Game Review

Oh what a night! Cripps produces winner in stunning victory.
The summary of an incredible Carlton win against Geelong. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media

The man for the moment. Carlton has produced its third consecutive win in the most dramatic fashion, with a Patrick Cripps goal securing a four-point win over premiership fancy Geelong. On a night defined by pure desire and passion both on the ground and in the stands, the Blues produced a brilliant win on a massive occasion for the Club, pipping the Cats 12.16 (88) to 12.12 (84). While Cripps was the clutch king and Sam Walsh and Jacob Weitering led brilliantly, it was another night where Carlton’s youngsters stood up, with Harry Dean, Jagga Smith and Billy Wilson all stepping up.

The Blues needed to overcome an uncharacteristic slow start, with the Cats asserting their authority in the opening term. After Will Hayward kicked the opening goal of the game, the ball lived in Geelong’s forward half and the Carlton backline was under increasing pressure, conceding four consecutive goals. Harry Dean had some big defensive moments while Jagga Smith got busy around the ball, with the Blues responding well in the final minutes to halt the momentum: however, they entered the first break trailing by 19 points. The Blues got their offensive game going well and truly in the second term, looking dynamic every time they had ball in hand - albeit lacking with their final shot on goal. It was a term where the Blues’ youngsters stood up, as Jack Ison turned provided for a Flynn Young goal before kicking his own to ignite the MCG.

In his second game for the season, Young played an inspired patch of football, kicking two majors and having some decisive as the Blues wrestled their way back into the game, with Billy Wilson having increasing impact across half-back. Twice coming back from a 20-point deficit, the Blues rallied as an Adam Cerra goal from a holding-the-ball free kick got the Blues within a kick at the main break. A classic Carlton patch of five minutes of devastating football was a throwback to past years, kicking three goals in three minutes to open up a lead in the third term. Dean was brilliant on the last line, collecting eight disposals for the third term as the Cats responded, while Hayward looked increasingly dangerous. The Blues led by the barest of margins at the last change, and if the previous two quarters were any indication, it was going to go down to the wire. It was a goal-for-goal final term, with Geelong having an answer every time Carlton looked to break away. What looked to be the play of the night saw Talor Byrne floor Marc Blicavs, Jagga Smith break 50 and find Brodie Kemp who converted: after that, the Blues had 23 goalless minutes. But when Jack Henry put the Cats up with two minutes to go, the Blues looked headed for a heartbreaking, ‘honourable’ loss. Arise Patrick Cripps. The man for the moment took an overhead contested mark that had Carlton fans in raptures, before going back to slot the goal and give the Blues the lead once more. On a night where the Blues kicked 16 behinds, it was that decisive kick which ensured a third consecutive win, coming on the night of the Club’s 10-year celebration of Carlton Respects.

The single play that stood out for matchwinner Cripps
The final-quarter play which drew the praise of Patrick Cripps. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media

In the aftermath of a moment which Patrick Cripps described as an “out-of-body experience”, he shone the light on a big moment in the final term. And no, it wasn’t his own. While Cripps earned the plaudits for his last-quarter heroics, the captain - speaking to FOX Footy after the game - highlighted a passage of play from a youngster playing just his seventh game. With scores locked early in the final term, Geelong looked bound to break away from stoppage when Bailey Smith fired a handball out to the 198cm veteran, Mark Blicavs. Enter Talor Byrne.

The young small forward produced a moment that was all heart, driving Blicavs into the MCG turf, forcing a spillage that ended with Jagga Smith assisting Brodie Kemp for the go-ahead goal. In Cripps’ eyes, it was a single moment which summed up Carlton’s appetite for the fight - as demonstrated by the skipper immediately going to Byrne in the celebrations following Kemp’s goal. “There was one contest I really loved, it was Talor Byrne. He had this big contest on the 50, laid a big bump or tackle that led to a goal. “They’re the moments where you go to a young fella and say ‘That’s what AFL footy is about.’ If you keep doing those little things, you’ll get picked every week. “I love that little fella. He’s just a country footy player that knows how to play footy, he’s tough.”

Bolt from the Blues: Carlton snatches thriller over Cats
Carlton has defeated Geelong by four points in a rollicking contest at the MCG - By Riley Beveridge.

