CARLTON 16.24 (120) def GOLD COAST 11.11 (77)
CARLTON has withstood a spirited Gold Coast winning by 43 points at a sunny Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast. A more experienced Blues were smarter with the ball against a fast paced Suns team.
Heath Scotland was the star for the Blues across half back with 32 disposals and they dismantled the Suns with their switching of the ball across the ground.
The Suns caused headaches for the Blues early in the match with Charlie Dixon kicking two inspiring goals in the first quarter, while Campbell Brown was all over the Blues’ Eddie Betts.
Matthew Kreuzer (41 hitouts) dominated in the ruck against Tom Nicholls (7 hitouts). Nicholls was subbed out with a knee injury early in the third quarter and Dixon (10 hitouts) was forced into the ruck after starting the game at full forward.
Kreuzer was feeding Marc Murphy (27 disposals), Chris Judd (18 disposals) and Brock McLean (27 disposals) impressively as he had 11 hitouts to advantage in the first half.
Carlton started each quarter well but faded which allowed the Suns to get back into the contest. The Blues got as far as 26 points up in the first quarter but the Suns came back to only trail by eight points at quarter time.
Aaron Hall kicked the Suns’ first goal in the first minute of the second quarter after they hand passed through the Blues’ defence.
The Suns’ run and carry was hurting the Blues but the Blues were pin-point with their passing.
Carlton couldn’t reflect their precise kicking on the scoreboard as they kicked 2.7 in the third quarter. The Suns trailed by 17 points at the last break and were still in the contest.
The Blues started the last quarter very similar to the way they started the others and kicked the first three goals. Lachie Henderson out-muscled Steven May and kicked two goals which quickly ended the Suns’ chances of winning.
Composure with the ball was the Blues’ strength and their ability to win the ball out of the midfield hurt the Suns’ finals chances.
Simpson was terrific through the midfield with 28 disposals and 13 marks and defender Andrew Walker’s disposals efficiency was 91.7% off 24 disposals. Bryce Gibbs was just as influential with an efficiency rating of 84.6% from 26 disposals and they carved up the Suns’ defence.
Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett equalled his father’s game tally and that was the only positive for him on the day. He once again tried to inspire his team with 32 disposals, 6 tackles and 1 goal but it was not enough.
Hall was encouraging with 14 disposals and 2 goals, while Matt Shaw ran all day off half back, finishing with 22 disposals and 1 goal.
Here are the highlights from the game:
CARLTON 4.6 8.12 10.19 16.24 (120)
GOLD COAST 3.4 7.7 9.8 11.11 (77)
GOALS
Carlton: Henderson 4, Betts 3, Yarran 2, Armfield 2, McLean 2, Garlett, Watson, Judd
Gold Coast: Day 2, Hall 2, Dixon 2, Bennell, Brown, Stanley, Shaw, Ablett
BEST
Carlton: Kreuzer, McLean, Judd, Robinson, Curnow, Henderson, Scotland
Gold Coast: Dixon, Ablett, Shaw, O’Meara, Brown
INJURIES
Carlton: Bootsma (ill) replaced in selected side by Cachia;
Gold Coast: Prestia (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Gillbee; Thompson (ankle) replaced in selected side by Sumner; Nicholls (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Jaryd Cachia replaced Kane Lucas in the third quarter
Gold Coast: Jacob Gillbee replaced Tom Nicholls (knee) in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Farmer, Pannell
Official crowd: 19,460 at Metricon Stadium