Match

Carlton vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 07 Aug 2021

Pre Game

00:00

Since Round 16, Carlton have conceded an average of 23 points per game launched from clearances by their opponents, the fourth-best defensive record from this source of any side in the last five rounds.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

05:49

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Brandon Ellis)

05:59

Brandon Ellis kicks the first goal of the game from Gold Coast's 21st uncontested possession of the game so far. The Blues have recorded five uncontested possessions by comparison.

08:09

Touk Miller has already recorded six pressure acts early in the first term, twice as many as any other player on the ground.

11:03

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)

12:55

Carlton have not found a teammate from any of their seven kicks entering their forward 50 so far this term. Since Round 16, the Blues have two players in the top 10 in this category, with Jack Silvagni and Ed Curnow equal fourth with 14 kicks inside 50 finding a teammate each in this span.

15:07

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)

16:26

Both of the goals scored in this match have been launched from stoppage clearances in the respective teams attacking midfield zone. Carlton average 7.5 points per game from clearances in this zone, ranked ninth in the AFL this season. The Suns average six points per game from this source, ranked 15th in 2021.

18:25

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben Ainsworth)

19:18

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)

20:29

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Tom De Koning)

21:05

From three shots at goal within 40 metres of goal, Gold Coast have scored just two behinds. The Suns average a goalkicking accuracy of 52 per cent from shots at goal inside 40 metres, the fourth-lowest accuracy of any side from this distance in 2021.

21:13

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Josh Honey)

24:51

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)

25:20

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Charlie Curnow)

27:35

Carlton's eight tackles for the quarter is their equal third-lowest figure in any quarter for this category in 2021. They recorded six tackles in the last quarter in each of their two matches against Collingwood in Rounds 2 and 18 this year.

27:55

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Josh Honey)

29:02

Gold Coast were able to turn all three of their centre clearances in the first term into inside 50's. However they failed to launch a score from any of these chains. The Suns average a score from 17 per cent of their centre clearance chains this year, the lowest conversion rate of any side from this source.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:59

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)

02:32

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Touk Miller)

03:49

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Joel Jeffrey)

05:33

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Jack Silvagni)

07:26

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Darcy MacPherson)

09:58

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)

10:29

Carlton have scored two behinds in the first 10 minutes of the second quarter. In 2021, they have averaged eight points per game added to the scoreboard in this period of the match, the fourth-highest average of any side.

11:15

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jacob Townsend)

12:30

14 of the Suns 15 points in this term have been scored from shots at goal in general play. In 2021, they average 30.3 points per game from shots in general play, ranked 15th in the AFL this year.

15:00

Suns Interchange - Brandon Ellis off due to an injury.

16:01

All five of Carlton's kicks going inside 50 this quarter have been retained by a teammate, however they only average a score from every third inside 50 for the term. By comparison, the Suns have only retained four of their eight kicks entering their forward 50, but are averaging a score from 63 per cent of their inside 50's.

17:22

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Eddie Betts)

17:39

Brandon Ellis (hamstring) has been subbed out and replaced by Jack Bowes.

18:48

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Silvagni)

19:24

A very even quarter at the stoppages thus far. Both teams have recorded five clearances and not turned the ball over from any of them, and have launched two goals apiece from this source in the second term.

22:59

After only completing half of the tackles they attempted in the first term (eight of 16), the Blues have completed all but one of the 14 tackles they have attempted in the second term.

23:31

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Charlie Curnow)

25:31

Blues Interchange - Nic Newman off due to the blood rule.

27:23

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Joel Jeffrey)

29:38

Noah Anderson had as many centre clearances (three) as Carlton in the first half. The Suns have launched twice as many scores from their first half clearance chains, however five of them were behinds (3.5.23 to the Blues 4.0.24 from clearances).

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

01:52

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Joel Jeffrey)

02:30

After two earlier attempts, Joel Jeffrey kicks the first goal of his career in his second game. Of the four Suns players who have been targeted in their forward 50 on multiple occasions, Jeffrey is the only player to take more than one mark from these targets (three).

05:46

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Martin)

09:52

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Alex Sexton)

10:10

Both of the Suns goals in the third term have been launched from defensive half intercept possessions. They average 19.2 points per game from this source since Round 16, the eighth-highest average of any side from this source in their last five games.

12:05

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)

16:38

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Brayden Fiorini)

18:14

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Zac Fisher)

19:39

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)

21:20

Blues Interchange - Zac Fisher off due to an injury.

21:37

The Blues have scored from 25 per cent of their inside 50's for the term, however have only kicked a goal from one of their 10 forward 50 entries. Carlton average a goal from 23.3 per cent of their inside 50's in 2021, ranked seventh.

24:55

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Zac Smith)

26:54

All four of the Suns goals in this term have been kicked from shots at goal recorded on a slight angle just outside the corridor. In their last 10 matches, the Suns have averaged a goal from 26 per cent of their shots recorded from an angle, the second-lowest accuracy of any side in this zone.

28:24

Both teams have recorded 11 intercept possession chains in the third term. However, it's been the Suns that have been far more efficient in turning these chains into four goals on the scoreboard for the term, compared to 1.1.7 for Carlton from this source.

28:46

Nic Newman played well in the third term after going off under the blood rule just before half time. He recorded a team-high eight disposals, half of which came from intercept possessions (four) of which he had twice that of any other player in the quarter.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

01:55

SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Josh Honey)

03:30

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Ed Curnow)

03:51

After kicking the ball at over 80 per cent efficiency in the third term, the Suns have dropped off dramatically to start the fourth term, kicking at just 43 per cent efficiency early in this term.

05:30

Matthew Rowell has recorded more disposals already in this term (four) than he had in the entire first half (three) while primarily matched up on Sam Walsh.

10:01

Blues Interchange - Harry McKay off due to an injury.

10:09

Carlton are again winning the forward half battle in the final term, winning seven of the first ten inside 50's in the last quarter, however they have only recorded two marks from these entries and scored 1.1.7 from both set shots.

11:08

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jacob Townsend)

12:47

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Josh Corbett)

13:32

That goal to Josh Corbett is the first goal to be launched by either side from 16 total centre clearance chains in today's match. Carlton have given up 12.6 points per game from opposition centre clearances in 2021, the equal fourth-worst defensive performance in this category of any side.

14:32

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)

17:17

Both teams have lifted their pressure rating significantly in the final term from the previous quarter. Carlton have jumped from 155 in the third term to 201 this quarter, and Gold Coast have lifted from 158 to 191 respectively.

20:21

Jacob Weitering has done his job blanketing Ben King in today's match, limiting him to five disposals and recording 10 of his own, as well as recording a game-high 13 intercept possessions and limiting King to just two behinds scored.

21:13

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Touk Miller)

25:04

Should the Suns break even in this category in the last few minutes of this match, they will have recorded their highest differential margin (242-189) for uncontested possessions in a match since Round 11, 2017 against West Coast.

26:34

SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)

29:42

Touk Miller and Noah Anderson have lead the way for the Suns in today's match, combining for over 900 metres gained, 43 uncontested possessions,16 clearances and 12 inside 50's.

31:10

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Wil Powell)

31:32

That goal caps a career best game for Wil Powell, who sets a new personal best with 29 disposals, including 16 disposals won matched up against former Sun Jack Martin who only notched five touches against Powell, and a new career-high of 620 metres gained.

31:44

Blues Interchange - Sam Walsh and is possibly out for the game.

32:32

Gold Coast made the Blues pay from their possession chains inside the Suns forward 50, scoring 32 points from 13 chains. They beat the Blues at their own game as well, winning the clearance count 41-31 and outscoring them by 42-26 from this source.