After six weeks of anguish, heartache, doubt and, in some quarters, anger, Carlton exploded into life in the second quarter on Sunday with a nine-goal onslaught that destroyed the insipid Gold Coast.
Goals came from Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow and Patrick Cripps as their yips disappeared and smiles replaced frowns.
Carlton have thrashed the Suns to break a losing streak.Credit: AFL Photos
Adam Cerra and Sam Walsh stormed out of the front of the centre square with intent as the Blues kicked a remarkable six goals from centre clearances for the quarter.
They had a higher score on the board at half-time (65 points) then they finished their previous five matches and they had completed the second most dominant quarter for the year outscoring the Suns outscoring the Suns by 54 points. Only Geelong’s third quarter against Hawthorn was more one-sided.
Carlton’s supporters, frustrated to the point of despair, stood as one to cheer the team off the ground at half-time. Not only did they see accuracy in front of goal, they also saw kicks hit targets, run off half-back and ferocious tackling. On a sleepy Melbourne Sunday afternoon, many Blues fans were wiping their eyes to ensure what they saw was real.
They seemed as surprised as anyone at what they had witnessed after the Suns kicked the first two goals. The Blues were stagnant and safe in their ball movement and were setting themselves up for a tough afternoon.
But with their first goal on the board and their senior coach Michael Voss giving them a couple of stern reminders at quarter-time about what was required, they went berserk. It was as though Brendon McCullum had inspired “Vossball”.
Patrick Cripps kicked three goals in a dominant performanceCredit: Getty
By contrast, Gold Coast were pathetic around the contest, reinforcing the notion they are not ready to contend with a spot in the eight on the line.
They have also been hopeless after a bye – they have a 20 per cent winning record between 2018-22 – and they have only won four of the 17 times they have visited the MCG.
It was 10 minutes into the third quarter before they broke a streak of 12 unanswered Carlton goals when Jack Lukosius kicked straight after Mitch McGovern had blanketed him in the first half.
A crestfallen Stuart Dew sat on the bench with his headphones on wondering how such a performance could appear in his sixth season as coach.
There was a minor rally in the third quarter when the Suns matched the Blues, but their pressure was not at the heights it needed to be given what they had served up in the second quarter. Levi Casboult had battled hard and Ben Ainsworth also tried to provide a spark but the young midfielders appeared to be on their break.
It was Carlton’s day, however, as they absorbed the pressure and then scored from stoppages, which is an area the Suns normally defend well.
McKay kicked his third goal early in the last quarter to ensure the celebrations happened throughout the final quarter as Carlton head to the bye in a positive frame of mind. Then Cripps joined in with a stoppage goal to ensure the Blues had kicked 15 goals from 41 inside-50s with nine goalkickers. The final humiliation come when the Suns could not rush the ball over the goal line late and Matt Owies kicked a goal.
After a bye Carlton play Hawthorn on Sam Walsh’s 23rd birthday as they look to regain confidence in the back half of the season.
Carlton: 1.2 10.5 13.8
Gold Coast: 2.6 2.9 5.11
GOALS Carlton: McKay 3, Cripps 3, Cottrell 2, Cerra 2, Curnow 2, De Koning 2, Owies 2, Kennedy, Fogarty. Gold Coast: Ainsworth 2, Humphries 2, Casboult, Lukosius, King.
BEST Carlton: Cerra, Walsh, Docherty, Cripps, McGovern, Weitering, Cottrell, Curnow, Kemp. Gold Coast: Casboult 2, Anderson, Ainsworth, Humphries.
VOTES
Adam Cerra (Carlton) 8
Sam Docherty (Carlton) 8
Sam Walsh (Carlton) 8
Patrick Cripps (Carlton) 7
Mitch McGovern (Carlton) 7
