AFL Round 16 Carlton v Richmond: Blues’ red-hot streak continues as Cripps, Walsh tame Tigers
Despite doing it easy in the end at the MCG on Sunday, the second-place Blues have some issues. But, as coach Michael Voss explains, most of them are good problems to have.
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Carlton superstar Patrick Cripps has done his chances of a second Brownlow Medal no harm with another clinical performance on Sunday.
Cripps stuffed the stat sheet with 40 disposals – 16 of them contested – 14 clearances and a goal in the 20.11 (131) to 10.10 (70) win over Richmond.
The Blues’ skipper started red-hot, collecting 14 disposals, three clearances, three inside 50s and three tackles in the first quarter alone.
He was nullified in the second term but exploded again in the third and fourth
Cripps, who is set to play his 200th game in a fortnight, hit the scoreboard for the ninth time this year when the Blues put the match to bed in the third quarter.
His dazzling display follows a 41-possession night against Geelong last week.
A defiant Tim Taranto registered 27 disposals and nine clearances in defeat.
Ruckman Marc Pittonet was a late inclusion for the in-form Tom De Koning who was managed in the final hour before the game.
Coach Michael Voss said the Blues took a “conservative approach” to their star ruckman.
“We’re asking him to play big minutes, in the last month we have, and he was just too sore,” he said.
“We got to yesterday and he was just still really sore from last week’s game so we took a conservative approach.
“We had a ruckman who could come in and play his aggressive best and I thought Pitto stuck at his guns for most of the game and in the second half was able to have a say on what happened there.
“Being able to have that squad mentality, having him as next man in is a pretty handy next man in.
“We will get Tom back next week, to be able to have the week off and rest a few bruises is not a bad thing.
But the Blues are sweating on scans after midfielder Matthew Kennedy left the ground late on Sunday.
Carlton will sweat on the scans of Matthew Kennedy after he left the ground late on Sunday.
Voss confirmed Kennedy, who tallied 21 disposals and kicked a goal, had done his medial but didn’t know seriousness of the strain.
“He’s a medial in the knee, we don’t really know,” he said
“It’ll definitely be a medial, we just don’t know the significance of that yet.”
Pittonet was comprehensively beaten in the hit-outs by Richmond captain Toby Nankervis, but it caused Michael Voss no issues with Cripps and Sam Walsh running amok through the middle of the ground.
Charlie Curnow, meanwhile, had his quietest day for the year despite kicking two goals.
The two-time Coleman Medalist narrowly avoided ending his streak of multiple goals, which has stood since last year’s preliminary final, with a goal in time on of the fourth quarter.
De Koning and Pittonet are not the only Blues vying for positions, with a fleet of small forwards all jostling for spots in a side poised for a top-four finish.
Voss said competition for spots created “some really good internal drive”.
“That builds momentum when you’ve got players in form and guys obviously trying to vie for that position as well,” he said.
“But also understanding that we prioritise those roles, I have spoken about it before, we give status to those roles and we want to keep celebrating them.”
A FORTRESS FORGOTTEN
Sunday’s loss to Carlton was Richmond’s sixth consecutive loss at the MCG.
Since Richmond’s upset win over Sydney at the MCG in Round 3, the Tigers had suffered defeats to Melbourne, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs, Essendon, Hawthorn and now Carlton.
Between the 2017 and 2020 the Tigers won 40 of 45 matches at the home of football, including a record 22 straight wins.
If the Tigers don’t win in one of its next two home games against either GWS or Collingwood, they will pass their record worst home game stretch.
DUSTY SUBBED OFF
Richmond champion Dustin Martin was subbed off during the third quarter with back soreness.
The champion Tiger was having little impact in his 301st game, with just seven disposals and four metres gained before being taken out of the game.
SHARING IT AROUND
Goals were shared around, with 13 players hitting the scoreboard before there was a multiple goal kicker.
Noah Balta stopped the run with his second during the third quarter but there were still 19 individual goal kickers across the wet afternoon.
ANOTHER NEW TIGER
Mid-season draftee Jacob Blight became Richmond’s 41st player used for the year.
The Tigers have been decimated with injury this season but with it has come overwhelming opportunity for almost every player on their list.
Blight was taken with the second pick of the mid-season draft out of Peel Thunder in the WAFL.
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Originally published as AFL Round 16 Carlton v Richmond: Blues’ red-hot streak continues as Cripps, Walsh tame Tigers
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