Match

Carlton vs Melbourne

Commentary / 20 May 2018

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to MCG for the Carlton v Melbourne Round 9 clash.
59:33
Outs for Blues: E.Curnow, C.Curnow
59:34
Ins for Blues: M.Murphy, P.Kerr
59:35
Outs for Demons: S.Weideman, D.Tyson
59:36
Ins for Demons: J.Viney, T.Smith
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
This match pits two of the best centre bounce teams against each other. The Blues average 2.2 more centre clearances than their opposition per game (ranked third) while the Demons lead the league winning 3.5 more centre clearances than their opponents.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:19
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tim Smith)
03:42
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Matthew Kreuzer)
06:39
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jesse Hogan)
10:12
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
10:18
Although it's taken ten minutes to find the first goal, Melbourne has dominated the battle for territory early. The Demons have taken the ball inside 50 on eight occasions and enjoyed 70 per cent of time inside its forward half.
13:02
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jed Lamb)
13:18
Carlton has hit back with a goal off the ground kicked by Jed Lamb. The Blues have only entered inside forward 50 and scored on both occasions - well up on their season average of 39 per cent of entries (ranked 17th).
14:42
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
15:26
Melbourne has won two free kicks inside forward 50 and duly converted both into goals.
16:47
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
20:52
Blues Interchange - Zac Fisher off due to an injury.
21:33
Although Carlton has only recorded 29 kicks, six of these have been marked as intercepts by Melbourne. The Demons have recorded 38 kicks of their own with only two intercepted by the Blues.
25:03
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
25:18
Carlton has had a solid past ten minutes capped off with a goal to McKay. In that time the Blues have split the forward 50 entries with Melbourne with four apiece, with 19 metres gained per disposal compared with the Blues' 12 metres per disposal.
25:29
Blues Interchange - Marc Murphy off due to an injury.
26:31
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
26:32
Melbourne has hit straight back, launching its second goal of the quarter from centre bounces. Tom McDonald has now kicked 10.1 in his past three games and a quarter.
29:02
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Salem)
31:01
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
31:12
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
31:22
A tight first quarter has ended with McKay kicking his second after the siren after Gawn gave away a 50-metre penalty. Melbourne launched its three goals from midfield intercepts while Carlton launched its three majors from forward half possession chains

