Fritsch marks on the lead 30m out on the flank and kicks off the scoring with a point. (Q1 1:22)
Fritsch receives and runs ahead of his man Kemp around outer wing, he centres from the HFF to Petracca 45m out on a slight angle who boots the first goal of the night. (Q1 4:24)
McKay marks a quick kick from a stoppage on the HFF by Acres to the boundary 20m out in front of Tomlinson. Dee fans hoot but he shuts them up with a nice finish for his first. (Q1 8:38)
Melbourne’s defensive structure has been modified with Tomlinson at FB on McKay and May moving up to CHF on Charlie Curnow, to allow Lever to zone off Silvagni. (Q1 9:14)
This is going to work nicely for the Demons unless Carlton somehow find their footy brain, an organ which has gone largely unused so far this season. (Q1 10:31)
May breaks up a long ball to the square in a battle with Curnow but the Blues apply frontal pressure, Acres gets a free for a throw by Bowey 35m out in the pocket… point. (Q1 12:33)
May’s kick in turns over at half back, Walsh has a running shot from 35m on the flank but it’s way too low and Lever intercepts in the square. Wasted chance. (Q1 13:17)
Grundy sends a long speculator from the HFF to the square, the crumb falls predictably to the front where Neal-Bullen roves and goals off the left with surprising ease. (Q1 16:14)
Docherty receives and shoots across his body from 40m in front but it curls across the face for a point. (Q1 19:57)
The Demons attack the corridor from defence and nearly turn it over, Petracca keeps it going, Rivers goes long to the pocket for Chandler who misses from 25m. (Q1 22:30)
Petracca snaps off a step from near the top of the square after receiving but he’s off balance and rams it into the behind post OOTF. (Q1 26:16)
The Demons work the footy around the outer wing on the boundary drawing the man and going forward, Van Rooyen the lynch pin, eventually Pickett squeezes it home from 25m! (Q1 27:35)
Pickett roves at the same spot after the next bounce but he’s on the wrong side and misses off the left. (Q1 28:18)
Petracca passes behind a stoppage in the pocket to Rivers who stands on his own 40m out on the flank. Rivers misses across the face to the left. (Q2 2:58)
Carlton try and fail to rebound multiple times, eventually Bowey passes to Chandler 45m out on a slight angle who misses to the left as well. (Q2 4:33)
Cripps centres from the wing, Kennedy makes it good look with a mark in traffic, he goes fat side for Silvagni to mark in front of Lever 45m out on a slight angle… he misses. (Q2 6:28)
Petracca delivers a lovely inside 50 pass from near the centre square to the pocket for Fritsch 30m out. Fritsch hits the near left goalpost. (Q2 7:43)
Spargo falls to ground in possession and draws a high contact free on Saad 30m out on the flank, crowd boos but he swerves the set shot through. (Q2 8:58)
Cripps rides a Viney tackle and gives off to Docherty who delivers a nice pass inside 50 to Motlop 40m out on a slight angle. Motlop hooks it right. (Q2 12:34)
De Koning intercepts the kick in to the wing and goes to the pocket where Tomlinson is pinged for a hold on McKay 325m out, McKay curls it in for his second goal. (Q2 13:39)
Spargo passes to Van Rooyen 40m out near the boundary after the Demons win a stoppage on centre wing. His set shot curves right to left and through for his first goal. (Q2 23:14)
Saad kicks high after a stoppage to the HFF where McKay marks just on 50m. Drop punt needed here given the distance… hooked right. (Q2 26:44)
This has been one for the purists, who would be enjoying the complete coaching masterclass by Simon Goodwin. Admittedly he only has Michael Voss to beat, who is near the end. (Half Time)
Putting May on Charlie Curnow has meant that if Curnow roams then May beats him with superior play reading. McKay can get the footy at half forward on Tomlinson but can’t convert. (Half Time)
Voss has tried to do the same thing up the other end with Young going to FB on Van Rooyen to free up Weitering to zone off the resting ruck, but that has proved harder for Carlton. (Half Time)
Carlton’s midfield numbers look impressive but they have overpossessed and gone way too slowly, gilding their efficiency stats but letting May and Lever set up easily. (Half Time)
