David Teague leads Carlton to another win as caretaker firms for full-time coaching role

Carlton fans have long lamented two hoodoos. But under David Teague the new-look Blues have gone a way to putting those demons to bed as the caretaker coach looks to cement his role.

Carlton celebrates another four points. Picture: Alex Coppel

Carlton fans have long lamented two hoodoos.

One was their side’s failure to kick 100 points for 59 consecutive games and the other was its inability to string together consecutive wins. .

In the past six games under caretaker coach David Teague, Carlton has booted 100-plus points on two occasions and just fell short against the Gold Coast Suns yesterday with 99 points on the scoreboard.

More importantly, with a 15.9 (99) to 11.9 (75) triumph over the Suns the Blues won consecutive games for the first time since Rounds 12 and 13 of the 2017 season.

Teague has completely turned the Blues around from a team low on confidence and seemingly afraid to take the game on into one of the most exciting and attacking teams in the competition.

Again missing key forwards Charlie Curnow and Mitch McGovern, Carlton still found a way to kick 15 goals.

Matthew Kennedy was the hero with four majors while Harry McKay played his part with two majors as the only multiple goalkickers among 11 players to hit the scoreboard.

Gold Coast was much improved from its previous two outings, showing a fight and willingness to win the hard ball that had been lacking.

But the Blues controlled the match from midway through the first quarter and are growing in confidence. Teague’s manager, Liam Pickering, this week said the caretaker coach wants the job next year.

The prospect of that happening is firming by the week.

Suns coach Stewart Dew shocked by friendly fire free kick

Patrick Cripps was quieter, but it mattered little. Pic: AAP

NO CRIPPS, NO WORRIES

Carlton captain Patrick Cripps has so often carried his side on his shoulders.

Yesterday, the Blues stormed to victory with their skipper having little impact.

Cripps did not look himself after being crunched in an opening-quarter tackle and had his left ankle re-strapped in the final term.

He finished with just 14 disposals — including four kicks — but it mattered little as Ed Curnow, Sam Walsh, Sam Petrevski-Seton and Marc Murphy got the job done.

.

Josh Deluca is mobbed by teammates after booting his first goal in navy blue. Pic: AAP

DELUCA DELIGHT

The mid-season draft delivered another debut, with Josh Deluca called up for his first game for the Blues.

Deluca played six games with Subiaco in the WAFL this year before earning a second AFL opportunity, after playing four games for Fremantle between 2015 and 2017.

Yesterday brought his first win at AFL level and his first goal for Carlton.

Every Carlton player on the ground congratulated the 23-year-old when he kicked truly in the third quarter.

Marc Murphy acknowledges Blues fans after the win. Pic: AAP

BUMPER CROWD

You could argue that Carlton fans sniffed a win, as the Blues went into yesterday’s match as favourites with the bookmakers for the first time since Round 2, 2018.

However, the fact is Carlton fans have stuck with their side all year — and should be applauded for doing so.

The AFL had originally expected a crowd of just 20,000 at Marvel Stadium for the clash with the bottom-of-the-ladder Suns. The actual attendance was 31,765.

The Blues have now averaged a crowd of 48,884 from eight home games this year, coming on the back of record membership of more than 60,000.

Peter Wright booted a couple to help the Suns get back in it. Pic: Getty Images

SCOREBOARD

CARLTON 5.3 8.5 13.6 15.9 (99)

d

GOLD COAST 2.3 4.5 10.6 11.9 (75)

GOALS

Blues: M Kennedy 4 H McKay 2 D Lang J Deluca L Casboult L O’Brien M Gibbons M Murphy P Cripps W Setterfield Z Fisher

Suns: A Sexton 3 P Wright 2 B King C Burgess D MacPherson M Rischitelli P Hanley S Lemmens

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S BEST

Blues: E. Curnow, Jones, Kennedy, Petrevski-Seton, Simpson, Casboult, McKay

Suns: Brodie, Miller, Witts, Fiorini, MacPherson

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S VOTES

3 — Ed Curnow (Carl)

2 — Liam Jones (Car)

1 — Will Brodie (GC)

INJURIES

Blues: Dow (illness) replaced in selected side by Deluca

Suns: Brodie (hamstring)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Foot, Howorth, Fleer

Official crowd: 31,765 at Marvel Stadium

BELIEF BUILDS FOR BLUES, TEAGUE

Carlton caretaker coach David Teague says belief is quickly building among his young side after it scored a fourth win in six games over Gold Coast, further boosting his chances of retaining the club’s top job next year.

The Blues dropped off in the second half after playing exciting and attacking football, which helped them establish a game-high lead of 43 points at the 13-minute-mark of the third term.

But the home side still escaped with a comfortable 24-point win at Marvel Stadium on the back of impressive performances from Ed Curnow, Sam Walsh and Marc Murphy through the midfield and Matthew Kennedy’s career-high four goals.

David Teague doing his best to have the prefix ‘caretaker’ removed from his title at the Blues. Picture: AAP

“As a whole it was a really good sign for our boys to get away with a win and probably not play at their best,” Teague said.

“Everyone’s got a job to do and at the moment we’re getting more guys doing it than not.”

Asked what the recent run of wins meant to the playing group, Teague said it was simple.

“Belief,” he said.

“You need to be able to do it (win games). We believe we’ve got the talent but we haven’t gone out there and executed but over the last few weeks we’ve shown that if we keep training with the right intensity and playing with the right intensity that we’re capable of winning and that’s going to be the challenge going forward. We’ve got to continue to bring that effort and if we keep playing and training the way we are I think we’re going to be in a lot of games.”

Captain Patrick Cripps was unusually quiet with 18 disposals including just four kicks.

He was crunched in a tackle in the first quarter before his left ankle was re-strapped in the final term.

The Blues celebrate a fourth win in six games. Picture: Alex Coppel

But Teague said there were no injury concerns over the star.

“I think he’s OK,” he said.

“I saw he was getting his ankle strapped at one stage.

“He went back on so I presume everything was OK there.”

The Suns had one injury concern. Young midfielder Will Brodie suffered a hamstring injury in the dying minutes of the clash, putting a dampener on an impressive outing from the 20-year-old.

Brodie went head-to-head with Cripps for much of the match and finished with 26 disposals, six clearances and 10 tackles.

“It was fantastic for Will,” Suns coach Stuart Dew said.

“He’s been working hard on his game plan and his knowledge of opposition and how to be an AFL footballer, so I’m really proud of the way Will played.

“We’re not sure what it (the hamstring injury) looks like, but he’s a little bit sore.”

Dew said the Suns would take plenty of positives into the remainder of the season after getting the response they were searching for following consecutive losses by over 90 points.

“This week’s been firmly on one thing and that was making sure we put something in place this week to finish the year off,” he said.

“I think there’s a tick in terms of response but the challenge is there for another five weeks.”

Originally published as David Teague leads Carlton to another win as caretaker firms for full-time coaching role