Captain Patrick Cripps’ masterclass inspires Carlton to 27-point victory over Adelaide to continue golden run under David Teague

Much has been made of Carlton not interviewing David Teague after his sterling start as caretaker. But Teague says he’s happy to focus on results and the Blues’ improvement is winning plenty of fans.

Will Setterfield is mobbed by two teammates after kicking the sealer in the last quarter. Picture: Michael Klein

When Patrick Cripps strolled away with his eighth centre clearance for the game in the opening seconds of the final quarter, even Carlton fans started to shake their heads.

While most were probably shaking it in wonder about how good their skipper was, even they were also wondering if Adelaide coach Don Pyke had noticed what had been happening in the opening three quarters.

Why the Crows didn't tag, or at least attempt to closely check, Cripps is a mystery?

History shows that trying to go head-to-head with arguably the best player in the competition just doesn't work.

Brad Crouch huffed and puffed a little bit near him, Matt Crouch was intimidated while Rory Sloane had his own battles to fight so that meant Cripps had a field day in the Blues fifth win in seven games under new coach David Teague.

Patrick Cripps had 39 disposals and 19 clearances in Carlton’s victory. Picture: Michael Klein

That centre clearance at the start of the final quarter which resulted in a goal to Josh Deluca inside 16 seconds meant Cripps had one more than the entire Adelaide team.

In the end he finished with an extraordinary stats sheet which included 39 disposals, 24 contested possessions, 19 clearances, eight centre clearances, eight inside 50s, three score assists and one goal.

He had some handy helpers in this impressive 27-point victory with veterans Marc Murphy (31 possessions) and Ed Curnow (30 touches) busy while young guns Sam Walsh (16 contested possessions), Will Setterfield (24 disposals and seven inside 50s) and Sam Petrevski-Seton (20 possessions and nine marks) provided the excitement.

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Importantly Setterfield and Petrevski-Seton both set the tone in the first half when they put their bodies on the line in critical contests which is something Blues fans didn't see in the first half of the year.

The now reliable Liam Jones and Jacob Weitering took care of Adelaide's big name forwards while Levi Casboult brought his radar (yep he now has one) to the MCG to kick three goals.

As for Adelaide, they're cooked and Pyke has a lot of questions to answer, most likely from his own board regarding his future.

Levi Casboult launches for goal during Carlton’s victory on Saturday. Picture: Michael Klein

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NEW COACH, NEW LEVI

To be fair to Brendon Bolton, Casboult had started the resurrection in his final month of tenure.

Liam Jones going out injured forced the journeyman to play as a key defender which he did impressively.

Teague has thrown him forward which is usually hold-your-breath-stuff with Levi because of his goal kicking.

But the new world of Carlton is clearly having an effect on everything, including Casboult's accuracy.

He tore the game apart with two goals in two minutes in the second quarter — both set shots from 35m — and then a brilliant 50m goal on the run in the third quarter.

Will Setterfield celebrates kicking the sealer in the last term against Adelaide. Picture: Michael Klein

EDDIE WATCH

THE romantics should have cleaned up on the punt for first goalkicker with Eddie Betts' replacement Tyson Stengle kicking the opener two minutes in.

An Eddie-like dribble kick was very clever from the ex-Tiger but unfortunately that was the sum of his work in the first half — one kick.

While the Crows were struggling without him, Betts was doing his thing in the SANFL kicking four goals.

Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker, who was also in the gun at selection, responded with three first-half goals.

TEAGUE: ‘I’M LOVING IT’

Caretaker Carlton coach David Teague is happy to let his performances speak for themselves after making it five wins from seven attempts.

Teague is now the favourite to get the permanent gig after orchestrating the Blues third consecutive victory — the first time they’d achieved that since 2016 — with a comprehensive 27-point win over Adelaide.

Carlton has already interviewed Port Adelaide assistant Michael Voss for the senior coaching role but Teague is happy to wait until the end of the season before get his chance to front the club’s selection panel.

“We will wait until the end of the year,” Teague said.

“I’m very comfortable with the position that the club are in, they will make the right decision when it comes around to it and I’m comfortable just doing my job right now.

“I’m loving it and that’s what I want to do, just keep making sure our players turn up each week and play the way they can because I know at our best we are a good team.”

David Teague in the rooms after Carlton’s win. Picture: Getty Images

When asked if his training wheels were off — a reference to football director Chris Judd’s recent gaffe about the type of coach they were looking for — Teague played a straight bat.

“Apparently I didn’t have them, like I said it didn’t faze me. Chris had a role in the media, my job is to coach, I love coaching and I’m going to continue to coach to my best,” he said.

Carlton chief executive Cain Liddle said before the game that the club had been impressed in how Teague, who has been an assistant coach at West Coast, St Kilda and Adelaide — had freed up the players.

“The only instruction we gave to David was to let the boys play,” Liddle told 3AW.

“We were confident that is the way he would coach.

“We don’t need to blow the place up and start again.”

SCOREBOARD

CARLTON 4.4 7.8 10.9 13.9 (87)

ADELAIDE 4.0 5.4 7.5 9.6 (60)

GOALS

Carlton: Casboult 3, Phillips, McKay, Simpson, Silvagni, Kennedy, Cripps, Lang, Deluca, Setterfield, Gibbons

Adelaide: Walker 3, Stengle 2, Seedsman, Murphy, B. Crouch, Jenkins

BEST

Carlton: Cripps, Murphy, Setterfield, Petrevski-Seton, Casboult, Walsh, Curnow, Simpson

Adelaide: Sloane, O’Brien, Laird, Smith, B. Crouch

INJURIES

Carlton: Nil

Adelaide: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Harris, Glouftsis

Official crowd: 38,369 at the MCG

SCOTT GULLAN’S VOTES:

3 — Patrick Cripps (Carlton)

2 — Marc Murphy (Carlton)

1 — Will Setterfield (Carlton)

Originally published as Captain Patrick Cripps’ masterclass inspires Carlton to 27-point victory over Adelaide to continue golden run under David Teague