Umpires: Robinson and James

Goalkickers: P.Bosustow 3, D.Clarke 3, M.Fitzpatrick 2, P.Maylin 2, W.Johnston 1, R.Ashman 1,

Best; R.Austin, D.English, D.Glascott, F.Marchesani, V.Perovic, A.Marcou, P.Maylin, R.Ashman

Reports: Nil

Injuries: W.Jones (depressed fracture of the cheekbone)

Game Review

Carlton defender Rod "Curly" Austin, was best afield for his magnificient display against Geelong. Austin stuck like glue to Geelong speedstar Michael Turner and played a perfect tagging role. Des English also was resolute in defence providing strong rebound whilst keeping the Cats small men quiet. - Inside Football Player of the Year.

Carlton player pool has plenty of depth.
Any VFL club with the ambition to go to the top of the heap, and stay there, should have a close look at Carlton. The Blues not only annexed last year's premiership but, on current form, could make it two in a row to fulfil coach David Parkin's most precious ambition. Carlton has the chance to win back-to-back premierships because it has the depth of talent to overcome most losses through injuries or suspensions. When Carlton played Essendon at VFL Park on April 3, the Blues were a mere shadow of the combination that had swept the opposition aside in recent seasons. The Blues were without Mark Maclure, Rod Austin, Val Perovic and Des English, among others. The Blues had precious little height, especially in defence, and went down to Essendon for the club's only defeat of the season so far.

You might have recalled that skipper, Mike Fitzpatrick, was still nursing a surgical wound in that match and should not have played. The Blues, however have regrouped since then and, in the past couple of weeks, have shown exactly what they can do when near full strength. Carlton made Geelong look second rate on Saturday and just a couple of weeks earlier had made Hawthorn look like country bumpkins in one of the finest quarters you would ever see from a league side. Yet the Blues have not been at full strength all season, several stars missing from key matches each week.

Against Geelong on Saturday, the Blues were without Mark Maclure, Ken Sheldon, Jim Buckley, Barry Armstrong and Peter McConville and, for half of the match Warren Jones. Pity help any side when the Blues are at full strength. But look at the Carlton players who just can't crack it for a senior game, even with several stars sidelined through injury. Greg Wells, Mario Bortolotto, Ross Ditchburn, Rod Waddell, Alan Montgomery, Greg Sharp, Stephen Easton and Brendan Hartney would get games at most other clubs. Ditchburn and Montgomery were big names in WA but simply cannot break into the powerful Carlton line-up.

Many critics insist that Carlton's strength is its brilliant band of small men, that theory being knocked for six on Saturday, however. The Blues were without Ken Sheldon and Jim Buckley, which meant that Rod Ashman and Alex Marcou did the work normally shared by four Carlton small men. Yet the Blues still managed to wipe the floor with Geelong. As I said, pity help the club that meets a full-strength Carlton. Jim Main Inside Football.

Carlton stormed home in the final 35 minutes of its match against Geelong at Princes Park to take control of what had been an even contest. The Blues eventually won by 61 points after the Cats had led 24 minutes into the third quarter, were eventually overun by the more polished Blues. - Football Record.

Team

Video