Match

Carlton vs Western Bulldogs

Commentary / 19 Aug 2018

Pre Game

00:00
Toby McLean has forced 68 turnovers from his Pressure Acts this season, placing him in the top 15 players in the AFL in this category and number one at the Bulldogs.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:15
Ed Curnow has been sent to Jason Johannisen in a tagging role to start the match. Patrick Cripps is in a head-to-head battle with Jack Macrae which should be an entertaining battle between the two midfield stars.
04:49
The Bulldogs have established an early lead in the uncontested possession count 17-6 and this has allowed them to record five of the first six inside 50's.
08:10
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
08:24
Charlie Curnow takes a big pack mark and kicks the goal to open the scoring. Curnow has kicked 22 of his 32 goals this year from set shots, placing him in the top 20 for all AFL players from this shot type and number one at Carlton in 2018.
11:31
Ed Curnow has now been moved to Toby McLean, and with great effect as McLean is yet to record a disposal.
14:11
Fresh off equalling his previous career-best of 44 disposals last week against the Kangaroos, Lachie Hunter is up to eight disposals already from six uncontested possessions, both game-high numbers early in the first quarter.
15:00
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Toby McLean)
17:35
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Billy Gowers)
18:51
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Matthew Lobbe)
20:01
Matthew Lobbe is stepping up in Matthew Kreuzer's absence, recording 10 hitouts from 13 ruck contests. However the Bulldogs are leading clearances 7-5 including two centre clearances to none for the Blues.
21:30
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Billy Gowers)
21:45
Three of the five Bulldogs possession chains launched from their defensive 50 have gone inside their forward 50, including the last one that ended in that goal to Gowers. By comparison, just two of Carlton's 10 defensive 50 chains have gone inside 50.
23:06
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
24:21
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Kade Simpson)
26:24
Lead by Jack Macrae, the Bulldogs out-tackled the Blues 22-14 in the first quarter at an efficiency rating of 88 per cent. The Blues only completed 61 per cent of their tackle attempts.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
02:34
Caleb Marchbank has dropped two intercept marks in a row in defensive 50 and watched the roll out of bounds to be thrown in. He averages 10 positive one-percenters per game since Round 17 to sit in the top 10 players in the AFL in this category.
06:24
Blues Interchange - Sam Petrevski-Seton off due to the blood rule.
07:04
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
07:40
Charlie Curnow again kicks the first goal of the term to extend the Blues lead to seven points. All of the Blues goals have been scored from Possession Gains, which almost matches their season average of 22 points per game from this source, ranked 18th.
09:20
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lin Jong)
14:02
Four hitouts-to-advantage to the Bulldogs this term has allowed them to lead clearances 9-3 in the second quarter. However the Bulldogs are yet to turn this dominance at stoppages into points on the scoreboard.
16:11
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Josh Dunkley)
16:12
Apart from Jackson Trengove, all other players on the interchange bench have been stuck there for over six minutes of game time.
17:37
Bulldogs Interchange - Tory Dickson off due to an injury.
18:38
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
19:03
Fergus Greene has recorded 14 forward half pressure points in the second quarter, double that of all other players on the ground this term. He averages 27.3 forward half pressure points per game, the third-highest average of all Bulldogs players in 2018.
20:56
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jackson Trengove)
25:36
Tom De Koning kicks his first goal of his career on debut to put the Blues back in front. He has looked good in his first game, recording seven disposals, four contested possessions, three marks including one contested mark in the first half.
28:29
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
28:55
Dale Thomas is the only player on the ground in the first half who averages 15 or more metres gained per disposal and a possession retention rate of more than 55 per cent.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:17
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Mitch Wallis)
02:17
Perfect start for the Bulldogs who get a goal through Mitch Wallis to retake the lead shortly after play restarts in the second half. The Bulldogs have only won three of 12 games this season when they were trailing at half time.
07:02
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Josh Dunkley)
10:13
Carlton have recorded six ruck contest first possessions to just one for the Bulldogs in this term, however the Bulldogs lead the clearances 4-3 and have scored the only goal from a clearance in today's match.
10:20
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
11:32
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Wright)
13:02
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Aaron Mullett)
15:43
Four of Carlton's five goals have come from forward half Possessions Gains. The Blues average 20 points per game from this source in 2018, the second-lowest average of any side in the competition.
18:29
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Josh Dunkley)
19:53
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lachie Hunter)
20:54
Lachie Hunter continues his good form as he gets the Bulldogs back in the lead with his first goal from his 23 disposals. He has an equal game-high 16 uncontested possessions and is using the ball at 93 per cent efficiency by foot.
22:32
Kade Simpson's four score launches is double that of all other players in this match. His 502 metres gained is the second time he has recorded 500 metres gained before three quarter time in 2018, the only Carlton player to do so.
26:25
Josh Dunkley has had a mixed bag in today's match. He has recorded a game-high 30 disposals from 12 contested possessions, to go with five tackles and five clearances, however his three shots at goal have reaped just 0.3.3.
26:44
The Bulldogs have been much more successful at spreading by hand from the contest to open up the field. They have five players with double-digit handball-receives, compared to just Kade Simpson for the Blues.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
06:13
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Paddy Dow)
06:20
Paddy Dow puts the Blues back in the lead with the first goal of the final term. The Blues have already recorded seven Possession Gains, including three to Ciaran Byrne and two to Dale Thomas including the score launch for that goal.
09:07
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Fergus Greene)
09:50
The Bulldogs get their second goal of the match launched from a stoppage. The lead has changed hands with each of the last seven goals, dating back to Lin Jong's goal at the nine minute mark of the second quarter.
10:53
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
12:55
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Josh Schache)
13:45
The Blues are kicking at 88 per cent efficiency in their attacking midfield zone compared to 50 per cent for the Bulldogs. Inside 50 however it's a different story, with the Bulldogs kicking at 100 per cent compared to 25 per cent for Carlton.
15:03
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lin Jong)
18:44
Both teams tackling has been fairly sloppy in the final term. The Blues are tackling at 52 per cent efficiency, marginally ahead of the Bulldogs at 50 per cent.
19:41
SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Jason Johannisen)
20:11
Jack Macrae has shown his class in the final quarter. His 11 disposals, 154 metres gained and eight uncontested possessions including four score involvements are well ahead of all other players in each category this term.
23:16
Blues Interchange - Patrick Cripps off due to an injury.
23:45
SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Toby McLean)
23:58
Currently the Bulldogs have recorded their highest clearance differential in any game this season, leading the Blues 41-18 in this category. This has allowed them to score three goals to none from clearances, despite some early struggles.
25:23
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Silvagni)
27:36
Kade Simpson has been the Blues best in today's match. He has launched three goals from his eight intercept possessions to be the only player with multiple goals launched from this source. He also has a team-high 34 disposals and 671 metres gained.
28:41
The Blues have controlled the pace of this game throughout, leading the uncontested marks 97-79 and owning time in possession by over four minutes more than their opponents.
29:21
Both Marcus Bontempelli (37 disposals) and Josh Dunkley (36) have set new career-best records for disposals. Plus 25 in the clearances allowed them to lead inside 50's 47-37 and record 23 scoring shots to 18.