Blues believe they are making ground in photo finishes

With one minute 42 seconds left on the clock, Mitch McGovern marks a speculative kick into Richmond’s goal square. As forward Tom Lynch forlornly pleas for a free kick for a block, McGovern launches what appears to be the passage of play that will ensure Carlton hold on and exorcise their demons in close games.

Less than a minute later, just metres away from where the Blues had regained possession, Lynch has risen like a phoenix to clutch a one-grab, contested mark that McGovern is just inches away from spoiling, and kicks the winning goal. Such is the circle of life.

Richmond’s Tom Lynch kicked the goal to level the scores against Carlton.Credit:AFL

For the third time in as many games, Carlton gave up a lead in the final two minutes. Instead of celebrating a famous backs-to-the-wall victory against a fierce rival, there was another forensic examination of a win that had got away.

Losses to Melbourne and Collingwood cost the Blues a drought-breaking finals berth last season. The full toll of last week’s miss is yet to reveal itself but has raised more scrutiny on how Michael Voss’s men handle high-pressure moments.

Carlton drew with Richmond last week – the third time in as many games they have not won after leading in the final two minutes left.Credit:Getty Images

The brutal reality for impatient Blues’ fans is these narrow misses are a rite of passage for sides on the up. The great Hawthorn team under Alastair Clarkson lost a grand final they should have won and numerous games against Geelong before their run of three premierships. In 2017, Richmond lost back-to-back games at the death before their drought-breaking flag.

Having spent Voss’s first pre-season bedding down a new game plan, the Blues dedicated more time over summer to simulating close finishes. A draw marks an incremental improvement.

It is impossible to exactly replicate a game-day scenario in an 18-a-side sport. The Blues aim to adhere to a philosophy based on the state of the game. For the final five minutes, their main priority was to slow down play over scoring.

The Blues believe their system stood up against the Tigers, and they are seeing what they have trained being applied on game day.

“I think once we looked at the system, we felt like the boys really stayed connected through those moments,” Voss said. “They were able to execute what we’re after from a system point of view. There’s probably a couple of decisions that we’d like back.”

One such moment is the game’s pivotal play when McGovern finds Jesse Motlop in metres of space. Ideally, Motlop holds the ball and waits for Lochie O’Brien to make space on the wing before kicking – but he is a teenager in his second season and only his 13th game.

On top of this, the Blues have been hemmed in their defence for about 10 minutes. It is understandable why, in open space and with the noise of an 88,000-strong crowd building to a crescendo, Motlop sees unguarded space and handballs to a running O’Brien. His kick is one of two possessions the Blues have in the forward half after Charlie Curnow puts them a goal up.

Lochie O’Brien breaks free on the wing late in the draw between Carlton and Richmond.Credit:AFL

The sub with fresh legs, former junior 400-metre star O’Brien takes off as if he is in a relay, his eyes on the ball as he takes four bounces – one of which does not come back to him, and more than is necessary – instead of scanning the field ahead.

With every stride, the yellow-and-black walls close on Harry McKay – who, after breaking into space, is running out of room, stamina, and balance, and drops the mark.

Voss refused to publicly criticise O’Brien or any of his players, and the view within the Blues brains trust is mistakes were also made off the ball as Richmond rebounded.

Captain Patrick Cripps said in an interview on Fox Footy’s On The Couch he was among several players who failed to press up the ground. Charlie Curnow over-committed to allow Jayden Short to cut inside and expose the open wing.

Tom de Koning is another caught in no-man’s land. Perhaps wary of allowing Toby Nankervis too much space, the Blues ruckman has just crossed the 50-metre line when Lynch marks. Minutes earlier, he had taken an intercept mark in almost the exact position.

Tom de Koning took a contested mark in almost the exact spot where Tom Lynch hauled in his important grab minutes later.Credit:AFL

McGovern’s failure to spoil Lynch’s mark is one of several blues he made in the closing stages, but, despite fatigue setting in after an interrupted pre-season, he does not crawl back into his shell and continues to thrust himself into the fray.

Mitch McGovern had an eventful final few minutes against Richmond.Credit:AFL

The official line out of IKON Park is, after a decade out of contention, they are relishing being part of the big moments in big games, but the talk they cannot win the close ones is grating on Voss, whose charges have won two of the six matches decided by a goal or less.

“I think we’re making a real assumption here that we haven’t been able to thrive in those moments previously,” Voss said.

“There’s been plenty of moments where we’re thriving, there’s been big moments and our leaders have stood up. So to sort of pin it down to one game or one moment, I think would be a little unfair.”

There’s only one way for that chat to stop.

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