The midfield scrum has been congested and unpretty, with both teams having periods where they get better results in contested footy. Melbourne’s forward efficiency is superior. (Half Time)
You could argue that Goodwin came to the game as chip leader and is bullying Voss like he is Jamie Gold at the WSOP. Melbourne has the big stack, but you have to play the cards. (Half Time)
McKay marks Kennedy’s centre clearance 55m out on a slight angle, wheels and shoots… pitches behind the pack in the square and goes through! 20 seconds, first goal of Q3. (Q3 0:57)
That was an unexpected and much-overdue bit of finishing quality. (Q3 1:22)
After May beats Curnow on the wing to start a counter attack, Young is pinged for an arm hold on Gawn 35m out on the flank who shanks it well wide right. (Q3 3:57)
Fritsch marks over Cincotta 40m out on the flank but hangs his set shot to the left across the face. (Q3 7:09)
Melbourne handballs from a stoppage on the wing to the HFF ending with Langdon who blazes well wide right from 45m. (Q3 8:14)
Curnow gets involved on a switch play from a stoppage on outer wing, O’Brien chips to the pass of McKay 40m out on a slight angle, who misses with a drop punt. (Q3 10:27)
Bowey catches Walsh HTB 50m out as the Blues try to rebound through the centre, but his set shot is tugged left. (Q3 14:42)
Smith marks on the HFF on the paint of 50, he plays on and goes to the square where Fritsch marks over a disorganised rabble of Blue talls for his second. (Q3 16:18)
Fisher was the man who allowed Smith to play on by not manning the mark. (Q3 17:27)
Smith gives to Spargo in the pocket 25m out who hits the post after Gawn releases Salem to run away from the next bounce. (Q3 17:55)
After a quick rebound, Acres gets a chance for a drop punt off a step from the pocket 30m out, he slots the goal! (Q3 23:10)
McGovern spots up the lead of Curnow 45m out on a slight angle. The set shot is a swerver but it’s good enough for his first goal, not before time. (Q3 24:55)
Acres overcommits on the HBF to allow Hunter to start a rebound, bit chaotic but it’s all straight at goals, Fritsch receives from Van Rooyen and grubbers the goal from 20m. (Q3 27:03)
Dow turns the ball over trying to switch through the centre, Spargo mops up and start a counter that ends with Van Rooyen marking 40m out on a slight angle… kick short, no score. (Q4 2:04)
Cottrell turns the ball over by foot at half back to Van Rooyen who goes long to the pocket… no score again. (Q4 2:30)
Fisher drops the knees to draw a high contact free on Brayshaw 35m out in front. His kick is an ugly helicopter sack, but it’s long and straight enough! (Q4 4:49)
Cincotta spoils Pickett in the pocket, three Blues converge on the spillage, Pickett’s quick snap is OOTF. (Q4 8:47)
Gawn marks over Saad 50m out on the flank and goes back for the set shot in typically laconic fashion… runs in right and shoots straight over the line! (Q4 12:25)
Carlton bursts out of the next centre bounce, Walsh hits the lead of McKay 40m out on a slight angle. McKay tries a J-curve set shot but it falls short for a rushed point. (Q4 13:44)
Repeat inside 50s for Carlton, Acres passes low and hard from the HFF through traffic down the line to Cottrell 40m out, who misses to the right. (Q4 15:00)
Petracca beats Cincotta to mark a Langdon pass up the wing to the HFF and plays on to pass to the corridor for Chandler 40m out. This would seal it… runs in left, shoots right. (Q4 17:45)
Melbourne works the ball with precision kicking to the centre on a rebound, McVee goes long up the guts for Gawn to beat De Koning to mark 40m out… and also miss. (Q4 19:30)
4:16 to go and the Blues are three kicks down. This would be a massive boilover if they get up from here, but it looks about 0% likely. (Q4 19:57)
Boyd kicks long inside 50 but Kennedy can’t mark and the Dees clear, that was the last chance you’d think. (Q4 21:04)
Young provides link work on outer wing and releases Dow for a long pass 40m out near the boundary for McKay, his drop punt is out for a throw in across the face. (Q4 22:30)
Sparrow catches Acres HTB at half back to put a full stop on the contest. (Q4 23:01)