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
03:11
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Viney)
03:36
Melbourne has already taken seven marks inside forward 50, after taking 19 such marks last week against Gold Coast. This season the Demons average 14.1 marks inside forward 50 per game, more than any other team in the league.
06:19
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
06:42
Melbourne has kicked its first goal for the game launched from defensive 50. The Demons have won possession 11 times in this zone and transitioned four times inside forward 50 (36 per cent), ahead of their season average of 24 per cent (ranked fourth).
09:48
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
11:11
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
12:08
Melbourne is finding the ability to transition to goal this term, with all three goals launched from defensive half intercepts.
17:20
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
17:37
That's four goals launched from defensive half intercepts for Melbourne this term. The Demons have won 11 defensive half intercepts, taking eight of the resulting possession chains inside 50. The Blues have won just three defensive half intercepts.
19:24
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Zac Fisher)
19:27
The Blues have kicked their first goal for the quarter on the run from Zac Fisher. This is Carlton's first major kicked from further out than 15 metres, with the other three were kicked from the goal square.
20:57
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
22:03
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
22:42
Melbourne has hit back with consecutive goals launched out of centre clearance wins. At centre bounces the Demons have only won one extra clearance (seven to six), however they have now taken five chains inside 50 and launched four goals from this type.
23:17
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
24:03
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
24:32
Patrick Cripps is playing another key role for the Blues in the middle. The Carlton midfielder has won five clearances, recorded 13 disposals, taken four marks (two contested), laid five tackles and kicked 1.1 before half time.
26:18
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
26:23
Three goals for Tom McDonald this quarter, taking him to four for the game and 13.1 for the season. The Demons have kicked seven goals from 13 forward 50 entries this quarter, helped by a kicking effectiveness of 75 per cent inside their forward half.
29:39
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
29:49
The Demons have kicked seven goals against the Blues for the first time in a second quarter since 2002. They dominated on transition with five goals launched from defensive half intercepts, with two others launched from centre clearances.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:34
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
02:14
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
02:16
Two goals in as many minutes for Melbourne to start the second half. The Demons have won both centre clearances and all three forward 50 entries, with 11 disposals to three in the early play.
05:38
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
06:30
It appears the floodgates are starting to open for Melbourne, with 10 of the last 12 goals of the game. Alex Neal-Bullen launched the latest goal from an intercept and has now launched a game-high three goals, with the others from clearances.
08:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tim Smith)
09:05
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
09:24
Since quarter time Melbourne has generated 19 forward 50 entries for a result of 11.1 (67). Seven of its goals have come from general play within 40 metres, with four goals from set shots.
11:21
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Max Gawn)
11:49
Melbourne is doing it easily at the MCG, with five goals from just 38 disposals since half time. This quarter the Demons have a kicking efficiency of 75 per cent in comparison to the Blues at just 25 per cent.
12:17
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
13:39
The Demons are rolling out of the centre, with all six of their goals launched from the midfield zone this term. All six goals have been kicked from the corridor inside 50 this quarter.
16:28
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jed Lamb)
18:14
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
18:45
Since quarter time Melbourne has been able to generated good looks at goal. The Demons have managed 15 shots from 23 forward 50 entries in this time for 14.1 (85). All of these shots have come from within 40 metres and within the corridor.
19:25
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Mitch Hannan)
27:42
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Matthew Kreuzer)
29:00
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Zac Fisher)
29:28
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Nathan Jones)
29:40
Melbourne has kicked its eighth goal for the quarter, this time launched directly from Michael Hibberd's kick in. This season the Demons average a score launched from 14.8 per cent of kick ins, the second-highest rate of any team in the league.
30:53
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
31:57
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Marc Murphy)
32:20
Prior to this match the Blues had only kicked two goals off the ground for the season, however today two of Carlton's seven goals have been kicked in this manner.
33:55
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
34:05
Melbourne has kicked its highest score (52 points) in a quarter against Carlton since 1996. The Demons were exceptionally efficient in the wet conditions, with a kicking efficiency of 71 per cent in comparison to the Blues' 40 per cent.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:29
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
04:15
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Mitch Hannan)
04:46
Melbourne has kicked the first goal of all four quarters. The Demons have now taken 14 marks inside forward 50, kicking 8.2 (50) from marks. This is right on their average of 14.1 marks inside forward 50 per game (ranked first in the league).
06:18
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
06:51
Jake Melksham has been particularly productive for Melbourne in its offensive attempts. He has kicked five goals without a miss, and from his 19 disposals he has been involved in 14 possession chains ending in a score.
08:47
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Max Gawn)
11:14
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Mitch Hannan)
11:50
Jake Lever and Jordan Lewis have won consecutive midfield intercepts to launch the past two goals for the Demons, and now have shared 12 between them. Melbourne has launched 11.1 (67) from 47 intercepts in the midfield zone.
15:10
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
15:36
A measure of how easy Melbourne has found goals is that it has kicked eight goals from general play within 30 metres and 11 from within 40 metres.
17:42
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
18:53
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Clayton Oliver)
20:08
The Demons have stretched the lead to over 100 points with yet another goal in general play from with 15 metres. Melbourne has kicked more than 20 goals in successive weeks, with this score of 152 points its highest since 2016.
23:43
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Lochie O'Brien)
25:01
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
27:44
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)
27:52
Melbourne has kicked seven goals or more in three successive quarters. The Demons have now kicked 16.4 (100) launched from 79 intercepts, while the Blues have only generated 5.4 (34) from 74 intercepts.
29:23
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tom McDonald)
29:28
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
29:38
Melbourne has enjoyed its biggest ever victory over Carlton with a 109-point margin. The Demons shared the goals between 12 individual players, with Jake Melksham recording an equal season-high 15 score involvements.