Demons on cloud nine
MELBOURNE outlasted a gallant but injury-hit Carlton to maintain its undefeated season with a 26-point win.
The Blues suffered two early injury blows with David Cuningham hurting his knee and Harry McKay his shoulder in the first quarter.
The Blues were brave through the first half with their pressure but the Demons’ experienced midfield brigade of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Max Gawn began to assert their dominance in the second quarter.
Oliver (29 disposals) finished the game with seven clearances and Petracca (27 touches) had eight inside 50s and eight clearances, while Gawn (pictured) dominated the ruck battle with Marc Pittonet, easily winning the hit-outs 44-23.
When Tom McDonald goaled on the run for his second in a row and third major of the first half, the Demons looked to be pulling away, but a Liam Stocker snap from 45m kept the Blues within 13 points at half-time.
The Demons upped the pressure as the heavens opened after the main break and piled on three straight goals to kick off the second half.
A sore McKay kicked backto-back goals to keep the Blues in touch, but a fourgoal-to-two third term gave the Dees a comfortable 26point lead at the final change.
Unlike the previous week’s final-quarter fade-out when they gave up six final-quarter goals, the Blues stuck around to square the fourth quarter but the game petered out late as the Demons recorded their ninth-straight win.
Carlton was hit hard early with Cuningham suffering a knee injury in the opening minutes. He was subbed out for Michael Gibbons at the 12minute mark and moments later big forward McKay went down to the rooms after a knock to the shoulder.
McKay re-emerged late in the first quarter but looked ginger and failed to have much of an impact in the first half.
The Coleman Medal favourite came to life in the third quarter with two of his three goals but he was held to just eight touches by Steven May.
Young Dees forward Sam Weideman (13 disposals) made a promising return to footy in his first game for the year.
The 23-year-old spent time in the ruck and took a couple of big contested marks but was unable to hit the scoreboard, missing his only set shot.
Christian Salem (29 disposals) was again dominant across half-back.
It took a score review and a spectacular basketball-style rejection from Ed Langdon to deny an Eddie Betts special from deep in the forward pocket.
The Blues livewire looked to have nailed a second freakish goal in the first half when he snapped from next to the point post but Langdon leapt high to tip it over the line.
Betts was lively up forward in the first half, pouncing on an errant handball from Salem to put the Blues in front early in the first term but failed to capitalise often enough, missing several chances to finish with 1.3 for the match.