Game Review

After their amazing victory the previous week, Carlton went into their 29th Grand Final shooting for their 17th Premiership. The Blues had had a troubled week – Aaron Hamill had been reported and suspended for two weeks after the Preliminary Final, but was available to play after an appeal – and it was widely considered that the huge physical and emotional toll on the players would be too much for the Blues to overcome. But as everyone had seen the previous week, the Blues could never be counted out.

Carlton made two changes to its Preliminary Final team, Adrian Hickmott and Anthony Franchina returning from injury and suspension respectively for Adam White and Simon Fletcher. The Kangaroos brought in Shannon Motlop for only his 7th game of AFL Football. Carlton were first on the board in the match proper when Brett Ratten slotted a goal, but that was the only joy for Carlton fans in the first quarter – the Roos kicked three goals to nil after that point.

In the second quarter, Carlton lifted. Fraser Brown, Scott Camporeale and Matthew Lappin all goaled to give Carlton the lead. Very shortly after Fraser Brown left the field with an AC shoulder injury, he would try to return but was basically absent for the second half. Then Blue-to-be Corey McKernan lifted the Roos with two amazing goals – one from 65 metres out and one a banana kick two minutes later. When the dust had settled, the Kangaroos went into the halftime break 20 points up. From memory, Michael Sexton had time at half forward but missed 2 shots on goal which would have had us just that little bit closer.

In the third quarter, the teams swapped goals before Justin Murphy badly injured his knee, depriving the Blues of a strong runner. It seemed that whatever Carlton tried was failing when Lappin turned it over running towards goal – this resulted in a Peter Bell goal, which itself sparked 3 more for the Roos. At three quarter time, the Kangaroos were 43 points up and almost certain to be the 1999 Premiers.

The last quarter was a rather pedestrian affair after a burst of five shots on goal by the Blues within the first four minutes of the quarter, sadly none landed as goals and any pressure was lost. Early goals to Bell and Motlop cemented the victory, the last quarter was basically goal for goal except for a very short two goal burst from the Blues. In the end, despite both teams having 29 scoring shots, the Kangaroos ran out 35 point winners. Carlton’s best was probably Stephen Silvagni, who kept Wayne Carey almost kickless in the first half. But winners on the day were hard to find for Carlton, in a disappointing end to the 1999 season. The Kangaroos’ Shannon Grant won the Norm Smith Medal with 19 possessions and 4 goals.

Despite the fight shown from a Blues outfit who had gained entry into the grand final from 6th place the Kangaroos still accounted for the Blues with Cameron Moooney obtaining zero possessions and John Longmire wedged into the team for premiership glory despite only gathering 3 possessions.

This match was also notable as being the last for 1995 Premiership Player Matthew Hogg. Having been picked up in the 1991 National Draft, Hogg played 118 games for the Blues before hanging up the boots.

Team

Milestones

Last game: Matthew Hogg
Interesting Fact: Little did we know, but Carlton was about to embark upon a record breaking period of games played between Grand Finals, with the wait ongoing....