Sydney has taken a big step in resurrecting its 2023 campaign while Carlton’s season has continued to slip further into the abyss, losing its sixth game in seven rounds while also copping four injury blows on a costly night.
Poor kicking at goal in the second half from both teams meant it was an arm-wrestle finish before the Swans broke away with the last four goals of the game to win by 26 points, 11.11 (77) to 6.15 (51).
But the fallout to the match will centre around the Blues, who lost four players to injury — including superstar Patrick Cripps with an ankle issue — and again struggled forward of centre to ensure coach Michael Voss faces another intense week of pressure.
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‘He has no home’ – Silvagni at crossroad | 01:39
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT
There were no late changes for either side, with Corey Warner (Sydney) and Ed Curnow (Carlton) named the starting subs.
The Swans generated their first goal via a kick-in, with Justin McInerney nailing a long-range attempt before Matt Cottrell responded for Carlton with his own goal amid a strong start for him individually.
“He’s causing all sorts of issues at the moment,” Channel 7’s Brian Taylor said of Cottrell.
The Blues then got the game on their terms, dominating territory to have six consecutive scoring shots — including a goal to Jesse Motlop after Charlie Curnow had kicked the ball into the man on the mark.
“They’re out-hunting the Swans and every time they go inside 50 they look like scoring,” Channel 7’s Jude Bolton said.
Matthew Richardson said of the Swans: “Their ball use forward of centre is ordinary at the moment.”
But the Swans then settled, with Luke Parker inspiring his side at stoppages, leading to three straight goals to Errol Gulden, Sam Wicks and Hayden McLean to give Sydney a three-point lead at the first change.
Dual premiership Kangaroo David King said the Swans were “aggressive” both with and without the ball, while the Blues had been “poor” defensively – highlighted by most of the Swans’ goals originating from the defensive half.
“Their pressure has been first-class and they’ve put Carlton to the sword with the ball. Their corridor use and dare out of the back-half has been brilliant,” King told Fox Footy at quarter-time.
“If Sydney can get through and continue to attack corridor, they’ll smash them.”
The Swans had a blistering start to the second term, with defender Nick Blakey producing an exhilarating run off half-back to set up a Hayden McLean goal.
The Blues were then forced to activate their sub, with George Hewett ruled out of the game — and replaced by Ed Curnow — due to concussion after some nasty friendly fire.
The Swans and Blues went goal-for-goal for the rest of the term, with Sydney leading by six points at the main break.
Although Carlton’s inefficiency forward of centre was frustrating Fox Footy commentators, with the Blues kicking 4.8 from 29 inside 50s and having a contested possession differential of +15.
Sydney started the third quarter strong too, with Chad Warner — who had a monster second term — kicking the first goal of the second half before Blues star Sam Walsh responded.
Both teams struggled to kick away from another, missing shots at goal during a frustrating period. Harry McKay’s yips continued, with three of his first five kicks being behinds.
Carlton levelled the scores during the third term before Tom Papley snapped a classy goal to give Sydney an eight-point advantage at three quarter-time.
There were six behinds across the two sides to start the fourth term as tension at the SCG reached fever pitch.
“This is so tense. Players are so afraid to make mistakes,” Taylor said.
But a big contest from Papley, a clever toepoke from Lance Franklin and a goal to Warner broke the drought.
And as Will Hayward kicked the sealer for Sydney, Patrick Cripps limped off the field with a suspected ankle injury.
Cripps joined Hewett (concussion), Nic Newman (hamstring) and Ollie Hollands (collarbone) in the Blues’ casualty ward.
“The Blues aren’t only on the ropes, they’ve toppled to the canvas. And now Cripps is hobbling of … Can it get any worse!?” AFL Nation’s Dwayne Russell said.
THE 3-2-1
3. ‘MAY WELL BE FAREWELL’: DISASTRUOUS LOSS FOR BLUES
Carlton had plenty to prove heading north to Sydney to keep its season alive.
Instead, the Blues produced an error-riddled performance that was blasted by Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall as their efficiency deserted them.
The Blues racked up 58 inside 50s but struggled to find targets as players were accused of just “bombing it” in to tall targets.
“I would have been scratching my head, wondering where I am supposed to go,” Dunstall said of the Blues’ entries inside 50.
“Patty Cripps streaming forward out of the centre and we’re still waiting for it to come back down the chimney it went up that high!
“They are just not giving their forwards a chance at the moment. When the forwards do actually get it, they are spraying it in front of goal.
“Harry and Charlie are having a nightmare in front of the big sticks.”
In the third quarter alone, when the match was on the line Carlton went inside 50 14 times but took just one mark.
