Blues end season on a low note

CARLTON’S miserable season last night endured its embarrassing final chapter in a 104-point capitulation to an Adelaide side that gorged on the AFL’s biggest score this year — 26.9 (165).

In front of a crowd seen in some country footy leagues, the Blues were outclassed to the point it became ridiculous.

It meant Carlton finished 2018 with just two wins and a fifth wooden spoon since 2002.

The last time the Blues ended a season with two wins was 1901 in an eight-team competition that held its grand final at the Lake Oval.

Against a Crows side that has endured its own failings this year and also with nothing to play for, Carlton was picked apart with galling ease.

It was the Blues’ third 100point loss this year.

While coach Brendon Bolton ordered his side to flood back in the first half to limit the damage, the Crows picked their way downfield to rack up a glut of coast-to-coast goals.

Late in the second term, Carlton started a centre bounce with only one player inside its attacking 50m.

On at least two other occasions it won the centre bounce only to find a forward line outnumbered six to two.

On a night when the disillusioned few in navy blue wanted a four-quarter effort, they instead got surrender.

The asterisk is that this has been a season where injury has exposed a butter-soft underbelly and had the side running on fumes in the latter stages.

Only Patrick Cripps and Sam Petrevski-Seton played every game.

Cripps was nothing short of extraordinary. He had 18 clearances among his 37 disposals — 24 of them contested.

It meant he broke an alltime record for contested possessions in a season and, despite the result, he was the best player on the ground.

For the Crows, Josh Jenkins helped himself to seven goals, Rory Laird and Wayne Milera ran amok off half-back and debutant Elliott Himmelberg showed great promise.