Suddenly, everything's coming up Carlton. For two months to start this season, games like Friday night's against Geelong had been going against the Blues. Adversity? Couldn't handle it. A nail-biting finish? Don't even ask. A good opponent? Why bother. A late goal? Of course it went the other way. Until, that is, the last three weeks. Where normally, Jack Henry's frantic goal to put the Cats two points up with two minutes to go might have spelt the end of the Blues, this new-look side now appears to have a steeliness to it. Henry's goal wasn't met with doom nor gloom. This time, it provided a chance to show what's changed. Carlton instead won the next clearance. It instead went deep inside-50. It instead found Patrick Cripps. He instead leapt high over a pack. And he instead snapped the immediate response, securing a third straight Blues victory via a dramatic 12.16 (88) to 12.12 (84) scoreline. Of course, there was still controversy. While it was that intense Cripps goal with virtually the last kick of the game that might have won the match for Carlton, it was Ollie Dempsey's non-goal with virtually the first kick of the match that might have lost it for Geelong. It was Ollie everywhere from the game's opening seconds, with Dempsey setting the tone – both good and bad – for what would follow. He had what looked like his first goal of the night bizarrely ruled out by an ARC non-call, before making amends himself through two quick majors on the bounce. Both were quintessential Dempsey finishes, as was the one on the goal line that ricocheted off his shin only to be called a behind by the umpire without relying on ARC intervention. Play had already been restarted and couldn't be recalled by the time replays proved the decision was an incorrect one. While it was frustrating for the Geelong faithful, it hadn't looked as though it would be a defining call given the side's early dominance. Jeremy Cameron added two more to Dempsey's early double and when the Henry brothers also hit the scoreboard it began to actually look rather ominous.

But the Blues under Josh Fraser had shown resolve when tested across the last fortnight, standing up under similar scrutiny again on Friday night. Despite falling 19 down at quarter time, and looking lethargic and error-prone, they rallied amid a second term fightback that was led by the kids. Jagga Smith was prolific through the midfield, Flynn Young, Talor Byrne and Jack Ison were exciting in attack, with Harry Dean and Billy Wilson playing important roles defensively. Others chipped in where necessary, helping Carlton reduce the deficit from beyond 20 points to within a kick at half time. Carlton needed to be steadfast again after half time. First, it claimed the lead. Then, it lost the lead. And when Shaun Mannagh added another for Geelong soon after, steering through a beauty from the boundary, it looked as though the Cats might have just rediscovered their magic. Instead, though, the Blues continued to have the answers. Three consecutive goals against the run of play once again righted the ship, with only Cameron's third – delivered right on the stroke of three-quarter time – putting a pin in the party and setting up a barnstorming finish. Big moments defined that last quarter, with Hayward's third and Cameron's fourth continuing the back and forth nature of the contest. Jack Henry's second and Cripps' mammoth mark continued it, with Carlton holding firm amid a tense final 70-odd seconds for a third straight win. Carlton was incredible from centre bounce tonight, winning clearances 13-11 and scoring 4.1 (25) from the source, their second-most from the source this season. Geelong struggled from the source, only managing 1.1 (7) from the source. The Cats were excellent out of their back half, achieving an inside 50 from 33% of their defensive half chains and scoring 5.5 (35) from the zone. In contrast, the Blues achieved an inside 50 from just 23% of their defensive half chains and scored 2.4 (16).

Dempsey denied goal by ARC error
It didn't take long for a moment of controversy at the MCG. In the game's opening seconds, Geelong's Ollie Dempsey appeared to palm the ball onto his own shin on the goal line – a clear goal – though it wasn't picked up. David Rodan, the goal umpire, had been knocked to the floor during the scramble on the line but didn't opt to send the decision to the ARC. Carlton's Nic Newman took the kick-in quickly and the play restarted without any intervention from upstairs. By the time anyone realised, the ball had shifted up onto the wing and it was too late to call it back.

Walsh typifies Blues' battle
Sam Walsh is toughness personified. He was already having a prolific game when he was dumped in a Bailey Smith tackle late in the third quarter. He walked away from the contest gritting his teeth and holding his right shoulder in pain, but waved away the doctors to soldier on. Moments later, he laid a big tackle on the stroke of the siren and was again left grimacing. But nothing was going to stop Carlton's next captain from finishing this one, something he did while ending the match as the side's best player.

Best: S. Walsh, J. Weitering, J. Smith, W. Hayward, P. Cripps, H. Dean.

