Carlton shows fighting spirit in Patrick Cripps-inspired win over Brisbane

There was a new coach but Carlton’s season was taking a familiar course until Patrick Cripps produced one of the best games of the year to lift the Blues to an incredible come-from-behind win.

Patrick Cripps celebrates a goal in the last quarter. Picture: Michael Klein

One smart alec said it took them a quarter and a half to unlearn the Brendon Bolton game plan.

Of course, that’s the ridiculously harsh analysis.

But what’s not open to interpretation is the fact Carlton woke from a near season-long attacking slumber to stun the Brisbane Lions by 15 points.

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The Blues trailed the Lions 40-3 halfway through this game at Marvel Stadium, with David Teague seemingly inheriting all the depressingly familiar skill errors and hesitancy to go forward left behind by Bolton.

But Teague’s vow that he would release the shackles on this group of players then proved emphatically real.

Carlton kicked eight of the next nine goals to turn an 18-point halftime deficit to a four-point lead at the last change and they didn’t look back.

Patrick Cripps produced arguably the greatest individual game of the season with a breathtaking “follow me” performance.

The Blues captain kicked four second half goals to go with 38 disposals — 16 contested — eight clearances and five inside 50s.

There was no stopping Patrick Cripps at Marvel Stadium. Picture: AAP

Ed Curnow’s second half annihilation of a previously rampant Lachie Neale was the match-up that swung the game.

We saw the re-emergence and swagger of Charlie Curnow, Mitch McGovern showed signs of coming to life and Jacob Weitering played his best game for some time.

The direct running of Sam Walsh, Zac Fisher, Sam Petrevski-Seton overwhelmed the Lions and Michael Gibbons played his finest match at AFL level.

There was dare, there was adventure and there was energy. And with every attacking foray, you could hear the Navy Blue faithful finding voice.

Because it wasn’t just the win, it was the manner of it.

Cripps praised his teammates for not giving up when the Lions were on top.

“We’ve been down for a while and even the way we started today, we were down by 40 points but I liked the way we were playing. There were a few skill errors, but to the boys’ credit their effort and intensity at the contest and sticking to the plan and believing in themselves, they were unreal, so I’m over the moon,” Cripps said.

Cripps admitted he also needed to lift after a few quiet games in recent weeks.

“What I’ve been through the past few weeks is pretty full-on, as much as you’d like to say it doesn’t affect you, it does drain you,” he said.

“No disrespect to some of the players I’ve played on, they got the better of me, but I needed to respond today, I was disappointed with the way I played the last few weeks. But it’s all about winning and it’s bloody good to win today.”

NO KEEPING A LID ON IT

Granted, nothing says Groundhog Day more than the Marvel Stadium roof being open on a sunny day.

Playing footy on a gorgeous 18C day with no wind — sounds horrible doesn’t it?

But in all seriousness, it’s the defined shadows cast from the open roof infrastructure than presents the problem for players, fans and viewers.

Watching from home, Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury tweeted: “We talk a lot about what’s good for the fans and viewers, I’ll tell ya one thing that no one enjoys, the bloody roof open! Shambles.”

Port Adelaide’s Tom Rockliff also weighed in online. “Roof open … shocking for everyone.”

OLD FITZROY

How good was it to see the old Fitzroy jumper on a Saturday arvo at the footy?

The Lions’ Fitzroy-inspired Hall of Fame guernsey was a nod to Kevin Murray’s Brownlow win and even had Bulldog’s name printed on the back.

The classic collar was a sight for sore eyes too.

Charlie Curnow takes a contested mark before converting the goal. Picture: Michael Klein

ED CURNOW

This bloke’s performance turned the game as much as anything.

Lachie Neale had 24 possessions and a goal to his name at halftime and was running riot.

Curnow didn’t just lock down on him with a hard tag in the second half, he got inside his head too.

Neale had only seven touches in the second half and spent nearly as much time wrestling Curnow as he did hunting the footy.

As for Ed, he had 14 in the same period and a final-siren tally of 30.

YOU KNOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED WHEN ….

Fans are being evicted to abusing umpires and we’re certainly not saying that’s a bad thing.

Umpire Matthew Nicholls was making his way off the ground at halftime when he copped some stick from a fan.

Nicholls pointed the person out to security and they were evicted.

“If you’re going to be a ding bat, hooroo,” Wayne Carey said on Triple M.

“You can’t say much anymore to the umpires,” Billy Brownless added.

Sam Walsh is tackled by Mitch Robinson. Picture: Michael Klein

CARLTON 0.3 3.4 8.9 11.12 (78)

BRISBANE 3.3 6.4 8.5 9.9 (63)

GOALS

Carlton: Cripps 4, C. Curnow 3, Gibbons 2, O’Brien, McGovern

Brisbane: McStay 2, Hipwood, Allison, Cameron, Neale, McCluggage, Zorko, McCarthy

BEST

Carlton: Cripps E.Curnow Walsh Weitering Gibbons C.Curnow Fisher Casboult

Brisbane: Neale Rich Andrews Martin McStay

INJURIES

Carlton: O’Brien (left leg)

Brisbane: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Nicholls, Williamson, Mitchell, Glouftsis

Official crowd: 32,211 at Marvel Stadium

VOTES

3. Patrick Cripps

2. Ed Curnow

1. Sam Walsh