Carlton 16.11 107 d Port Adelaide 10.11 71
Carlton gamers mob Zac Williams after his last-term aim.Credit score: Sarah Reed/Getty Photographs
KEY POINTS
THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SHINE: All eyes have been affixed on the 4 celebrity midfielders sporting the No.9 and No.18 jumpers for each side – Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis for Port Adelaide, and Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh for Carlton – and all had large moments.
Butters warded off a slowish begin and the shut tagging consideration of Alex Cincotta to have a very heavy influence within the second time period.
Walsh was sometimes prolific and productive from the outset, one of many few Blues to stem the first-half tide at stoppages. He completed the evening with a game-high 33 disposals.
Jason Horne-Francis led the Energy’s ascendant midfield early, at one stage single-handedly boasting extra clearances than Carlton’s entire workforce.
Cripps’ first-quarter brilliance in site visitors arrange Charlie Curnow’s pack mark and opening aim, however the 2022 Brownlow medallist was in any other case nicely contained within the opening half, one in all many Blues who wanted to elevate within the center.
He did simply that, lifting appreciably within the third stanza then beginning the fourth with a bang, booting two targets within the first two minutes and letting his direct opponent – Horne-Francis – know all about it. Tom De Koning loved a robust second half in ruck, permitting his midfielders to show the tables dramatically on the Energy.
Earlier than this 12 months, the Blues had by no means received at Adelaide Oval, dropping all seven matches on the venue. They registered their first victory throughout Collect Spherical in opposition to Fremantle and have now made it two following a win over the Energy.
Charlie Curnow is tackled by Aliir Aliir.Credit score: Getty Photographs
MIXED MESSAGES: After three coaches – together with Carlton boss Michael Voss – final week expressed their frustration on the manner holding-the-ball selections have been being assessed, the AFL wrote to golf equipment on Tuesday to advise umpires would tighten the best way they interpret the rule.
The primary half of Thursday’s conflict noticed the brand new interpretation in impact. Charlie Curnow was pinged shortly when tackled by Aliir Aliir halfway by way of the primary quarter, as was Jacob Weitering when introduced down by Ivan Soldo later within the time period and Port’s Kane Farrell when tackled by Matt Owies.
However the umpires appeared to return to the previous methods within the second half. Sam Walsh was unrewarded when he spun Todd Marshall in a sort out, whereas Nic Newman was unfortunate to not win a free when he appeared to have tackled Butters chilly.
There have been seven holding the ball selections paid.
The Energy after their loss in opposition to Carlton at Adelaide Oval.Credit score: James Elsby/Getty Photographs
POWER REVIVAL SHORT CIRCUITED: A fortnight in the past the Energy overturned a 41-point third-quarter deficit to pinch a last-second miracle in opposition to Hawthorn.
The sooner injury wasn’t as extreme this time, Port trailing by 24 factors halfway by way of the fourth time period when Mitch McGovern snuck ahead and threaded a left-footer.
Todd Marshall received six of these factors again when he transformed a set shot and Francis Evans thought he’d additional trimmed the margin to 2 straight kicks, just for a snicko murmur to overview a contact on the rating overview.
Port’s faint hopes have been dashed moments later when Brandon Zerk-Thatcher’s errant change in defensive-50 landed within the lap of Blake Acres, who duly cut up the center, earlier than Zac Williams and Harry McKay turned a tense standoff right into a shocking share pile-on.
