Match

Carlton vs Sydney Swans

Commentary / 08 Sep 2023

Pre Game

00:00
Since 1987, the Swans have faced the Blues just once at the MCG which was in Round 6, 2017 – a match the Blues won by 19 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:50
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Sam Docherty)
02:47
Sam Docherty has scored the opening goal of the game following a forward 50 stoppage for the Blues. Docherty has averaged 19.4 uncontested possessions this season - ranked third in the AFL.
03:04
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
04:38
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Blake Acres)
05:13
Carlton has started strongly at stoppages tonight, winning four of the first five clearances of the match - resulting in two goals from this source. 26% of Carlton's clearances this season have resulted in a score - ranked second.
10:39
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
11:26
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Errol Gulden)
11:47
Swans Interchange - Nick Blakey off due to an injury.
12:20
Errol Gulden has taken an intercept mark from a Nic Newman kick-in and has converted the set shot to give the Swans their first goal. The Swans had only scored one goal from forward 50 intercepts in their last four matches.
14:44
Harry McKay's two handballs for the game so far have both been goal assists for the Blues. McKay has recorded a goal assist in four matches this season - his most recent coming in Round 16 against the Hawks.
17:18
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Callum Mills)
18:17
After conceding four clearances in the opening four minutes of the game, the Swans have lifted around stoppages. They have held Carlton to one clearance in the last 13 minutes whilst winning six of their own.
19:03
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Wicks)
20:44
The Swans have controlled the play over the last 10 minutes, but have not been able to capitalise on the scoreboard. 81% of the play in this time has been held in Sydney's forward half of the ground, but their last three scoring shots have all been behinds.
21:26
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
25:06
The Swans have now won 10 of the last 11 clearances in an impressive turnaround. The Blues have won one clearance in the last 21 minutes of play.
26:29
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Cottrell)
29:52
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Chad Warner)
29:57
The Blues made the most of their opportunities in the first quarter, scoring a goal from 27% of their inside 50s compared to a 9% conversion by the Swans. Carlton was more accurate with their kicking, leading kick efficiency 73% to 54%.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:02
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Sam Docherty)
02:21
Sydney has been strong all season in second quarters this season, winning 17 of these terms for the season – the most in the AFL.
02:57
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (David Cuningham)
06:17
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Owies)
06:41
Jacob Weitering has been involved in five defensive one-on-one contests tonight, winning three of these contests. He has applied six effective spoils, three more than any other player.
07:32
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Matthew Cottrell)
09:47
Carlton has retained possession from 60% of their 15 kicks inside 50 tonight, whilst the Swans have retained possession from 23% of their 13 kicks inside 50.
10:17
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Cottrell)
15:25
Carlton has won 15 more post-clearance contested possessions than the Swans tonight. This is currently the second-best first-half differential for the Blues this season, whilst contrastingly the second-worst first-half differential for the Swans.
19:17
Carlton has restricted Sydney to just three inside 50s for the quarter in an impressive defensive performance. This lack of territory has been due to Carlton's ability to lock the ball in their forward half with six forward-half intercepts won this quarter. The Blues only won two forward-half intercepts in the first quarter.
21:16
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Martin)
22:13
Sydney has only had one scoreless quarter this season, coming back in the opening quarter of their Round 13 clash against St Kilda. Carlton is yet to hold a team scoreless in any quarter this season.
25:14
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
26:57
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Joel Amartey)
27:07
Sam Walsh has given the Blues some important territorial advantage, generating 231 metres gained for the quarter in wet conditions. He has sent the ball inside 50 on four occasions this term and has won five contested possessions and three clearances in an influential performance.
29:54
SCORE GOAL - Blues (David Cuningham)
30:57
The Blues won 19 more contested possessions than the Swans in the first half - the worst differential in an opening half for the Swans this season.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
02:06
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
04:09
