Adelaide thrashes Carlton by 104 points completing Blues’ worst season in 117 years

AN ADELAIDE side with nothing to play for kicked the highest score for the year to embarrass Carlton by 104 points and consign the Blues to their worst season for 117 years.

Carlton’s Jack Silvagni tackled by Adelaide's Eddie Betts. Pic: Michael Klein

EXCRUCIATING right until the very end.

Carlton’s miserable season endured its embarrassing final chapter, a 104-point capitulation to an Adelaide side that gorged on the biggest score in the AFL this year — 26.9 (165).

In front of a crowd seen in some country footy leagues, the Blues were outclassed to the point it became ridiculous.

It meant Carlton — a club steeped in tradition as rich as any other in this game — finished 2018 with just two wins and a fifth wooden spoon since 2002.

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The last time the Blues ended a season with two wins was 1901 in an eight-team competition that held its Grand Final at the Lake Oval.

Against a Crows side that has endured its own disaster this year and also with nothing to play for, Carlton was picked apart with galling ease.

Patrick Cripps and Kade Simpson walk off after another huge loss. Picture: Michael Klein

It was the Blues’ third loss by 100 points or more this year

While coach Brendon Bolton ordered his side to flood back in the first half to limit the damage, the Crows picked their way downfield to rack up a glut of coast-to-coast goals.

Carlton players dropping off in anticipation of high balls into the Crows’ forward 50m were instead caught flat-footed by piercing entries to lead-up targets.

Late in the second term, Carlton started a centre bounce with only one player inside its attacking 50m.

On at least two other occasions they won the centre bounce only to look up and find a forward line outnumbered six to two.

It’s not an exaggeration to say Carlton’s pressure was non-existent at times, but it’s also hard to put forward pressure on when you’re not prepared to play a forward line.

On a night when the disillusioned few in navy blue who attended were crying out for a four-quarter effort, they instead got surrender.

Jack Silvagni provides a rare Carlton highlight with this grab. Picture: Michael Klein

In footy, last impressions last and the hardcore set of Carlton fans who trudged home after the final siren would have been wondering if this isn’t the low-point of Brendon Bolton’s “reset”, then what is?

The asterisk is that this has been a season in which injury has exposed a butter-soft underbelly and had the side running on fumes in the latter stages of the year.

Only two players — Patrick Cripps and Sam Petrevski-Seton — played every game.

Yet Cripps, who clearly playing under duress, was nothing short of extraordinary.

The Blues’ warrior had 18 clearances among his 37 disposals — 24 of them contested.

It meant he broke all-time record for contested possessions in a season and despite the result, he was the best player on the ground.

Josh Jenkins kicks one of his seven goals. Picture: Michael Klein

The Blues played with two on the bench for most of the second half after Charlie Curnow hurt his knee and Jacob Weitering was concussed.

Yet for the all the look-away-now moments, the “green shoots” were still there for the optimists.

Weitering was among them and the return of his intercept marking had caught the eye before he was lost to the game.

Brendon Bolton confirms Charlie Curnow has suffered a medial ligament injury. Blues are unsure of the severity. #AFLBluesCrows

— Sam Edmund (@SammyHeraldSun) August 25, 2018

Cameron Polson was one of the precious few to influence the game with his pressure, Harry McKay again showed signs and Jack Silvagni took a huge hanger in the last quarter.

For all the Crows’ troubles this year, they played in the Grand Final less than 12 months earlier and there’s some serious class there.

Josh Jenkins helped himself to seven goals, Rory Laird and Wayne Milera ran amok off half-back and if Mitch McGovern does end up leaving, debutant Elliott Himmelberg showed himself to be a potential replacement.

BEST

Carlton: Cripps, Weitering, O’Brien, McKay, Polson

Adelaide: Jenkins, Laird, Atkins, Crouch, Otten, Ellis-Yolman Milera

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Originally published as Adelaide thrashes Carlton by 104 points completing Blues’ worst season in 117 years