Wet underfoot as we start after evening rain, but it’s not falling at the bounce.
Durdin rides a tackle after roving on the HFF to give to Pittonet, he feeds Walsh to snap the first goal off the right across the body from 40m on a slight angle. (Q1 6:06)
Pittonet gets a ruck free on Gawn for high contact 40m out on a slight angle and boots a rare goal. (Q1 9:20)
Martin flies over Lever to take a contested grab at the top of the goalsquare from an Oliver Hollands speculator from the HFF. He goals, the Blues have the jump. (Q1 11:22)
Oliver Hollands tumbles a kick from outer wing to the flank 45m out for McKay to mark in front of McDonald and van Rooyen. McKay’s drop punt is a peach. (Q1 20:17)
Rain now falling, this lead is already looking imposing. (Q1 20:17)
Despite the rain this game is still being played with dry-weather skills, a healthy amount of marks and not much fumbling. (Q1 22:22)
De Koning clunks the mark from a long Acres ball up the guts to 40m in front of Lever, his set shot falls inside the right goalpost for another one for the Blues! (Q1 26:47)
Elijah Hollands intercepts McVee in the centre to start a fast break, Curnow’s link mark on the HFF leads to a pass to Owies 30m out in front who steers through another one! (Q2 8:16)
Sparrow receives from Windsor after the next bounce, runs up the guts and passes to Petracca 30m out in front, he belatedly kicks the first goal of the night for Melbourne. (Q2 10:02)
Petracca marks a Swallow pass 50m out on the flank and chooses to play on and snap under pressure… flies narrow to the left. (Q2 12:27)
Langdon sails a high ball inside 50 from outer wing, Petracca takes a chest mark leading out of the square in front of McGovern 30m out on a slight angle for his second goal. (Q2 13:43)
Howes is pinged for insufficient intent 45m out, Oliver Hollands takes the free kick but the ball skids into the far left post. (Q2 18:56)
Curnow leaps over a pack at the hotspot well ahead of May to take a lovely chest mark from a Kennedy speculator from members wing. He misses to the left. (Q2 20:19)
Repeat inside 50s for Carlton add up, Cripps roves a pack in the goalsquare for another one! (Q2 22:39)
Owies converts his second set shot of the quarter from 45m out on a slight angle after marking a Cripps pass in front of Lever. This lead is now almost insurmountable in the wet. (Q2 25:21)
Cowan hits Neal-Bullen after disposal on outer wing, downfield free to Turner 45m out on a slight angle which he converts. (Q2 27:19)
Martin bounces a pass to the pocket for Curnow after the first bounce of Q3, Curnow gathers ahead of May and snaps over his shoulder off the right boot for a pearler! (Q3 0:39)
A review on that Curnow shot showed that May had his fingers near the trajectory of the ball but the goal stands. (Q3 1:39)
Centre clearance to Melbourne, Pickett had an anonymous first half but he wobbles through his first goal from near CHF after roving. (Q3 2:09)
Kennedy feeds Owies to snap his third goal from the top of the square, another goal from centre bounce. (Q3 4:05)
Another downfield free for a late hit on Neal-Bullen, this one across the chops by Newman. Fritsch hits the post from the hotspot. (Q3 9:53)
Durdin sets Walsh off to run to 40m on a slight angle and shoot… but miss to the left. (Q3 13:19)
Petracca snaps his third goal roving a throw in to the hotspot. (Q3 15:40)
Another centre clearance goal from the next bounce, this one to Curnow checksiding from the hotspot making good on Cerra’s kick. (Q3 17:10)
Cincotta’s desperate dive pushes a grubber by Pickett across the face from the pocket 20m out after Kosi had roved a Fritsch contest at full pace. (Q3 21:11)
Boyd spoils Chandler on the HBF but gets caught HTB after roving. Bing lines up from 40m with a wet ball… nicks the outside of the near left post. (Q3 22:10)
Petracca runs to the HFF and passes to Fritch 25m out on the flank who curls in the goal off the left in the modern style. (Q3 27:55)
van Rooyen gives to Petracca on the HFF, he runs to 30m and gets tackled but has the strength to get the checkside off for goal number four! (Q3 31:41)
Hewett snaps the first goal of Q4 from the hotspot, yet another goal from centre bounce. (Q4 0:37)
Fritsch hits the lead of Petracca ahead of Cowan 40m out near the boundary. Tough set shot, this for number five… wide and rushed. (Q4 3:28)
Lever sends a repeat inside 50 kick up the guts to the hotspot, Petty has done bugger all tonight but he clunks this one… and fades his set shot right of the post. (Q4 4:18)
van Rooyen converts a set shot from 20m out in front to keep the game somewhat interesting, albeit Melbourne haven’t really looked like seriously threatening at any stage. (Q4 15:39)
Kemp gets tackled in possession in the back pocket by van Rooyen but throws his head forward to draw a free for a dangerous tackle. Dodgy decision, and crucial. (Q4 18:23)
Kennedy turns the ball over by hand at half back, McVee bombs long to the square, the ball pitches behind the pack but skids across the face for a point. (Q4 19:26)
Martin spoils 20m out, ball skids towards the behind line, Viney dives and taps it back to the square, Windsor volleys past Acres, was it a goal? Review… (Q4 24:24)
Review ruling is a goal, 13 points the difference, 3:58 to play! Game is still live, amazingly. (Q4 25:09)
Billings worries Cottrell off a loose footy on the HFF, Petty pokes a pass to Petracca in the pocket 20m out, Trac curls it in, seven points in it, 2:57 to play! (Q4 26:37)
Pickett roves a ball up 15m out but manages to snap into the behind post OOTF on the opposite side! That would have been a handy point! (Q4 29:26)
McDonald intercepts Walsh’s rebound kick, Gawn marks 45m out in front, rushes the set shot but this is big Maxy’s one wood, he roosts the huge goal! (Q4 31:10)
40 seconds to play and a point in it! (Q4 31:25)
Rivers volleys to half forward, Owies fumbles it, eventually out for a throw in 40m out in the Melbourne forward pocket, 26 seconds! (Q4 32:06)
Newman catches Petracca HTB at the throw in, can Carlton ice it from here? (Q4 32:27)
Newman’s long bomb to the wing is out for a throw in, five seconds to go! (Q4 32:41)
Gawn taps over the back but no Dee is there, siren goes, Blues hold on by a point! (Q4 33:13)
