Australian Football

Match Report

A controversial free kick paid to Geelong in the dying stages of its match against Carlton at Docklands on Friday night has seen the Cats scrape in by five points against the Blues and move into the top two at the expense of Hawthorn. Carlton led by a point with time running out when a pass from James Kelly to Geelong's Allen Christensen was dropped but he was deemed to have been pushed in the back by Carlton's Sam Docherty. Christensen goaled with he subsequent free kick to put the Cats five points clear before Jackson Thurlow added a behind to make the difference an even goal. Geelong then held on to record a thrilling six-point win.

Earlier, the Cats has started the better of the two sides, with Mark Blicavs goaling in the first minute, and Joel Selwood and Steven Motlop adding further goals as the first term progressed. Jarrad Waite scored Carlton's only major for the quarter as Geelong took a 3.2 to 1.4 lead into the first break. The Blues held a slight edge over the Cats during the second term kicking four goals to three as the lead changed several times but the last major of the term to ruckman Hamish McIntosh saw the Cats still up by five points at half time.

The Blues had their best term in the third quarter, with Troy Menzel, Chris Judd, Chris Yarran and Tom Bell all kicking majors, while Geelong could muster only two goals. At the last change of ends, Carlton held a slender three-point lead. After a behind the Cat Steven Motlop opened the last term, that lead was extended to eight points with a goal to Bryce Gibbs at the five-minute mark. Josh Caddy cut that back to two points with a major at the 12-minute mark but Jarrad Waite too it beyond a goal once more when he marked and goaled at the 19-minute mark.  Substitute Thurlow then raced into an open goal a minute later and reduced the difference to a single behind before Christensen's free kick saw the Cats home narrowly.

Caddy was outstanding for the Cats, with 28 disposals and six marks, while Harry Taylor (24 disposals and eight marks) played another fine game in defence. For the Blues, Bryce Gibbs (25 possessions and two goals) was a standout, with Andrew Carrazzo (32 possessions, five tackles) and Ed Curnow (eight marks and 22 disposals) also very good.

Geelond is now in second place, a game clear of Hawthorn, whom they will meet at the MCG on Saturday night. A win to the Hawks would see them reclaim that spot from the Cats. Carlton, in 13th place with seven wins, will see out the season with games against Port Adelaide in Adelaide and Essendon at the MCG. The Blues can't make the finals but they can certainly influence the final standings of those two sides.

GOALS
Carlton: Menzel, Gibbs, Waite 2; White, Murphy, Judd, Yarran, Bell
Geelong: Motlop 3; Christensen 2; Blicavs, Selwood, Horlin-Smith, McIntosh, Caddy, Thurlow

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Carlton: Gibbs, Murphy, Curnow, Menzel, Carrazzo, Bell
Geelong: Caddy, Taylor, Motlop, Selwood, Enright, McIntosh, Blicavs

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Carlton: Gibbs Carrazzo, Curnow, Yarran, Judd, Waite, Murphy, Bell
Geelong: Caddy, Taylor, Enright, Selwood, Stokes, Christensen, Mackie 

INJURIES
Carlton: David Ellard (leg), Troy Menzel (shoulder), Dale Thomas (ankle), Brock McLean (calf) replaced in selected side by Dennis Armfield
Geelong: Jordan Murdoch (hip) replaced in selected side by Jackson Thurlow

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: David Ellard replaced by Dennis Armfield in the second quarter
Geelong: Billie Smedts replaced by Jackson Thurlow at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Rosebury, Hosking, Schmitt

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Leigh Matthews, Tom Harley, Matthew Richardson, Wayne Carey