Carlton has grabbed 12 contested marks tonight - seven more than the Swans. This has been an area that Carlton has excelled in throughout this season, averaging the most contested marks in the league with 12.7 per game.
05:10
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Joel Amartey)
05:38
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Errol Gulden)
06:05
Errol Gulden has scored his second goal of the game from an intercept possession won from a kick-in. Gulden won a career-high 42 disposals in his last match and is averaging 32 over his last five appearances – ranked No.1 in the AFL.
07:58
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Logan McDonald)
08:40
The Swans have scored two goals this quarter from five inside 50s after scoring two goals in the opening half from 19 inside 50s. They lead tackles six to one for the quarter.
09:13
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Logan McDonald)
11:12
Consecutive goals to Logan McDonald has reduced the margin to 11 points. McDonald has only played Carlton once before tonight, scoring three goals from his six scoring shots in this game in 2022.
12:33
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Martin)
14:41
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Adam Cerra)
15:43
Carlton's defensive transition has been much more damaging than the Swans tonight. The Blues have scored 3.4 (22) from defensive half launches whilst restricting the Swans to 0.3 (3) from their respective defensive launches.
19:28
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Braeden Campbell)
21:06
The third quarter has seen a sharp increase in pressure. With both teams recording a pressure rating close to the league average of 180 in the first half, the Blues and Swans have applied a pressure rating of 215 and 201 respectively in the third quarter.
21:28
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
24:31
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Hayden McLean)
25:00
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
25:58
Will Hayward has scored his first goal of the game following a goal assist from Tom Papley. Hayward has finished goalless in just one of his last seven matches at the MCG – booting multiple goals on three occasions.
28:49
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Luke Parker)
29:59
Blues Interchange - Harry McKay off due to the blood rule.
31:56
Sydney's efficiency when going inside 50 has improved in the third quarter, scoring from 73% of their entries compared to 24% for the Blues. The Swans scored two goals from their six clearances in the third quarter whilst the Blues went goalless from their 11 clearances.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:15
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
01:42
The Blues have been ahead in 10 games this season at three-quarter time, going on to win each of these 10 matches. The Swans have trailed in six matches at three-quarter time, only winning one of these matches.
04:01
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
04:43
Carlton has now generated 14 more inside 50s than Sydney, however, they have both recorded 17 scoring shots despite the inside 50 discrepancy. Since Round 21, Carlton has scored from 37.2% of its inside 50s – ranked 17th.
05:45
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Luke Parker)
07:08
The Swans have scored their third goal of the game sourced from a forward 50 intercept. Sydney has only once this season scored more goals from this source and zone (Round 7 v GWS).
11:36
Carlton has scored eight points tonight from defensive 50 chains. Sydney has conceded 9.7 points per game from its opponents’ defensive 50 chains – ranked No.1 defensively.
13:48
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Errol Gulden)
15:22
It has been a game dominated by the defenders tonight. The Blues have won one of their nine offensive one-on-one contests (11%) whereas the Swans have won two of their 12 offensive contests (17%). Carlton has won 29.1% of its offensive one-on-ones this season – ranked second.
17:31
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
18:19
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
19:12
Sydney is taking the game on at every opportunity in this final term. The Swans have played on immediately from 53% of their marks this quarter, compared to Carlton who has played on from nine percent of their marks this quarter.
22:07
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Blake Acres)
23:26
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Wicks)
24:06
The Blues continue to restrict the Swans forwards, holding them to eight goals for the game. The Blues have been involved in the second-lowest scoring matches of any side with an average of 157.1 points.
24:38
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
28:18
Adam Saad has won five crucial intercept possessions in the final quarter, as the Blues continue to absorb Sydney's attacking drives.
29:32
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)
31:17
Carlton has won their first final since 2013, holding on by six points. The Blues won 26 more contested possessions than the Swans and generated 10 more inside 50s. The Swans will rue poor accuracy having generated three more scoring shots for the game but scoring two fewer goals.