Goalkickers: L. Henderson 2, B. McLean, S. White, T. Bell, B. Johnson, A. Everitt 1.

Umpires: D. Harris, J. Mollison, B. Rosebury

Ladder: 14th

Game Review

Once again, the glaring deficiencies in Carlton’s list, and the gulf between the top clubs and the also-rans on the AFL ladder were laid painfully bare when the Sydney Swans destroyed the Blues by 71 points in this Saturday night encounter at the SCG.

After an even first half, Sydney’s high profile recruit Lance Franklin broke the shackles as Sydney took complete control in the third quarter, slamming through 10.4 to one solitary point by the Blues. In a devastating 35 minutes of football, Franklin kicked five of those goals off his own boot, and finished the game with six as the ladder-leading Swans posted a record-equalling twelfth straight win.

Earlier in the week, Carlton had lost Troy Menzel and Andrew Carrazzo to injury, so David Ellard and Nick Graham were called up for this match. Graham was designated Carlton’s substitute, before Blues captain Marc Murphy won the toss to at least start proceedings on a positive note. In front of a good crowd on a cool Sydney evening, with light showers persisting, both teams were ultra defensive at first, as Carlton employed flooding tactics and tried to bottle up play. Scores were hard to come by for both sides, and at quarter time, Sydney led by 8 points.

From a Carlton point of view, the second term was the best of the match. Throughout 30 minutes of hard, intense football, the Blues matched the Swans on the ground and in the air, and when Blaine Johnson marked in space and kicked truly for his first career goal right on the half-time siren, the Blues remained only 7 points behind. Although Sydney’s star midfielder Josh Kennedy was proving impossible to contain and already looking like a match-winner, the Swans’ big forwards; Franklin, Adam Goodes and Sam Reid were being kept in check by Michael Jamison, Sam Rowe and Andrew Walker. Meanwhile, Bryce Gibbs, Murphy and Kade Simpson were working hard around the stoppages, and both Lachie Henderson and Levi Casboult had taken some strong marks in attack.

The rain stopped during the long interval, then, three minutes after the restart, a mix-up in Carlton’s defence saw Franklin opposed to the much smaller Dale Thomas. When a long kick sailed toward them, Thomas clung desperately to “Buddy,” and gave away a free-kick 30 metres out on a tight angle. Franklin kicked truly for his first goal of the match, and from that moment on, the flood-gates crashed open. Sydney’s Canadian import Mike Pyke got right on top of Rob Warnock in the ruck duels, and the Swans’ midfielders took full advantage.

Time after time, the ball was pumped into Sydney’s attack, where Franklin and the other Swan forwards grew in confidence with every possession. Buddy’s second goal for the term – an outrageous, booming set-shot from 55 metres out - was followed by three more during the remaining 17 minutes. Sydney outscored the Blues by an extraordinary 63 points in half an hour of complete dominance, to put the result beyond doubt with a quarter left to play.

After that, the last term was an anti-climax for Carlton fans - devoid of the smallest glimmer of encouragement. Franklin’s sixth goal came three minutes into the term, when he snapped truly with his left foot from deep in the left forward pocket. Scoring 2.3 to Sydney’s 2.4 in the quarter, the Blues at least prevented further damage, but as a contest, the game was well and truly over long before the final siren.

Subs: Nick Graham replaced David Ellard last in the 3rd quarter.

Team

Milestones

First Goal: Blaine Johnson

Brownlow Votes

3. Josh P. Kennedy, Sydney
2. Lance Franklin, Sydney
1. Jarrad McVeigh, Sydney

Best & Fairest Votes

Marc Murphy 5, Zach Tuohy 5, Sam Docherty 4, Simon White 4, Bryce Gibbs 2, Ed Curnow 1, Lachie Henderson 1, Kade Simpson 1,

Ladder