Harry McKay kicks three goals in scintillating return to form despite Blues loss

Harry McKay has returned to his Coleman-winning form of old in a scintillating display for Carlton, but his teammates didn’t follow suit.

MELBOURNE - JUNE 2 , 2023. AFL Round 12. Harry McKay of the Blues celebrates a long goal from 60 early 3rd qtr during the match between Melbourne and Carlton at Melbourne Cricket Ground on June the 2nd, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Michael Klein.

Embattled Carlton forward Harry McKay has shaken off his goalkicking gremlins in a three-goal display against Melbourne in possibly the only major positive from the Blues’ fifth loss in a row, going down at the MCG 8.13 (61) to 6.8 (44).

McKay has averaged 1.3 goals per game compared to last year’s 2.4, and has been open with his struggles on goal this year after a dire performance last week against Sydney where he went 0.3 in front of the big sticks.

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Opening Carlton’s account with a trademark snap around the corner, McKay’s family were pictured jumping for joy in the stands as their beloved son appeared to turn his own corner.

“Rarely has a guy kicking goal 189 got so much joy for goal 189,” said Brian Taylor on Seven.

Despite McKay’s efforts, Carlton’s on-ball pressure through the middle of the ground left them falling over themselves throughout the contest, with the likes of Bayley Fritsch slicing the Blues up all night through the back and Christian Petracca earning best-on honours with 32 touches out of the middle.

Carlton’s season, promising so much at the beginning of the year, now teeters on the edge of the abyss.

Michael Voss’ men were undefeated after four rounds, but have now lost seven of their last eight matches with their only win in that period against last-placed West Coast.

Harry McKay gets an early confidence booster slotting a goal from the pocket. And his mum LOVES it!

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The Blues will slip to 14th on the ladder by the end of the weekend and could be as much as two and a half games out of the top eight with 11 matches left in the season.

The result saw the Demons arrest their concerning two-game skid and ensures they will remain in the top four.

But they will take little solace from their performance in a match which was riddled by errors from both teams and looked like a contest between two bottom-four sides, rivalling the St Kilda-North Melbourne stinkiest from Round 8 as the worst game of the season so far.

It certainly wasn’t a game for the time capsule, and the Demons were able to secure the win because ultimately they made fewer mistakes than Carlton, despite producing a horror night in front of goal.

In a sea of mediocrity, Petracca stood out like a beacon to finish with 32 disposals (18 contested), eight clearances and a goal while Steven May did an outstanding job on Charlie Curnow, keeping the star Blue to one goal.

The Dees arrested a two-game slump against the Blues. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Blues were once again undermined by their stagnant ball movement and woeful forward delivery, mustering only a paltry 39 inside 50s.

For the most part they were risk averse and lacked dare and they have now averaged under seven goals in their past four games.

The weight of numbers also helped the Demons as they comfortably won the disposals (379-328), inside 50s (59-39), tackles (55-43) and clearances (38-29).

The win came at a cost for Melbourne with Jake Bowey knocked out in the third quarter after copping an accidental knee to head from Jake Lever before Matthew Kennedy appeared to then fall on his head, while Carlton’s Jack Silvagni had to be subbed out at halftime with a hip issue after substituting in the ruck.

Carlton began the game by applying huge pressure to Melbourne and dominating the territory battle with eight of the first 11 inside 50s.

But the Blues couldn’t translate that advantage onto the scoreboard as their transition game and forward delivery once again let them down, and the more polished Demons made them pay by kicking four of the first five goals to open up a 21-point lead early in the second term.

Melbourne helped themselves to 16 of the next 21 forward entries, highlighting how much more efficient they were going into their attacking zone.

After all looked lost for Carlton in the third term when they trailed by four goals, they hit back against the run of play, kicking three of the next four majors to cut the deficit to 11 points early in the final term, before a beautiful long bomb from Max Gawn steadied the ship for the Demons.

The Blues had one last roll of the dice in them, but McKay’s goalkicking struggles returned at the wrong time, as his snap set shot from 40m out midway through the final term failed to make the distance and denied him the chance to cut the margin back to 11.

– with NCA NewsWire