Match

North Melbourne vs Carlton

Commentary / 29 Mar 2024

Pre Game

00:00
Since Round 14 of last season, Carlton has won 13 of its 15 games and each of its last six wins have been by six points or less. North Melbourne has won just one game during the same period.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:31
North Melbourne has been involved in 43 around-the-ground stoppages per game this season which is the fewest in the league, but there has been a number of such stoppages to start this game.
02:26
The first goal of the game from Cameron Zurhaar and the Kangaroos came from a forward half stoppage. North Melbourne has scored from only 20 percent of its forward half clearances this season (ranked last).
04:16
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
06:18
The Blues have an early 4-0 lead in forward half intercepts but have scored just the one behind from these chains. Carlton is the No.1 ranked team in points scored from this source with 42 points per game.
07:42
The first goal for Carlton came from a forward half stoppage. The Blues have averaged only six points per game from this source in 2024 after averaging 15.5 points last season.
09:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Paul Curtis)
10:00
The goal from Paul Curtis again came from a stoppage, this time through a centre bounce clearance. The Blues are ranked 16th this season in centre bounce clearance differential.
11:02
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
11:15
A second goal from a centre bounce clearance for the Kangaroos who have kicked all three goals from stoppages. Carlton was ranked No.1 last season in points differential from stoppages but have been outscored by 22 points per game from clearances this season.
12:16
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Oliver Hollands)
13:42
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
14:51
All three kick ins for North Melbourne have resulted in an inside 50 entry with the last of these leading to the score from Paul Curtis.
15:39
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Corey Durdin)
16:00
Carlton has generated an inside 50 entry from all three of its defensive 50 chains. The last goal from Corey Durdin came from such a chain with both teams displaying effective ball movement from their defensive 50.
18:08
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
20:03
Five of the six goals in this game have come directly from free kicks. On average about ten percent of scores this season have come directly from free kicks.
22:05
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
22:17
Last season when these teams met, Charlie Curnow (six) and Harry McKay (four) shared ten goals. The two key forward have already had four shots at goal and again look to threaten the Kangaroo defence.
23:26
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Adam Cerra)
24:16
Carlton now has a 6-3 lead in forward half intercepts and has converted this into a 13-1 advantage in points scored from this source following the last goal from Adam Cerra.
25:52
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
26:01
Four goals in a row to the Blues who have generated the last six inside 50 entries in a period of dominance. During this period, Carlton has won twice as many contested possessions (14-7) and dominated uncontested possession (22-4).
28:05
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
29:54
Adam Cerra has made a prominent start for the Blues with his six disposals at 100 percent efficiency recording game-highs for metres gained (151) and score involvements (4).
30:07
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Blake Acres)
32:37
Carlton applied strong pressure in the opening quarter, winning the tackle count 27-16 with this contributing to an 8-2 dominance in forward half intercepts. The Blues lead 20-1 in points scored from turnovers with the Kangaroos only generating one of their inside 50 entries from a turnover.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:36
In the opening quarter, Carlton recorded the higher pressure rating (219-184) and with a 9-2 advantage in forward 50 tackles was able to disrupt the ball movement of North Melbourne.
01:04
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Matthew Owies)
01:52
Another goal from a forward half intercept for the Blues who are putting the Kangaroo defence under constant pressure. Carlton has now scored 26 points from intercepting North Melbourne chains that started in the defensive 50.
04:11
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Blake Acres)
04:51
Six goals in a row to the Blues who now lead 32-1 in points scored from turnovers. Last season Carlton was ranked No.1 in points differential from stoppages, but this season the Blues are getting on top of teams in points scored from turnovers.
08:12
Kangaroos Interchange - Callum Coleman-Jones and is possibly out for the game.
09:42
Carlton has a 32-23 advantage in post-clearance contested possessions which includes 14-7 crumbs with the Blues able to get numbers first to the fall of aerial contests,
12:20
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)
12:33
The Kangaroos have conceded a score from 60 percent of opposition inside 50 entries this season (ranked last), and this trend has continued today with the Blues generating 14 scores from 23 entries (61 percent).
14:03
The Blues have recorded a post-clearance pressure factor of 173 this season (ranked No.1). Today, Carlton leads 190-168 in this measure with this high level of pressure contributing to the dominance in points scored from turnovers.
14:57
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
15:17
All four goals for North Melbourne have come from stoppages with the last goal from Nick Larkey the second to come from a forward half stoppage. Carlton leads clearances 17-15, but has scored 1.5.11 from this source.
17:26
Seven of the last eight inside 50 entries have gone the way of the Kangaroos including the last five with North Melbourne leading 5-1 in forward half intercepts during this period.
19:15
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
19:42
Harry McKay continues to present a major threat for the Kangaroos with his game-high four marks including two intercept marks and two contested marks. McKay has already had four shots at goal which equals his career average per game.
21:37
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
22:17
Carlton has now generated five intercepts in its forward 50 (AFL average 3.5 per game) and has scored 3.1.19 from these chains (AFL average 8.2 points per game).
24:29
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
25:26
Harry McKay is now the No.1 ranked player on the ground and his nine disposals includes seven score involvements and 274 metres gained (the second-most on the ground).
26:34
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Charlie Lazzaro)
27:08
North Melbourne has scored 5.2.32 from set shots with its only other score a rushed behind. Carlton has scored 7.2.44 from its set shots and has scored 3.3.21 from shots in general play.
28:54
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Paul Curtis)
30:02
The Kangaroos have now scored 6.0.36 from stoppages including three goals from centre bounces. Carlton leads centre bounce clearances 10-7 but trails 2-18 in points scored from this source.
30:11
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
32:48
George Hewett has recorded game-highs for both clearances (7) and score involvements (8) for Carlton and 12 of his 13 disposals have been effective.
