The Wrap Up | Round 20 V St. Kilda
Written by Ari Stamatakos
MATCH SUMMARY
After the shocking performance the week prior against North Melbourne, the Blues needed to respond to keep their very, very faint finals chances alive. Whereas the Saints are looking to keep their more achievable finals hopes alive with a win against a side seemingly in disarray. In front of no fans at Marvel Stadium, the Saints versed the Blues in a Friday night thriller.
After the horrid week that Weitering had last Saturday, many expected to see him bounce back in a big way, however, Max King found himself in all kinds of space to start proceedings. He marks and goals within a minute of the opening siren, and this was not the response that we expected from the soon to be All Australian full-back. Not to fear, however, as Harry McKay was there to level the scores with a trademark snap from 25m out. The fears for Weitering were multiplied big time as King got off the chain again to kick his second and then earned himself a free kick to kick his 3 in a quarter and it looked like it was spiralling out of control quickly. Those King goals were sandwiched in between two near-identical snaps from to fan favourites, Sam Walsh with the first, then Jack Silvagni to level the scores once again. Then the move was made, Jones to King, Weitering plays as a spare, and the difference was stark. The next three inside 50’s from the Saints were intercept marked by Weitering and that was the momentum shifter right there. As not long after the change, McKay earns a free-kick and kicks truly for his second. Then, after an errant kick in the Saints defensive 50 falls the way of Owies, who hands it off to Charlie Curnow, who off a step, winds up, from 60 meters out, and a goal that was 761 days in the making goes through, and every Carlton household, simultaneously goes berserk. That goal gave the Blues a 2 goals lead at the first change.
The prodigal son got the first of the quarter and his second of the game. Curnow was held on too, as the advantage was paid, Walsh picks up the loose ball and bananas through his second. The Blues put the foot to the throat as Josh Honey handballs it over the top to Matt Kennedy and he slams home his first, a 22-point lead to the Blues. A quick Zak Jones reply was cancelled out by a long bomb from McKay, who then was laced out by Lachie O’Brien not long after for two goals in a row, and 4 for the game so far. Ruckman turned rover Rowan Marshall crumbs the pack and rolls through his first, before a fast break with not long left in the half finds the hands of Zac Fisher who hits up Tom Williamson who slots home after the siren to consolidate that 22-point lead.
After the horrible third quarter last week, all Blues fans were both eager and scared to see what this side was going to conger up. They needed to start like a house on fire to ease the nerves of all Blues fans, and they delivered in spades. First, it was McKay who was too strong for Wilkie, as he marked and kicked a trademark H goal. Then Paddy Dow drifts forward and takes a good mark 30 out from goal. He goes back with class and confidence as this kid is growing before our very eyes. All this led up to Josh Honey who earns a free-kick for high-contact and goes back with all the swagger in the world to bang it home from 40, first goal, get around him. Walsh snaps around his body to kick his third, itself a response to Cooper Sharman kicking one for the Saints minutes prior. A barren spell of goals was broken by a goal to Patrick Cripps, which pushed the margin out to a game-high 50 points, then an instant response from Tim Membrey to end the quarter.
The last quarter saw the Blues tail off towards the end, which was expected considering the graft they put in to seal the win the previous three quarters. The Blues kicked three goals in the last, they came from a Williamson long bomb from 50, another goal from Josh Honey and a Marc Murphy goal after the siren to seal what was possibly the most convincing win of the season.
The best from the Blues on this night were Jack Silvagni (25 disposals, 9 tackles, 3 centre clearances) Matt Kennedy (10 tackles, 25 disposals, 6 score involvements) and Sam Walsh (26 disposals, 3 goals, 32 pressure acts)
BREAKING IT DOWN: KEY MATCH INSIGHTS
Pressure, Pressure And More Pressure.
This game was won for the Blues off pressure. Plain and simple. The Carlton side doesn’t put that same amount of pressure on St. Kilda, they wouldn’t have won the game. The Blues had a season-high 79 tackles. Considering that their season average is 53, this puts into perspective how hard the boys worked and the effort they put in from minute one. This all started from the midfield. Matt Kennedy, 10 tackles and 24 pressure acts. Patrick Cripps, 6 tackles and 19 pressure acts. Ed Curnow, 8 tackles and 16 pressure acts. Jack Silvagni, 9 tackles, 23 pressure acts and Sam Walsh 4 tackles and 32 pressure acts. This is all the effort which we didn’t see last week. Whilst this might not be a sustainable game plan, and perhaps we need to find a way to win games in a more calm and composed fashion - this is a really good sign for a team that has lacked pressure all year. Now the real test is to see if they can back it up. Because it all well and good to put effort in when you choose too. However, the mark of a good side is when they have consistently good performances, and that’s something we haven’t done all year, and that’s the real pressure.
FINAL SCORES
St. Kilda: 3.1 (19), 5.3 (33), 7.7 (49), 12.9 (81)
Carlton: 5.1 (31), 10.1 (61), 15.2 (92), 18.4 (112)
Carlton Goals: McKay (5), Walsh (3), Honey (2), Williamson (2), Cripps, C.Curnow, Dow, Kennedy, Murphy.
Carlton Best: Silvagni, Walsh, Kennedy, Cripps, Dow, McKay, Weitering, O’Brien, E. Curnow
