Carlton fans were left ruing their side’s failure to put together four consistent quarters, as they went down to the Giants by 36 points in their biggest loss this season.
Had the Blues’ turned up in the first half, they may well have been coming home winners, however a clear lack of intensity early on proved that not to be the case.
It was well and truly a game of two halves. The Giants were doing it easy early on, particularly in part to the Blues’ lack of pressure on the footy.
Just as Carlton looked set to head into next week with a new wave of criticism, momentum finally swung their way late in the third quarter, playing a quick brand of football to kick four of the last five goals of the term.
The last quarter was an even contest, yet the Giants took their chance while their opponents did not.
Even after all the heat of the last fortnight and a week off to freshen up, Carlton failed again to start brightly. GWS out-possessed them in the first half, yet still had more than double the tackles.
The feared Matt De Boer tag on Sam Walsh was a prime example of the Blues’ disappointing effort, with his teammates seemingly not keen to block and help out their young gun in the midfield.
It was also a familiar sight for the Giants to waltz out of their back half and set up slingshot plays with little to no pressure on the ball carrier, allowing Leon Cameron’s men to go coast to coast with ease.
Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield were huge for GWS as the clear two best players on the ground, while former Giant Matthew Kennedy was the best of the Blues brigade with 27 disposals.
Saturday night’s clash will certainly do no favours for under-fire coach David Teague, who’s looking to stave off a mid-season review that may decide his future with the club.
The match followed another disappointing trend for the Blues, while two key forwards decided the game in the clinches.
Here’s everything you need to know!
Carlton trend continues
There are two things that make Carlton fundamentally Carlton this year: an inability to play four quarters of solid football yet find a way to never get blown out of the water.
Every single one of the Blues’ losses this year before Saturday night was by between 16-28 points, with tonight’s loss only just out of that realm at 36 points.
It seems incredible that all nine losses can come in such similar fashions, and seemingly has something to do with Carlton’s inability to play consistent footy throughout a match.
Carlton has failed to play out last quarters in games they’ve been in at three quarter time, giving reasons as to why they haven’t been able to scrap out a close win or loss.
The onus rests with Teague to find out what is behind these mid-game lapses and fix it, as Carlton fans are left to rue yet another disappointing loss.
Two forwards at either end the difference in the end
The margin towards the end of the third quarter narrowed to just two goals, after Carlton youngster Tom De Koning kicked the Blues’ fourth goal in a row.
While at no stage did the Blues look deserving of a win, the match was going to come down to moments in the last quarter.
Harry McKay had the first chance to land a blow in the last quarter, but missed the set shot from close range. He also shanked a snap from 35 metres out that would have put the margin back to two kicks in the middle of the quarter, and while Mckay still had a big night with three goals, he’ll be ruing those two missed chances that cost his team some momentum.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Jeremy Finlayson stole the show to be best on ground. Finlayson kicked a big goal in the third quarter to arrest back some momentum for the Giants and give them some breathing space at three quarter time.
He also slotted the goal that probably iced the game for the home side, kicking his fifth midway through the last term to put his team up by five goals.
There wasn't much between the two key forwards, but it was Finlayson who stood up when needed most for the winners.
What’s next?
The Giants are still pushing for that final spot in the eight, and with Saturday night’s win they sit just half a win outside the the finals.
Four of their next five games come against teams outside the top eight, with the Hawks next week at home certainly appearing as a game they must win.
On the contrary, one of the aims for now for Carlton must be to avoid the bottom four, with winnable games against Adelaide and Fremantle in the coming weeks lending to that goal.
FULL SCORE
GWS Giants: 5.3, 8.4, 11.4, 16.6. (102)
Carlton: 2.1, 3.4, 7.10, 9.12. (66)
GOALS
GWS Giants: Finlayson 5, Greene 4, Himmelberg 2, Hopper, Cumming, Briggs, Lloyd
Carlton: McKay 3, Owies 2, Pittonet, Fogarty, Fisher, De Koning
BEST
GWS Giants: Whitfield, Greene, Finlayson, Hopper, De Boer
Carlton: Kennedy, Weitering, Pittonet, McKay, Cripps
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: nil
Carlton: Luke Parks, replaced by Jack Newnes
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