Melbourne hold on in nailbiting clash after Carlton’s horror start

Carlton looked dead and buried after Melbourne piled on the first seven goals of the match. But a miraculous comeback brought them close to victory and they will rue their missed opportunities late.

Max Gawn gave Marc Pittonet a ruck lesson early.

Melbourne would not want that again.

After seven unanswered goals the Demons ground to a halt at Marvel Stadium as the Patrick Cripps-inspired Carlton clawed back a 42-point deficit to go down by one.

Christian Petracca was dominant in the first half but he too was found wanting for much of the second half, bar a trademark tease mark and goal from 55m in the last quarter.

Clayton Oliver and Ed Langdon did the bulk of the bullocking work for the victorious Demons, who benefited from All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn’s mastery.

But Carlton, to its credit, made the adjustment in the second quarter to eat into the troublesome margin.

They had their chances, too, the Blues with Patrick Cripps and Jack Martin hitting the post from set shots late in the last quarter.

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Patrick Cripps hit the post late in the last quarter. Picture: AAP Image/Scott Barbour

Cripps, who looked to be sore and hampered by something, went forward in a last gasp bid to get the Blues over the line.

A strong contested mark and goal from the right forward pocket put Carlton within a kick but Melbourne was able to cling onto the slender margin.

MO-GAWN

THE Mohawk was supposed to be a problem.

A left-field barb at superstar ruckman Max Gawn’s punk rock hairstyle in the lead up to his first game as Melbourne captain.

But 10 minutes in yesterday it was Gawn cutting up Carlton.

The three-time All-Australian made the most of a mis-match to torch back-up Blues big man Marc Pittonet early and ignite a brutal first-half Melbourne assault and seven unanswered goals.

It shell-shocked the social distancing Blues as Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver made the most of Gawn’s dominance.

The leading trio combined for 63 disposals including 27 contested possessions, two goals and three score assists.

Max Gawn was on top in the ruck.

DEECONSTRUCTED

WHO kicks Melbourne’s goals?

It is a question that will keep Simon Goodwin up at night for weeks to come.

No targets, no structure, pressure only in a patches.

The Dees scored at will yesterday when allowed to stream through lines untouched and pinpoint open players.

When it got tight and congested, nothing but jittery bombs inside 50 to anyone game enough to fly.

Spearhead Tom McDonald had his colours well and truly lowered while Bailey Fritsch was wayward after a promising start.

BANGED UP BLUE

NIC Newman can’t take a trick.

After dislocating his elbow in Round 1 the dashing Carlton defender went down with a patella tendon injury yesterday.

Newman was taken from the field on a stretcher late in the first quarter after his knee crumpled in a marking contest with Bailey Fritsch.

The 27 year-old former Sydney Swans defender had surgery on his elbow in the shutdown period after the first round loss to Richmond in March.

Nic Newman of the Blues holds his injured knee. Picture: Michael Klein

CARLTON 0.0 2.5 4.6 7.11 (53)

MELBOURNE 5.2 7.4 8.5 8.6 (54)

GOALS

Carlton: Cuningham, Lang, Casboult, McGovern, Gibbons, Betts, Cripps

Melbourne: Hunt 3, Neal-Bullen 2, Petracca 2, Fritsch

BEST

Melbourne: Petracca, Oliver, Gawn, Langdon, Salem

Carlton: Weitering, Docherty, Murphy, Cripps, Curnow

VOTES

3. Christian Petracca

2. Jacob Weitering

1. Max Gawn

INJURIES

Carlton: Newman (knee)

Melbourne: Nil

Might head to marvel after halftime kick a few snags thoughts blues supporters ❤️ #snags

— Brendan Fevola (@BrendanFevola25) June 13, 2020

First normal thing to come out of 2020 Carlton are still struggling 😢 come on blues lift

— Brendan Fevola (@BrendanFevola25) June 13, 2020

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Originally published as Melbourne hold on in nailbiting clash after Carlton’s horror start