Inside Carlton’s capitulation against the Western Bulldogs and how the eight goals were scored

It should have been Carlton’s biggest win of the season. Instead, it turned into a disaster. How did the Blues give up yet another staggering scoring run?

The Blues came up short yet again. Picture: Getty Images

It was meant to be Carlton’s first real scalp of the season.

But after leading by 27 points late in the third quarter, the Blues gave up a staggering eight goals in a row to the Western Bulldogs.

This was the ultimate capitulation.

How did the disaster play out? Jay Clark takes an in-depth look at each goal and what went wrong for the Blues.

3 MIN 15 SEC REMAINING Q3

Josh Bruce goal

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A Liam Stocker turnover in the middle of the ground was costly as Caleb Daniel found Lachie Hunter all alone with a surgical kick to the forward flank. Hunter, who played on with a broken hand, kicked long to Josh Bruce who outmarked Lachie Plowman 15m from goal.

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A Liam Stocker turnover came at the worst possible time. Picture: Michael Klein

1 MIN 30 SEC REM Q3

Aaron Naughton goal

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What an effort from the Dogs’ star spearhead. Naughton produced a desperate chase on Adam Saad to force the Blues’ speedster into a kicking error and then took a big pack mark at the top of the goal square from the kick back inside 50m from Easton Wood. It was a strong grab from Naughton who plucked the ball either side of Jacob Weitering and Liam Jones in the marking contest.

15 MIN 20 SEC REM Q4

Lachie Hunter goal

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The Blues were pinned down in their back half when Adam Saad gave away two free kicks. Saad first pushed Lachie McNeil in the back and then caught Lachie Hunter high as the Dogs’ ballwinner swivelled and leant in with his head to draw the high contact 35m from goal. Nice set shot from Hunter to slot his second major.

Lachie Hunter cut the Blues’ lead to nine with a final quarter goal. Picture: Getty Images

13 MIN 40 SEC REM Q4

Marcus Bontempelli goal

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The Dogs built this one up from half back where Bailey Dale hit Caleb Daniel with a 50m bullet to the wing. Zaine Cordy and Mitch Hannan linked up on the wing before skipper Marcus Bontempelli took another contested mark at the top of the goal square in front of Liam Jones. Josh Bruce bodied Liam Stocker out of the way so Stocker couldn’t spoil from the side and there was no other aerial support for Jones. Also no Carlton player stood the mark for the Bontempelli set shot from point blank range.

7 MIN 40 SEC REM Q4

Aaron Naughton goal

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A loopy kick from Michael Gibbons on the wing was quickly repelled as Marcus Bontempelli off two steps produced a dazzling pass to Jason Johannisen tight on the boundary line. Johannisen then kicked to the advantage of Naughton who was too strong for Matthew Parks over the back in a one-on-one marking contest. The 35m set shot continued the Dogs’ hot run.

Aaron Naughton celebrates a crucial final quarter goal. Picture: Getty Images

6 MIN 50 SEC REM Q4

Anthony Scott goal

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Adam Treloar fought hard inside the centre square to continue the annihilation out of the middle. Jack Macrae showed great vision to find Caleb Daniel with another brilliant Bulldogs’ handpass to set up Taylor Duryea 10m in front of Liam Stocker on the forward flank. Lachie McNeil roved the long kick in off the back of the pack and unselfishly handballed to Anthony Scott who goaled from close in on the run. The Carlton back line was under siege.

5 MIN 50 SEC REM Q4

Josh Bruce goal

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Marc Pittonet grabbed it out of the ruck and kicked long but Caleb Daniel continued his excellent second half with a one-handed intercept mark. Patrick Lipinski, Bailey Smith and Anthony Scott then burned off their Carlton opponents spreading hard to the edges of the Marvel Stadium turf to bring the ball forward. Josh Bruce had no opponent in the forward pocket and finished the play with a curling left foot snap.

Game over. Picture: Getty Images

1 MIN 55 SEC REM Q4

Patrick Lipinski goal

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The Dogs went the full length of the ground for their eighth-straight goal. Josh Bruce took the crucial contested mark on the wing, making Liam Jones pay for going the mark instead of a spoil from behind. Ruckman Jordon Sweet won a contested ball at ground level to release Marcus Bontempelli who delivered another gem of a pass on the left foot to hit Patrick Lipinski in space deep in attack. 

Originally published as Inside Carlton’s capitulation against the Western Bulldogs and how the eight goals were scored