SPORT Blues repel spirited Dogs

CARLTON are back in the AFLW winners’ circle after defeating a spirited Western Bulldogs outfit by 21 points at Whitten Oval yesterday.

The Dogs courageously fought to the end and, despite finishing with three injured players, cut the margin to nine points midway through the final term.

However, Carlton, who led all day, answered every Bulldogs challenge and, with the help of Georgia Gee (three goals), rebounded well from their loss to arch rivals Collingwood last week to run out 8.3 (51) to 4.6 (30) winners.

The Doggies have made their equal-worst start to a season and with just one win to their credit, they find themselves in a bit of a rut, having lost their past two games.

Salt was added to the Dogs’ wound with Angelica Gogos suffering a knee injury in the first quarter. Deanna Berry reportedly suffered a concussion in the third term and Aisling McCarthy appeared to cop a broken nose in the final term.

Ominously, Gogos finished the day with her entire right leg in a brace.

Gee was ably supported by Lucy McEvoy, who had 19 disposals and a goal while star forward Tayla Harris (13 touches, one goal), Maddy Prespakis (24 possessions, six tackles) and Gabriella Pound also starred for Carlton.

Kirsten Lamb (13 and a goal), Ellie Blackburn (20 and seven clearances), McCarthy (16) and Isabella Huntington (15 and seven marks) were influential for the Dogs.

Carlton burst out of the blocks in the first quarter, booting the first three goals, including a spectacular Lauren

Brazzale effort on the run from 50 metres out, to jump out to an 18-point lead.

It took the Bulldogs more than 11 minutes to enter their forward-50 zone for the first time, but after being stunned by the early Carlton blitz, the Doggies regrouped to keep the Blues scoreless in the second term and trail by four points at halftime.

Carlton reasserted themselves in the third quarter, with goals to Gee and Harris restoring their 18-point advantage at three-quarter time as the Bulldogs failed to go inside 50 for the entire period, while the Blues did so 14 times.

A spectacular Kirsten McLeod goal from the boundary sparked the Bulldogs into life in the final stanza, reducing the margin to nine points. However, the Blues responded with goals from Nicola Stevens and Gee to ensure the result.