AFL Carlton v Gold Coast: All news from the Blues big win at the MCG

The media ‘storm’ that has engulfed Carlton was impossible to ignore, but Michael Voss has a smile on his face going into the bye. Here’s how the Blues turned it around.

A relieved Patrick Cripps as the final siren sounds Picture: Michael Klein.

Carlton coach Michael Voss says his team’s blistering nine-goal second quarter was a snapshot of the “brave” footy the Blues have wanted to play all year.

The Blues revived their season with a thumping 59-point win over Gold Coast on Sunday, set up by a scintillating game style that was a throwback to their blistering first half of last season.

Carlton blew the game open in the second term, kicking 9.3 to 0.3 on the back of centre clearance domination (8-1) to ease the pressure engulfing the under-performing side.

Despite hardly showing such a frenetic style this year, Voss insisted his team has tried to play that way every week.

“There’s never a week where you don’t have the intent to try and achieve that,” Voss said.

“Players have been struggling with their form, and we’ve been trying to get some continuity with our team, we’re trying to get continuity in the system we want to play.

“There’s been a lot of reinforcement and encouragement to try and play a little bit more brave, a little bit more daring.

“But I don’t think I necessarily anticipated what was going to happen in the second quarter.”

After laying only 33 tackles last week against Essendon (the Blues’ lowest tally in eight years), Carlton ramped up the pressure considerably against the Suns, convincingly out-tackling them 71-49.

“It was a pretty big priority for us. It has been a focus for us for the last few weeks,” he said.

“It felt like early in the year we weren’t getting enough pressure on the ball.”

Sam Walsh hits top gear. Picture: Michael Klein

After finally ending their six-game losing streak, Voss said he was feeling some joy, but his overriding emotion was relief.

“Coming into the bye we probably get to smile for a little while,” he said.

Voss said the “storm” of media scrutiny that had engulfed Carlton in the past couple of months served as a sizeable distraction for the Blues during their alarming form slump.

Prior to registering their pressure-relieving victory over Gold Coast on Sunday, the Blues had lost eight of their previous nine games, including six in a row, to tumble into the bottom four.

A season that promised so much, after they emerged from the opening month undefeated, quickly headed for the scrapheap by the halfway point.

“Clearly there’s a lot of commentary on the footy club, so that can test your direction and where you want to go,” Voss said post-match.

“But the club has been really unified throughout this period of time and really clear on what we think will help us moving forward, and I think that’s probably the most significant thing that’s come out of this is for us – to be able to stay as a footy club, not just a footy team, really tight through that period of time and believe on where we’re going ... it certainly did test that for a period of time.

Michael Voss prematch. Picture: Michael Klein.

“There’s been a storm on the outside (of the club), but it’s been calm inside and we know sometimes the storm will pass, but we just have to make sure we’re still really clear and calm on what we need to be able to do.

“That’s been tough at times, it’s been really, really tough, but fortunately they’ve stuck at it.”

Voss said having “a lot of really good conversations” has helped the club stay calm during the last two months.

“We’re pretty committed on that direction so I think when you’re really aligned with what you’re trying to achieve, it’s a hell of a lot easier,” Voss said.

“There’s a great alignment there and it’s led by our president and our CEO (Brian Cook).”

How Voss flicked the switch to change Blues’ fortunes

A second-quarter barrage has powered Carlton to a crushing 59-point win over Gold Coast at the MCG on Sunday and provided the Blues with some much-needed respite in their disastrous season.

After coughing up the first two goals of the game, Carlton exploded to kick the next 12 and swiftly kill the contest.

The Blues had lost eight of their previous nine games, but the 18.12 (120) to 8.13 (61) result saw them exit the bottom four and has gone some way to easing the intense pressure the club and coach Michael Voss have found themselves under in recent times.

In complete contrast to the slow, stagnant and unimaginative ball movement that had come to define their previous six games, Carlton took the game on at all costs in the second term in what was a throwback to their exciting and fearless play from the first half of 2022.

They got right on top in clearances, their pressure skyrocketed and their forward efficiency went through the roof as they booted 9.3 from just 15 inside 50s – their best quarter against the Suns since scoring 9.5 in the opening period of the expansion club’s first game in 2011.

