AFL Round 18 Carlton v Port Adelaide: Blues end Power’s 13-game winning streak in 122-72 victory

The Power’s win streak has been ended at 13 games, with a rampaging Carlton side proving too hot to handle, putting the Blues firmly in the finals hunt.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 15: Harry McKay of the Blues reacts to an injury during the 2023 AFL Round 18 match between the Carlton Blues and the Port Adelaide Power at Marvel Stadium on July 15, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Carlton marketing team had a golden run back in the day when they came up with two membership mottos which would be in the slogans Hall of Fame if there was such a thing.

In 2009 they went with: Can you smell what the Blues are cooking? And then followed it up the next year with: `They know we’re coming’.

Unfortunately for the Blues they didn’t amount to much with elimination final losses in both years.

For most of 2023, there was nothing to link Carlton’s performances with those infamous slogans … until now.

Four wins on the trot, taking down the second placed team who were on a 13-game winning streak and doing it without Harry McKay who lasted just 15 minutes, says there might finally be a whiff about the Blues.

This impressive win moved Carlton up to 10th on the ladder, just half-a-game out of the eight with a home game against West Coast next week.

Jack Silvagni kicked four in a starring performance. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Before we get too carried away with the smell, the health of McKay needs to be factored in.

Without him against the Power, the Blues adjusted well and at times looked more mobile with Jack Silvagni and Jesse Motlop contributing career-best four-goal hauls to help out Charlie Curnow who was enormous all day.

But that’s not a long-term scenario you would want to bank on for a finals run so fingers crossed for the 2021 Coleman Medallist.

This version of Carlton compared to the earlier in the season is the ball movement and desire to go forward out of the contest as quickly as possible.

The previous reliance on skipper Patrick Cripps isn’t there although the reigning Brownlow Medallist went from nine touches in the first half to an influential 24 possessions and a goal by the end of a great night for his team.

He enjoyed the responsibility being spread around with Blake Acres (24 possessions), Sam Walsh (23 possessions) and George Hewett (19 touches) holding their own against Port’s star-studded midfield.

“It was powerful,” Cripps said about the 50-point victory. “We have been working on that game all year but sometimes the boys are down a little bit on confidence and probably get distracted.

“If we really just focus on our contest and our pressure, try and be as selfless as we can, it’s amazing that the things we worked on at the start are now transferring in our game.

“It is just fun to play, the best thing is that no matter what the opposition throws at us, we know how to control our pressure and how we can be good teammates. That is the beauty of it.”

Tom De Koning was commanding in the ruck. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Right in the thick of all of that was Tom De Koning. The Blues need to end this contract saga as soon as possible because the kid is their No. 1 ruckman for the next five years.

As much as anything he has a crack. The desire to do the hard things, get his hands dirty by throwing his body around in the middle of the ground is a great attribute.

Fellow ruck Marc Pittonet getting a new four-year deal back in May and then De Koning being sent to the VFL had opposition clubs salivating about the prospect of getting their hands on the 201cm big man.

Let’s be clear De Koning should never play VFL again as he is a key ingredient in what the Blues are cooking in the future.

MATCH REPORT: POWER’S WIN STREAK ENDS AT 13

Carlton has announced itself as a genuine finals contender with an emphatic 50-point win over Port Adelaide, but the fourth consecutive victory was marred by a knee injury to Harry McKay.

McKay went to ground clutching his right leg midway through the first term after landing awkwardly in a marking contest and was subbed out of the game, but the Blues were still able to put the Power to the sword as Jack Silvagni and late inclusion Jesse Motlop both kicked four goals for the first time.

It was an unflattering end to the Power’s record 13-game winning streak, with the seven changes to the side proving too many to overcome as they badly lost their way in the second term, conceding six goals as Motlop ran rampant.

The loss of Charlie Dixon hurt the Power the most, with Jacob Weitering freed to play on Todd Marshall and easily outmuscling him in several one-on-one contests to mark his 150th game in style.

Lord and the Power struggled in front of the big sticks in the first half. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Dixon’s replacement Ollie Lord offered a strong target but had severe yips in front of goal, spraying four shots before he kicked his first midway through the third term.

Jordan Boyd will almost certainly be handed a suspension after he was penalised for a dangerous tackle on Darcy Byrne-Jones in the second term, with the Port forward subbed out at halftime after failing a concussion test.

MAGNIFICENT MOTLOP

Jesse Motlop earned a reprieve after three games on the outer when Matt Owies was withdrawn at the last minute due to calf tightness, and he seized his opportunity with both hands.

The teenage goalsneak started ominously when he easily pushed Dylan Williams aside to mark and goal, and then set the game alight at the start of the second quarter with three goals in quick succession.

Motlop was fast and clean, with the follow through from his strong VFL form suggesting he has turned a corner in his development.

McKay and Curnow ran riot up forward. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

BLUES FIND THEIR FLEET

Owies has been rock solid this year, but the Blues may have found their best mix of smalls on Saturday and his selection will not be automatic when fit.

David Cuningham, Jack Martin and Lachie Fogarty have been crucial to the Blues’ transformation over the last month with their superb decision-making and skills across half-forward opening avenues to goal the Blues simply could not access earlier in the season.

The trio’s presence allowed Motlop to play closer to goal than he did earlier in the season, and the

STRUGGLING SKIPPER

It was a tough ask for Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas to settle back into a key defensive post at AFL level after two months out of the side, but the Power will be worried by the hold Charlie Curnow had over him.

Jonas has always been undersized for a key defender at 188cm, but seems to have lost a yard of pace and was badly exposed early as Curnow roamed the forward half freely, gathering five disposals and peppering the goals in the first term.

“(Jonas) is like the fifth Beatle at the moment. He’s just lost that sharpness that he used to have … it’s not injury, it’s form,” Mick Malthouse said on ABC Radio.

Jonas struggle in his return. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

BLUES 3.6, 9.8, 14.10, 18.14 (122)

POWER 2.2, 4.7, 9.9, 10.12 (72)

BOURKE’S BESTBlues: Curnow, Silvagni, Motlop, De Koning, Walsh, Cripps. Power: Rozee, Houston, Drew, Butters, Boak, Burgoyne.

GOALS Blues: Motlop 4, Silvagni 4, Curnow 3, Cottrell 2, Martin, Cuningham, Cripps, Fogarty, Newman. Power: Marshall 3, Rozee 2, Butters, Byrne-Jones, Lord, Powell-Pepper, McEntee.

UMPIRES Chamberlain, Dore, Fleer, Wallace.

INJURIES Blues: McKay (knee), De Koning (dislocated finger). Power: Byrne-Jones (concussion), Butters (corky).

CROWD 34,306 at Marvel Stadium

BOURKE’S VOTES

3. C. Curnow (Carl)

2. J. Silvagni (Carl)

1. J. Motlop (Carl)

Originally published as AFL Round 18 Carlton v Port Adelaide: Blues end Power’s 13-game winning streak in 122-72 victory