35:34
The 29-point half time lead for the Blues is their biggest lead at the main break against the Kangaroos since the 1995 Preliminary Final. This is also the highest first-half score for Carlton against North Melbourne at this venue.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:18
While Carlton has an edge for inside 50 entries (30-23) it has a major dominance in forward 50 disposals (39-20) and forward 50 tackles (15-7).
01:00
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Corey Durdin)
01:23
The Blues have returned an accurate 8.2.50 from set shots at goal including 7.0 from shots within 40 metres of goal.
02:34
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Paul Curtis)
02:53
Paul Curtis has been involved in a team-high five scores for North Melbourne including kicking three goals. His last goal was the first of the game for the Kangaroos from a defensive half chain and also their first from a turnover.
04:19
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
04:31
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tom Powell)
04:48
After not kicking a goal from a turnover in the first half, North Melbourne has just kicked two in two minutes. Tom Powell finished with a career-high 28 disposals and eight clearances last week against Fremantle and has recorded a team-high 276 metres gained today.
06:41
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
07:08
Five goals directly from free kicks now for Carlton with the Kangaroo defence struggling at times in defensive 50 aerial contests. The Blues have kicked both goals this quarter from stoppages and lead the clearance count 4-1 this term.
08:21
Kangaroos Interchange - George Wardlaw off due to an injury.
08:27
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
09:44
Carlton leads 5-1 in centre bounce clearances this term with two of its goals coming from this source. Patrick Cripps and George Hewett have each won four centre bounce clearances today while North Melbourne has won eight such clearances.
11:02
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Owies)
11:33
Carlton has kicked four goals from just six inside 50 entries this quarter with all four goals coming from stoppages.
12:52
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
13:08
Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay have now shared eight goals evenly and taken all six marks in the forward 50 for the Blues.
14:49
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Matthew Kennedy)
16:51
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
17:10
The last time that Carlton scored 100 points before three quarter time against North Melbourne was in Round 20, 1995 (its last Premiership season).
19:09
The two teams have now scored a combined 18.4 from set shots including 14.1 from set shots within 40 metres of goal.
22:09
North Melbourne has a 9-6 lead in forward 50 marks with six different players contributing to this count, while Carlton still only has two players that have taken a mark in its forward 50.
22:19
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
24:00
Harry Sheezel leads all North Melbourne players for disposals (26), metres gained (461), contested possessions (8) and intercept possessions (8) in another prominent performance.
24:37
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Owies)
29:25
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Eddie Ford)
29:49
After scoring all of its first half goals from stoppages, North Melbourne has scored all four of its goals this quarter from turnovers including three from defensive 50 chains.
31:37
In its first two games this season, North Melbourne launched an inside 50 from 56 percent of its defensive midfield chains (ranked No.1). Today the Kangaroos have generated an inside 50 entry from 31 percent of these chains but not scored from any of these opportunities.
32:25
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Eddie Ford)
34:44
The third quarter saw a reversal in scoring sources for the two teams with Carlton kicking four goals from clearances in the first ten minutes of the quarter and the Kangaroos scoring four goals from turnovers.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:39
Carlton has maintained a high pressure rating throughout the game and leads the tackle count 67-47 and the pressure rating 208-188 despite winning more contested and uncontested possessions.
02:04
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)
02:57
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Owies)
03:39
Three goals for Matt Owies equals his career best and his goal followed a forward half intercept. Carlton leads 18-13 in such intercepts and 44-10 in points scored from this source.
06:00
Blues Interchange - Caleb Marchbank and is possibly out for the game.
06:09
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
07:14
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
07:20
Prior to this season, Tom Powell had a career-high of 25 disposals. Powell has matched this mark in each of the first three games this season as he continues his progression to becoming a key part of the North Melbourne midfield.
09:56
Blues Interchange - Jack Carroll off due to an injury.
10:03
Both teams have had 15 chains starting in the defensive midfield. North Melbourne has generated four inside 50 entries and not scored from these chains, while Carlton has generated eight inside 50 entries and scored 2.1.13 from these chains.
10:53
Kangaroos Interchange - George Wardlaw off due to an injury.
12:07
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
12:14
North Melbourne has a narrow edge in points scored from stoppages (44-42), but Carlton has dominated in points scored from turnovers (70-29) with the last goal from Patrick Cripps coming from this source.
14:00
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
14:19
Carlton has now scored 8.1.49 from free kicks and 50-metre penalties with North Melbourne paying a heavy price for its defensive lapses.
17:05
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Elijah Hollands)
17:29
Carlton has scored 10.0 from its set shots within 40 metres of goal and 13.2 from all of its set shots displaying great accuracy in front of goal.
18:32
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (George Wardlaw)
18:54
George Wardlaw has been the No.1 ranked pressure player today and his defensive awareness generated a forward half intercept and the last goal for North Melbourne.
20:29
Blues Interchange - Charlie Curnow off due to an injury.
21:06
George Hewett has been involved in 12 scoring chains today which is a career-high for the former Swan. Hewett has won a team-high nine clearances, applied six tackles and recorded 24 disposals.
25:40
North Melbourne conceded an average of 34.5 points from opposition defensive 50 chains across its first two games (ranked last). Today, Carlton has scored 38 points from such chains, with the Kangaroos again having issues defending opposition ball movement.
26:06
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Orazio Fantasia)
26:50
The last time that Carlton scored more than 136 points against North Melbourne was in Round 20, 1988 when it scored 141.
29:41
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
32:06
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
32:08
A strong win from the Blues who applied terrific pressure (tackles 76-55) that forced turnovers and then scored heavily these chains (76-36 points scored from turnovers). Harry McKay again impressed with five goals from ten marks.