Accuracy has continued to be an issue for the Blues in 2023, kicking 6.15 on Friday night/
Instead of the Blues’ talls making the most of an undersized Swans backline missing the McCartin brothers and Dane Rampe, it was Nick Blakey and Aaron Francis who took the game away from the Blues.
Coleman medal duo Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow finished with just one goal between them in a devastating loss.
McKay had 0.3 plus one out of bounds on the full, while Curnow also managed his own three behinds and a kick straight into the man on the mark from 15m out almost directly in front.
Fox Footy’s David King also felt Carlton were “missing a trick” in their decision not to use backman Adam Saad more on the rebound, forcing Curnow higher up the ground.
“They just don’t pop handball the ball to him – they don’t encourage him to run,” King lamented.
“He stays diligent to his man – that’s not what you want. The modern half-back flanker is all rip, tear and bust.”
Brian Taylor said he feared it was season over for Carlton after its sixth loss in seven games – with Melbourne to come next week.
“Remember we all sort of agree the winning team today is in touch – the losing team may well be farewell,” he said.
“It would be a mammoth job to get back if you were to lose tonight’s game.”
Making matters worse, the Blues finished with one player on their bench, losing George Hewett to concussion early before Nic Newman (hamstring), Ollie Hollands (shoulder) and Patrick Cripps (ankle) all limped off.
2. ‘DARING’ AND ‘DESPERATE’ SWANS STUN BLUES
The Swans refused to be beaten on Friday night, simply willing themselves a victory to keep their 2023 season alive.
Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall was impressed with the attitude of the Swans from the opening bounce.
“They said – ‘we want this more than you do’,” he said.
“They were a hell of a lot more desperate.
“They made sure they were not going to lose this game through sheer will, effort and determination
Four of the Swans’ first six goals came from their defensive half, moving the ball at speed on counterpunch to consistently catch the Blues off-guard.
In the first half, the Swans used the corridor 30 per cent of the time when rebounding from defensive 50 – the AFL average is 17 per cent – and scored 24 points from corridor – the AFL average for a game is 18.
Dual premiership Kangaroo David King said the Swans were “aggressive” both with and without the ball, highlighted by most of the Swans’ first-half goals originating from the defensive half.
“Their pressure has been first-class and they’ve put Carlton to the sword with the ball. Their corridor use and dare out of the back-half has been brilliant,” King told Fox Footy.
“I love what Sydney are doing. Their aggression and their dare, they’re working harder, they’re taking on the riskier kicks.”
Ultimately, the nucleus of the Swans’ improved output was their intent without the ball, applying 24 tackles to nine in the first term.
By half time, the Swans were “smashing” Carlton with 25 points from their defensive half to the Blues’ nine – when the season average is just 30 for the entire game.
“You set the tempo early in the game and that’s what Sydney were able to do,” Dunstall said.
“What that does is it gets everyone up and about, all the players think ‘we’re on tonight’ and they all get drawn into playing that style of game.
“Everyone lifts. The intent of what they’re trying to do is great and it’s spread right through the whole team.”
1. SHREWD MOVE HELPS SWANS STAR REGAIN FORM… AND EXPOSES CRIPPS’ ‘WEAKNESS’
While his output had looked OK on paper, Isaac Heeney’s 2023 campaign had been well below his usually high standards, with the All-Australian struggling to win the ball and hit the scoreboard.
But on Friday night against Carlton, the Swans found a role for Heeney that helped him have a significant influence on the game while also curtailing Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps’ impact.
As highlighted by triple premiership Lion Alastair Lynch, Heeney would start centre bounces across half-forward before running straight onto the ball to match up on Cripps around the ground.
“He’ll run head-to-head with him, try to drag him forward. But at all stoppages, he’ll go to him,” Lynch told Fox Footy.
“I think it’s a really good role. Heeney hasn’t had the impact that we’ve seen in previous years up forward. So not only have his touches helped the Swans, he’s added energy into the midfield.”
On top of that, it appeared Heeney was under instructions to sprint forward off Cripps as soon as the Swans won the ball, exposing the Carlton skipper the other way.
“This is not Cripps’ game. There’s some coaching in this. You can’t subject a player like this to his weakness, but a bit has got to come back on the captain too,” David King told Fox Footy.
Jason Dunstall added: “He’s having his own challenges, Cripps. Coming off a Brownlow year and the inability to back that up – now whether there’s been some injurie that have contributed – but he’s not playing anywhere near the level we saw them at last year.”
Both Heeney and Cripps finished with 19 disposals, but you’d give the match-up nod to Heeney, who also had 14 contested possessions, 10 tackles and six clearances.
But the more concerning sight for Carlton fans post-game was that Cripps was one of four Blues that ended the game injured on the bench.
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