Jagga is edging clear in the Rising Star race
Geelong has a tagger in Oisin Mullin who, across the past month, has performed effective shutdown roles on the likes of Nick Daicos and Lachie Neale. But, on Friday night, he was asked to move to an 11-gamer at half-time of his side's defeat to Carlton. Such was Jagga Smith's impact, the move was worth the gamble from Chris Scott. The teenager had a game-high 18 disposals at the main break, with his clean hands and craftiness through the centre providing the Blues with a fantastic outlet. He finished with 27 touches, six clearances and six inside-50s, along with a fantastic goal assist for Brodie Kemp in the final term. Having had 23 score involvements in the two weeks prior, another stellar Smith showing might have the former No.3 pick on track for the Telstra Rising Star award at the end of the year. - Riley Beveridge.

Fraser's Five Big Blue Changes.
These are the five big changes Carlton has made under Josh Fraser.

1. The first is in game style – the Blues have taken control of the ball considerably more under interim coach Fraser, with Champion Data ranking Carlton No.1 for time in possession over the past three weeks and taking more uncontested marks than any team in this period. They were ranked 14th for time in possession and 13th for uncontested marks under Michael Voss this year.

2. Secondly, the Blues have left the corridor footy and are opting for the boundary line to set up their plan. This has seen them be less predictable with their ball movement and they have increased their 45-degree kick percentage, making them move the ball with purpose. Their ball movement has improved from their defensive half and they are transitioning and scoring more from that part of the ground.

3. The third priority for the Blues has been Fraser not taking his eye off Carlton's strengths. Their stoppage game has always been seen as the central part of the Blues' hopes, but it has lifted again and in Friday's win over Geelong they scored 49 points from clearances – the most the Cats have conceded this season. Defensively, they are conceding almost four fewer goals per game than the first nine rounds of the season and their scoring efficiency from forward-50 entries has also spiked.

4. The next change has been moving the magnets and experimenting. Will Hayward has moved to the wing and played more than half of his game time in that role, up from 96 per cent of his time forward under Voss. Harry McKay has played 30 per cent in the ruck, becoming the Blues' No.2 in that position. He barely played there under Voss (three per cent). Jagga Smith has gone up in midfield time in the past three weeks (59 per cent to 76) and Ben Ainsworth has also been sent in the centre bounce 24.5 per cent of the time, a real change from his previous 97 per cent as a forward.

5. The fifth change has been some newer faces thrown in, with Jack Ison making his debut in the game that followed Voss' sacking and adding some class, and Billy Wilson also returning to the side. Flynn Young was also busy on Friday night with two goals. Carlton can heap more pain on a wounded Essendon next week, with its three games after that (following its round14 bye) against Greater Western Sydney, West Coast and Richmond, giving it a sneaky chance of playing in a wildcard game.

In: Blake Acres, Jacob Weitering.
Out: Matthew Carroll (knee), Wade Derksen (omitted)

Highlights

Rising Star Nominee: - Harry Dean

Interesting Facts

1. Carlton Respects game. Monogramme now has an orange border.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/2026298/refreshed-carlton-respects-guernsey-for-2026
(CFC article 19 May 2026)
2. Carlton and Geelong have only met each other once in Round 12 since the Blues' 1995 premiership season. It was an epic five-point Cats win at Marvel Stadium in 2014 when Joel Selwood kicked the winning goal.

Free Kicks

Carlton 22
Geelong 19

Umpires

Craig Fleer, Andrew Heffernan, Jacob Mollison, Nicholas McGinness.

Reports

Mark O'Connor (Geel) was reported for careless contact with an umpire. He was fined $1000 with an early plea.

Disposal Efficiency

1. Jacob Weitering 95%
2. Harry Dean 87%
3. George Hewett 86%
4. Jack Ison 83%

Front Runners

1. Nick Haynes 15.2km
2. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong) 14.5km
3. Jacob Weitering 14.4km
4. Sam Walsh 14.3km

AFLCA Votes

10 - Patrick Cripps (CARL)
7 - Jagga Smith (CARL)
4 - Sam Walsh (CARL)
3 - Connor O'Sullivan (GEEL)
2 - Oliver Dempsey (GEEL)
2 - Max Holmes (GEEL)
1 - Will Hayward (CARL)
1 - Tom Stewart (GEEL)

Brownlow Votes

3 Patrick Cripps
1 Sam Walsh

Best and Fairest Votes

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