playing against some really good teams in the last little while. It feels like we’re playing every team in the top eight or close to the top four: we’ve been challenged in a lot of areas, but as a result, we’ve found out more about ourselves and we rose to it tonight.”
On projecting what could happen in the second half of the season:
“It’s a bit hard to cast too far forward. What we’ve done pretty well for the last little while is get after the next opponent. It’s been dangerous to think otherwise, because everyone is looking forward about who we’re playing but what we’ve done is dial in on the opponent we’ve got. We’ve stayed pretty present to that. “We learned a lot of things about ourselves last year. For the sheer fact we’ve gone through that, we’ve got a clearer understanding of what it takes to work our way through it, whether it’s form or things aren’t quite right. We’ve got a clear understanding of what our identity is and what we need to be able to get after. The last couple of weeks, it’s become clearer again for us. The players have been in a position to execute really well.”
On the holding-the-ball adjudication:
“There were a couple, and I thought for the better. There was one that was against Charlie and I thought that was safer for the player, if you want to call it that — I’m not even talking about prior. There was a Matty Owies one as well that I thought ‘that’s how it should be adjudicated in the current landscape of AFL football’. With all the things that are important to us and we say are important to us, I thought those two decisions were correct. As far as prior opportunity goes, it was certainly closer to where I thought it should be. “Players adjust. It’s like the manning the mark, it takes in that instance a pre-season to figure it out. Tonight, you had two teams coming off five days break, so nobody trained and we found out the adjustments after the last training session effectively. There wasn’t a lot of time to make many adjustments, but we don’t need to change much in our method really. “We’ve got to keep coaching the boys the same way and know more opportunities exist. For us, we want to bring pressure on the ball, so hopefully there’s more opportunities for us.”
On Zac Williams up forward, plus Alex Cincotta’s tagging role on Zak Butters:
"Williams kept telling me for 12 months he kicks goals. I said ‘mate, I’ve had enough of you telling me you kick goals, it’s now time to go forward and kick goals’. He’s been more than that. He’s been able to go up there and have an impact, he’s brought some fresh energy to our group, he’s tough and he’s hard and he’s clean over the footy. He’s hard to beat. “It’s been an adjustment that’s come off challenge, and it’s been amazing the guys that have stepped up. I talked last week about having a dual win with being able to bring Cowan in, and he was ready to go. It felt like he was ready to go off his form that he had, it was a great opportunity for us. “It gave us the chance to look at Zac forward of the ball, and Cincotta as well we toyed with for probably over a month about doing that role but he was doing such a great job down back on some of the smalls and defending them. We’re giving him a different task, he’s a big body and he’s hungry. I spoke about it last week, but he’s gone about it again against a very good opponent.”
On the potential of tagging Horne-Francis:
“To Butters’ credit, he kept fighting and kept digging and kept trying to find a way. It was a pretty good contest. We needed that role. You could’ve looked at the game and thought with Horne-Francis, you could’ve shifted it. “We felt like enough of the game was in our favour than to shift it and light him up for 10-15 minutes, which he can do, as we saw against Hawthorn a couple of weeks ago. We thought we needed to change a little bit of our method with that match-up and keep getting after Butters. Thankfully, we were able to work our way through it and get the result.”
On potential returns from injury:
“It’s getting smaller and smaller. Not off the top of my head returnees. ‘Marchy’ will play in the VFL on Sunday, Motlop has been back and he’ll play another game. He effectively got a practice match last week, now he’s able to play another game. “We’re banking some work, there are no injuries out of this particular game and we’ve got a 10-day break before we get into Essendon next week.”
Carlton's success hinges on Charlie Curnow
While Carlton ran away with a six-goal win over Port Adelaide, it was Charlie Curnow's efforts early in the game when it was up for grabs that set his side up for the victory. The Blues' attacking ball movement was scrappy for three quarters, not necessarily setting up its forwards for success, but Curnow's power and creativity made it look far better than it was. His three goals came in the first three quarters when the game was an arm wrestle, while he also pressed up the field when needed and expertly brought his teammates into the game. As the Blues look to challenge come the pointy end of the season, Curnow will be the key to any success they achieve. - Gemma BastianiPatty Cripps
IF ...there is a better three minutes of personal impact in a match this year than Patty Cripps’ opening to the final quarter of Thursday night’s game against Port Adelaide ...
THEN ...
nah, there won’t be. Wow. In actually less than three minutes of game time, Cripps kicked two goals, racked up a goal assist and pumped another ball inside 50 which resulted in a Blues’ goal. What a leader. What a player.
Team
| B: | 42 Adam Saad | 23 Jacob Weitering | 6 Zac Williams |
| HB: | 17 Brodie Kemp | 11 Mitch McGovern | 24 Nic Newman |
| C: | 4 Ollie Hollands | 9 Patrick Cripps (c) | 20 Elijah Hollands |
| HF: | 8 Lachie Fogarty | 10 Harry McKay | 44 Matt Owies |
| F: | 29 George Hewett | 30 Charlie Curnow | 7 Matt Kennedy |
| Ruck: | 12 Tom De Koning | 18 Sam Walsh | 39 Alex Cincotta |
| Interchange: | 37 Jordan Boyd | 13 Blake Acres | 14 Orazio Fantasia |
| 2 Lachie Cowan | |||
| Substitute: | 16 Jack Carroll | ||
| Coach: | Michael Voss | ||
| Emergencies: | 22 Caleb Marchbank | 19 Corey Durdin | 33 Lewis Young |
No Changes.
Substitute: Jack Carroll (replaced Orazio Fantasia in the last quarter).
Interesting Facts
1. This was Carlton's first win at the Adelaide Oval against a South Australian team, they had earlier this season beaten Fremantle in the Gather Round at the Adelaide Oval.2. Seven of Carlton's eight goals in the last quarter came from clearances.
3. Highest scoring quarter by any team against Port Adelaide at the refurbished Adelaide Oval (8.1.49).
4. This was the only round for the entire 2024 season that the team remained unchanged from the previous round.
Free Kicks
Carlton 14Port Adelaide 13
Front Runners
Sam Walsh 15.0kmOliver Hollands14.4km
Blake Acres 13.9km
AFLCA Votes
9 - Sam Walsh (CARL)7 - Patrick Cripps (CARL)
6 - Jason Horne-Francis (PORT)
6 - Tom De Koning (CARL)
1 - Aliir Aliir (PORT)
1 - Nic Newman (CARL)
Brownlow Votes
Best and Fairest Votes
Video
Round 11 | Round 13