Carlton ends Melbourne’s finals hopes with shock victory at the MCG

THIS was the battle Melbourne was expected to have covered. Instead, the Demons were left to rue what might have been after a 20-point loss to Carlton.

Patrick Cripps’ Carlton defeated Melbourne.

THIS is not the way this footy fairytale was meant to play out.

It has been 10 years since Melbourne last played in the finals and after a decade of struggle, the prospect of an unlikely September berth was alive.

The scenario wasn’t completely in the Demons’ own hands, they also needed eighth-placed North Melbourne to play its part. But wins in the final two rounds against Carlton then Geelong would have kept the dream burning.

Sure, a final-round battle against the Cats at Simonds Stadium loomed as a tough hurdle for the Demons to overcome, but Sunday’s battle against the Blues was the one Melbourne was expected to have covered.

The Blues had lost their past nine games coming into the clash at the MCG, while the Demons had enjoyed a late-season surge after wins against Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide.

It was a form streak the Demons hadn’t seen for some time, with the team aiming for its fourth straight win for the first time since 2006.

The scenario should have seen Paul Roos’ men playing out of their skin, but instead they were left to rue what might have been after a 20-point loss to the Blues.

While the Demons had much more to play for with a finals carrot dangling, it was the Blues who started with intent, kicking off a first-quarter charge with a Dylan Buckley mark and goal inside the first minute of the game.

Carlton’s midfield duo of Bryce Gibbs (33 disposals) and Patrick Cripps (30) were dominant in the midfield, amassing 25 disposals between the two of them in a four-goal to two opening term.

The Blues were on top around the stoppages, leading the contested ball and inside 50s as the Demons took time to find their ignition.

There was an early scare when Jack Watts left the field after hurting his eye, but he was soon able to return to the field.

Jayden Hunt did his best to provide a spark with a brilliant running goal from the centre square late in the quarter, but it was the Blues who took a 15-point advantage into the first change.

Jack Watts started well for Melbourne. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

The Demons’ bench took a hit early in the second quarter when Dean Kent limped from the field with an injured ankle, but was patched up for a return.

Cripps and Liam Sumner extended the Blues’ lead to more than four goals with the first two goals of the term, but the Demons lifted with a big quarter from captain Nathan Jones.

After several lean weeks, Jesse Hogan got himself on the scoreboard with an impressive checkside goal from the boundary before Clayton Oliver capitalised on a 50m penalty.

Rain arrived for the start of the second half, making for some fumbly football, but it was the Demons who got the first score of the term through Tomas Bugg.

But every time the Demons struck, the Blues seemed to have an answer, with Nick Graham responding swiftly at the other end.

Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs won plenty of the footy.

When Buckley nailed his third goal for the game late in the term, the Blues set up a four-goal lead for the start of the last term.

Demons ruckman Max Gawn, who didn’t have one of his most dominant outings, gave the his side hope of a late charge with the first goal of the final quarter in the opening minutes.

Not to be outdone, Blues big man Andrew Phillips responded just minutes later.

The Blues’ midfield machine of Gibbs and Cripps kept churning as the match went on, while Jones continued to fight for the Demons.

The Demons had their chances in the final term, with Hogan and Christian Petracca kicking four behinds between them for the term

It was the end of a streak for both teams — the Blues’ worst losing one in years and one of the Demons’ best, winning runs in some time as the chapter on this fairytale closed.

CARLTON 4.5 7.8 10.10 11.12 (78)

MELBOURNE 2.2 4.8 6.10 7.16 (58)

GOALS

Carlton: Buckley 3, Graham 2, Everitt, Phillips, Jones, Sumner, Wright, Cripps

Melbourne: Neal-Bullen, vandenBerg, Oliver, Hogan, Hunt, Gawn, Bugg

Umpires: Chris Donlon, Brett Rosebury, Andrew Mitchell.

Official Crowd: 40,693 at MCG

Originally published as Carlton ends Melbourne’s finals hopes with shock victory at the MCG