Carlton can’t afford a shameful fall to the west on Sunday, with a win over the West Coast Eagles crucial to the club’s hopes of keeping alive a place in the top four.
The Eagles (2-13, 57.1%) will look to maintain their improved form over the past month, which has seen them beat Essendon as they record respectable defeats against both Richmond and Geelong.
The Blues (10-5, 112.1%) are in a precarious position with seven days before the final. A win over the West Coast would lead them to finish round 17 in fifth place, while a defeat would leave them vulnerable to being overtaken in the next few weeks at the bottom of the top eight.
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This match starts at 4.40pm EAST from Optus Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy Channel 504 from 4pm AEST.
MATCH REPORT QUARTER TO QUARTER
Carlton was in the lead from the first rebound, with Zac Fisher drawing an early foul for a high entry.
Sam Petrevski-Seton didn’t let the ball get him down and made some great moves on the pitch in spite of the rain.
“It’s an art to be able to take that free throw now … It’s almost better not to deal,” said commentator Jordan Lewis.
“He accentuates this entry by raising his arm. A lot of players do it and they do it successfully,” Matthew Pavlich added.
The Eagles seemed to be out when Liam Ryan came in at 50 without an opponent, but Shannon Hurn couldn’t get it; instead, run over by the great Harry McKay in a moment of brilliance.
“That was very important because Liam Ryan was out alone. An incredible chase from a key striker,” Pavlich praised.
“It was a fantastic chase for McKay. He stopped what could have been a set goal,” Lewis said.
“As soon as he saw (Josh) Kennedy’s change, he had to get on his bike.”
At the other end, Charlie Curnow took full advantage of the absence of injured Jeremy McGovern, easily outscoring Eagles rookie Harry Edwards.
He made it for the first time the day before Harry McKay came into action with his own mark and goal.
The Eagles were unable to clear the Carlton area and did not record an inside 50 in the first 15 minutes of the competition.
“If you’re WCE and you’ve had multiple opportunities coming out of the back half, you have to be very careful,” Lewis said.
“If you make a small mistake, you will be punished because Carlton is activated.”
When Jamaine Jones was stripped of his foot in the middle of the field, Corey Durdin threw the Blues’ fourth consecutive goal.
“The Carlton is ready for that right now, too strong,” Pavlich said.
It took almost 20 minutes of the game for West Coast to record their first within 50 minutes.
Before that, the count sat on a remarkable 16-0.
Curnow added his second goal for the game after Jack Darling turned the ball into the middle of the field.
“They’re not helping themselves,” Lewis said.
“You have to have an idea of how the game is going: if you don’t take care of the ball in your back, Carlton will make you pay.”
The Eagles coughed a whopping 24 in 50 to two during the fourth, and were lucky enough to concede just five goals.
West Coast finished goalless in the first season, for the second time this season.
An increase from coach Adam Simpson paid off for the Eagles as they came out firing in the second legislature.
Jack Darling got the first of the Eagles in the game from a controversial 50-meter penalty just minutes from the second season.
The Blues were deemed to have infringed on the protected area around the mark and Darling was not wrong.
“You should think you’re a little unlucky,” Lewis said of the penalty kick.
“This is rigid.”
Luke Foley rose to the board after the Eagles got a center clearance and Jae Waterman narrowed the margin when he won a free-kick with his head held high within the 50.
“The game has started again,” Pavlich said.
“Office work is better this quarter and they have at least had a little foot in their front half.
“The west coast is back in competition.”
Kennedy and Rioli’s goals narrowed the gap to just 15 points before Corey Durdin gave the Blues some breathing space.
“A massive variation in momentum,” Adam Papalia said.
“So much for Carlton: they could still finish first two and lose all eight,” Russell added.
When Bailey Williams received a controversial mark, after the ball seemed to travel less than the required 15 yards, he made no mistake with his seven shot.
Jake Waterman added another goal and all of a sudden the Eagles were losing just 10 points in the half.
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