‘Wow’: Disaster for Carlton as key defender scratched at 11th hour

Carlton has made an emergency move after an incident at the last minute before their Gather Round blockbuster began with a bang.

Mitch McGovern of the Blues. Pic: Michael Klein.

Carlton has been forced to make an 11th hour team change after Mitch McGovern was scratched moments before the first bounce in a dramatic start to the AFL’s inaugural Gather Round.

The Blues confirmed just five minutes before match started that their important defender had suffered a calf injury in the warm-up.

The late announcement left footy commentators raising their eyebrows.

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Mitch McGovern of the Blues. Pic: Michael Klein.

It was first reported by Channel 7’s Tom Browne that McGovern was winded during the warm-ups, however the club announced several minutes later McGovern had experienced calf tightness and a decision was made to sit him out.

Lachie Plowman was brought into the side to play his first game of the season.

“He had a bit of soreness that he just wasn’t able to quite warm up from,” Carlton coach Michael Voss told Channel 7.

Carlton run out for warm-ups at Adelaide Oval. Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images.

Fox Footy’s Joey Montagna said before the game: “That’s a big blow for the Blues”.

Hawthorn icon Jason Dunstall was particularly shocked by how late the call was made.

“Wow. That is a late out,” he said on Fox Footy.

It is not what Carlton fans wanted to hear as the club continues its hot start to the year, staying undefeated after four rounds for the first time since 1995.

The drama continues as soon as the ball was bounced with Crows gun Izac Rankine kicking a spectacular snap goal from a tight angle to kick the first goal of the game — after a turbulent week where he was racially abused on social media following the Crows’ win over Fremantle.

The Crows had four goals in the first six minutes as Gather Round began with a bang.