AFL 2022 West Coast v Carlton: All the latest news, analysis from the round 17 contest

Only percentage separates Carlton from the top four after taking care of West Coast, but despite their strengthening presence in the finals race, Michael Voss says a challenging path awaits them.

Brad Elborough

6 min read

July 10, 2022 - 9:45PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Goal machine Charlie Curnow remained hot for the Blues in Perth. Picture: Getty Images

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Carlton’s 63-point over West Coast has it sitting in fifth position on the AFL ladder, both dangerously close to ninth spot, but only one win behind top placed, Geelong.

The Blues host the Cats next Saturday night at the MCG in a game that coach Michael Voss says will ensure his side does not get ahead of itself after a rare 10-goal win in Perth.

Voss says he believes his Blues are playing good enough football to jump into the top four, but with a tough run home, he is not yet talking finals with his group.

Voss is cautious about setting up expectations, with big games against Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne and Collingwood, in Round 23, to come.

“I think (we’re playing at a level to push into the top four at some stage),” Voss said after his side’s 63-point win over West Coast in Perth on Sunday.

“There is commentary of how we are going. The last three games I think we’re going really well.

“I think we’re in some really good form.

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Michael Voss is happy with the Blues’ latest win in the west but admits there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge before finals are mentioned.

“I have not spoken to this group about finals and I won’t. There are a lot of things we need to continue to go after.

“We have seen enormous growth from round 1 to where we are now. We have completed this season in stages. So, the conversation around finals is not one we are having.

“We are determined to get the best version of ourselves that gives us the best chance to get prepared for big games and we have big games coming.

“We get a great win against West Coast and our next contest is Geelong. There is a team to reset you if you get ahead of yourselves.”

Carlton’s tall forwards Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow loom as the biggest challenge for Geelong, who will again be missing suspended key defender Tom Stewart.

The pair kicked five goals each against the Eagles.

Michael Voss calls for an extra effort against the Eagles in the final quarter and his players duly delivered with a seven-goals-to-one effort.

With ruckman Marc Pittonet due back from injury this week, Jack Silvagni and Tom De Koning are likely to be freed up to play more in attack against the Cats also.

Voss is confident that when the Blues get the ball into attack as much as they did against the Eagles, they are going to win,

“We focus on the little things and how we generate the opportunities. But if we focus on those opportunities, we give ourselves a really good chance of kicking a winning score,” Voss said.

“Our key forwards were able to get on the end of it and hit the scoreboard. That’s a nice outcome.

“Getting it there 70 times helps.”

Key defender Mitch McGovern is also likely to be available for selection against the Cats having not played since Round 2.

Blues’ double trouble too much for Eagles

Tall forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay have put Carlton within percentage of the top four and given a valuable buffer from a clutch of challengers grouped dangerously below them on the AFL ladder.

The pair kicked 10.6 between them in the Blues’ 63-point win over West Coast at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon to end round 17.

That margin suggests a comfortable day out for the Blues. And when you consider that the Eagles didn’t score in either the first or fourth terms, it was, sort of.

But it took two of McKay’s goals to start the final term to finally break the back of the Eagles.

That set off a seven-goal-to-nil final term.

Goal machine Charlie Curnow remained hot for the Blues in Perth. Picture: Getty Images

Without Elliot Yeo, Jamie Cripps or Jeremy McGovern, West Coast bounced back from a terrible start to somehow trail by just 17 points at the final change.

They were completely outplayed in the final term though.

The 17.14 (116) to 8.5 (53) victory ends a seven-game losing streak for the Blues against West Coast.

The last time Carlton beat the Eagles was Round 6 of 2014 at the Docklands. That day Lachie Henderson, Jeff Garlett and Jarrad Waite kicked seven goals between them for the Blues that day. All have since retired after moving to other clubs. Brock McLean was Carlton’s best.

The Blues also reached triple figures for the seventh time this season to score this win, but just the first time since Round 10 against the Sydney Swans.

Adam Cerra had a mountain of footy in the first half. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

ROLLER-COASTER RIDE

It can’t be easy being a Blues supporter this season.

Since that Round 10 win over the Swans, they have neither won, nor lost, two consecutive games.

At quarter-time on Sunday, Carlton looked set for a massive win though. It had 5.4 on the board and led the Eagles by that whole 34 points.

The Blues dominated the opening term, enjoying a 24 to two advantage of entries into their attacking 50m area. The Eagles did not record a possession in their forward line in the first term.

It was an easy return to action for Carlton key defender Jacob Weitering.

Eagle Tim Kelly hits the deck. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

The Blues had started the round in fifth position on the AFL ladder. The strange results in Round 17 had them one Noah Anderson poor kick away from dropping to eighth spot (if Richmond had held on against Gold Coast).

But the Blues start against the Eagles had them once again eyeing off a spot in the top four.

By halftime though, that view at the top end of the ladder was long gone.

The Eagles went from a scoreless opening term to having their second best halftime score for the season, 7.3. Shannon Hurn gave them some grunt in defence and Tim Kelly and Andrew Gaff started to get on top in the midfield.

It probably just came too late for the home side and then they couldn’t sustain it.

The rollercoaster ride that has been 2022 for the Blues isn’t over yet, with a tough draw to come, including a clash with Geelong at the MCG next week. Melbourne, Brisbane and Collingwood are still to come.

Small forward Corey Durdin booted two goals working off the Blues big targets. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

KENNEDY TURNED OUT OK

It’s been almost 15 years since Josh Kennedy left Carlton to join West Coast in that famous trade that got Chris Judd to the Blues (after the 2007 season).

When the 34-year-old kicked his second goal on Sunday, early in the third term, he notched up his 700th major for the Eagles.

And he got his side up and going.

Kennedy is the last piece in that puzzle still playing, with Judd, Dennis Armfield and Chris Masten all since retiring.

From all accounts, the man who has become West Coast’s greatest ever goalkicker is not far away from joining them. He may not even see out the end of this season.

Sunday was surely the last time he played against the club that drafted him back in 2005 and who he played 22 games with in two seasons.

Judd played eight seasons for the Blues, picking up a Brownlow Medal and four All-Australian selections. The Blues played finals in four of those years.

So far, Kennedy has played 268 games for West Coast, kicking 700 goals.

He has claimed two Coleman Medals, three All-Australian selections and is a premiership player (2018). He has led West Coast’s goal kicking seven times and leads that race again this year.

Since 2008, 10 different players had led Carlton’s goal kicking.

George Hewett got rolling in the second half. Picture: Getty Images

CHARLIE LEADS COLEMAN CONTEST

Charlie Curnow is one of those 10 Blues to have led their goalkicking since 2008.

And his five goals against the Eagles has him back in the lead in the Coleman Medal race.

It took him just five minutes into the first term to join Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron on 46 goals for the season. He kicked two during the opening term as the Blues dominated the game and with some luck could have had three or four before West Coast even scored.

So, with six rounds to play, Curnow is four goals ahead of Cameron and needs just eight to match the 58 goals his teammate Harry McKay claimed the Coleman Medal with last season.