McKay kicks goals, but Blues miss the points as the Demons grind out victory

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Carlton needed some straight answers. They got one. Beleagured Harry McKay kicked the Blues’ first three goals of the match – admittedly, it took until the third quarter – but that was about it.

Coleman Medal leading confrere Charlie Curnow escaped Stephen May’s straightjacket only once, for one goal, and Carlton slipped to a 17-point defeat at the hands of a workmanlike Melbourne in a Friday night clash that was special only in the sense that it was cheaper than the usual fare. That’s with apologies to Christian Petracca.

Melbourne’s Max Gawn (left) and Kade Chandler enjoy the moment. Credit: AFL Photos

One of footy’s cliches is that every week is a test. For Carlton and their fans, read trial. Mostly, they were guilty of their season-long failings, including inaccuracy. The twist this night was that Melbourne were even more extravagant, which kept the Blues in it, sort of. And sort of not.

This was Carlton’s seventh defeat in their last eight games, which by the end of the weekend will leave them two-and-a-half games outside the top eight. Admittedly, it’s been a tough bloc. Six of those eight games have been against current top-eight teams. But the way to prove yourself is to beat some of them. The Blues beat only West Coast.

One of the many things that Carlton did not need this night was to play Melbourne, themselves facing inquisitorial questions after successive defeats and now in a stretch of matches without Clayton Oliver, their Jiffy. As well as Petracca played, it showed. But four points are better than none; ask Carlton.

The answer to the question on all lips and in all hearts came early. McKay marked in the favourable forward pocket for him. As all held their breath, and his family crossed their fingers, he hooked truly. He was mobbed as if it was his first goal in footy. It was his first for a while.

Harry McKay is mobbed by teammates after a goal.Credit: AFL Photos

But if the Blues thought this would unlock answers to all their other problems, they were soon disabused. They continued to press, but were dreadfully inefficient, making good chances and then literally fumbling them. It’s been their chronic problem. If they were any less productive, they’d be nationalised.

It was more than a quarter before they kicked their second goal, also a McKay curler, and not until the early seconds of the second half that he added a third to the tally.

Initially, Melbourne were only marginally more incisive. But as if to rub it into Carlton, Kysaiah Pickett conjured a goal from an angle where he could only have guessed the whereabouts of the posts. Pickett from the pocket; like his game, it’s got rhythm.

In a shambling game, the Demons at least had run and pace, even if they did not always fully exploit. The Blues were their all too familiar plodding, wastrel selves. The contest was crying out for a bit of Curnow, but he was somewhere under a May blanket. At least he would have been warm there.

Momentarily, everything old was new again for the Blues in the third quarter when Curnow at last slipped May to kick a goal to augment McKay’s three, and the margin was less than two goals. It was still two goals midway through the last, a margin to tease. Or as Blues fans might have seen it, taunt.

Christian Petracca gets a kick away.Credit: Getty Images

Melbourne had their own troubles up forward, lacking both targets and target practice. Underscoring their chronic issue, Max Gawn looked their likeliest tall forward.

After a period of panicky footy by both teams in the last quarter, the denouement came when Gawn nailed a goal from beyond 50 metres and, immediately, McKay screwed a set shot around his body from 35 metres – and failed to make the distance. Normal service was resumed.

Jake Bowey is attended by medical staff.Credit: AFL Photos

To add to the mayhem, Carlton’s Jack Silvagni was subbed out with a leg injury and Melbourne’s Jake Bowey was knocked out when a pack collapsed on him. He might have preferred it to be a train.

None the less, the trial was over: the charges against the Blues were found to be substantially true.

The crowd was just less than 50,000, which in the MCG looked sparse. It was a cold night, but it was also probable that Carlton fans were again reserving judgment.

MELBOURNE 3.3 5.6 7.11 8.13 (61)
CARLTON 1.2 2.5 5.6 6.8 (44)

GOALS
Melbourne: Fritsch 2, Pickett, Spargo, Neal-Bullen, Gawn, Petracca, van Rooyen
Carlton: McKay 3, Fisher, Curnow, Acres
BEST
Melbourne: Petracca, Gawn, Lever, Fritsch
Carlton: Cerra, Docherty, Weitering, McGovern
UMPIRES Donlon, O’Gorman, Stephens, Findlay
VENUE MCG
CROWD 49,872

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