Carlton fans would rightly have been asking: “Where has this been all year?”

In each of their previous three games, Carlton only managed six goals. They had already reached that mark nine minutes into the second quarter.

Matthew Owies and Brodie Kemp celebrate the win against the Suns. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Cerra was the catalyst for the eruption, with his first six clearances of the game all coming from centre bounces. He finished with 27 disposals (17 contested), six tackles, eight clearances and two goals to be the most influential player on the ground.

And by keeping Gold Coast to just three behinds in the second term, the Blues recorded the second-most dominant quarter of the year, behind only Geelong’s 10.5 to Hawthorn’s 0.0 in the third term of the Easter Monday clash.

Rather than fans booing them and walking out early on them, as had occurred frequently in the past couple of months, Carlton received a standing ovation at halftime as they headed into the main break 44 points to the good.

As for the Suns, they have miserably failed yet another test of their legitimacy. So often in recent years they have found themselves in these situations where they look like they’re ready to take the next big step in their development, but invariably revert to type and come up short.

And that’s exactly what happened again to Stuart Dew’s men after they had won five of their previous seven matches, only to blow a big chance on Sunday to potentially enter the top eight by the end of the round.

Carlton smashed Gold Coast in disposals (379-308) and clearances (45-32), while their pressure was as good as it’s been all year as they out-tackled the Suns comprehensively 71-49.

The Blues only had four more forward entries (55-51), but were far more potent in attack, finishing with seven multiple goalkickers.

Carlton’s dominance at centre clearance was notable particularly against the usually dominant Suns. Picture: Michael Klein.

Late in the third quarter, Carlton had outscored Gold Coast from stoppages 8.3 (51) to 1.4 (10), thanks largely to their domination of centre clearances, which they ultimately won convincingly 19-7.

Sam Docherty was also a key player in the second-quarter onslaught, and ended up with 32 touches, while Patrick Cripps (27 and three goals) and Sam Walsh (29) put in much improved performances in the middle.

Down back, Jacob Weitering, Mitch McGovern and Brodie Kemp kept dangerous Gold Coast trio Ben King (one goal) and Jack Lukosius (one goals) and Levi Casboult (two goals) quiet respectively.

For the Suns, Ben Ainsworth was their best with 22 disposals and two majors.

SUNS FADE AFTER BRIGHT START

The Suns opened the game by dominating the stoppages and territory, and after 13 goalless minutes, they finally kicked the first major of the game via Levi Casboult. They opened up a 15-point lead on the back of superior pressure as they registered 11 of the first 14 inside 50s and finished the opening term with a massive lead in contested possessions (39-28). But despite their strong start, the visitors could only manage 2.6 by quarter-time, and Carlton made them pay dearly for their inaccuracy.

BALLARD, ANDREW MUCK UP

Gold Coast’s dirty day was summed up late in the final quarter when Charlie Ballard and Mac Andrew failed to deal with a loose ball in the Carlton goalsquare, allowing Matt Owies to pounce and soccer through the easy goal, leaving the Suns pair red-faced.

CASBOULT CORKER

But Casboult provided a rare bright spot for the visitors deep into time on in the final quarter as he grabbed the ball from the ball up and snapped truly from 35m out on the impossible angle to kick the goal of the day and a contender for goal of the year.

BLUES 1.2, 10.5, 13.8, 18.12 (120)

SUNS 2.6, 2.9, 5.11, 8.13 (61)

LERNER’S BEST

Blues: Cerra, Docherty, Cripps, Walsh, Weitering, McGovern, Kemp.

Suns: Ainsworth, Anderson, Rowell, Ballard, Collins.

GOALS

Blues: McKay 3, Cripps 3, Cottrell 2, Cerra 2, C.Curnow 2, De Koning 2, Owies 2, Kennedy, Fogarty.

Suns: Ainsworth 2, Casboult 2, Lukosius, King, Swallow, Humphrey.

INJURIES

Blues: Nil. Suns: Jeffrey (ankle)

Umpires: Foot, Johanson, Rosebury, Williamson

Venue: MCG

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3. Adam Cerra (Carl)

2. Sam Docherty (Carl)

1. Patrick Cripps (Carl)