THE Blues came into this game as warm favourites.
I still thought that the Hawks could do enough to win but when I looked at the odds and the selected teams my thoughts turned a bit. It was a tough game to predict. Early on the signs looked ominous for the Blues. They couldn’t get any run through their midfield; the Hawks were dominating possession and kicking goals from free kicks. Carlton were wasting their limited opportunities in the forward line. Sam Mitchell and Travis Tuck were causing problems in the midfield for Hawks and four unanswered goals from McGlynn, Roughead, Moss and Thorp put the lead out to 25 points late in the first quarter. Fevola, who had reportedly put on 8kgs in the pre-season, had had very little influence in the forward 50 and the Blues didn’t have much more in their forward line. Cameron Cloke finally kicked the Blues’ first to the Lockett end before being answered just before the siren by young Josh Kennedy for the Hawks. The Hawks looked like they could easily blow the game away in the second quarter going into quarter time with a 25 point lead.
The second quarter began with a Roughead goal to put the lead out to five goals. Kade Simpson then replied but Roughead was awarded a free kick in the goal square and he kicked his third. From that point on the Blues played with some confidence. Judd kicked a team lifting goal and then Fevola kicked one from outside 50 and all of a sudden the Blues were right back in it. The Hawks missed a few opportunities towards the end of the quarter and then a Mark Murphy goal on the siren put the Blues only nine points down and looking very good. Injury worries for Hawthorn was another setback with Stephen Gilham (who had done a good job on Fevola) and Campbell Brown who had also come off with an ankle injury.
The third quarter was easily the most entertaining for the game. Carlton started it off with a nine pointer to Mark Murphy (from a 50 metre penalty) to put the Blues to within a point. Simpson kicked his second as did Fevola and the Blues were firing. But the Hawks didn’t take a step backwards. They stood firm and goals from Roughead and a super goal from young Hayden Kiel put the reigning premiers back in front. Fevola kicked another but Chance Bateman replied with the Hawks second nine pointer for the term and it was game on. Blues goals from Fevola, Judd and Betts put the Blues 13 points clear again. Eddie Betts played a good game despite what it said on the sheet. He had seven possessions and kicked only one goal, but provided plenty of forward pressure. Jarryd Roughead kicked a well-needed goal to end the quarter, which was his fifth for the game.
Carlton extended their seven point lead early and despite another Roughead goal, the Blues managed to control the game easily. It wasn’t the best last quarter with missed scoring opportunities from both teams but in the end the Blues ran out with a happy four goal win. Good signs for Carlton from this game were finding other people to kick goals other than Fevola, and Mitch Robinson, Aaron Joseph, Jeffery Gartlett and Dennis Armfield has all played good games. All their usual suspects played good games too, Chris Judd picked up 21 disposals and two goals but didn’t overly dominate the midfield. It was a good all round performance from Carlton, and the Hawks inexperience lost them the game in the end.

Carlton 0.1.4   1.4.8   2.10.11  2.13.16 (112)
Hawthorn 0.5.5   0.7.8   2.9.10     2.10.10 (88)
GOALS Carlton: Fevola 3(1), Judd 2, Simpson 2, Cloke 2, Murphy 1(1), Betts, Hampson, Robinson.
Hawthorn: Roughead 6, Bateman (1), Kiel (1), Moss, Thorp, Kennedy, Mcglynn.
BEST Carlton: Fevola, Gibbs, Murphy, Stevens, Judd, Simpson, Waite, Thornton.
Hawthorn: Roughead, Mitchell, Tuck, Bateman, Birchall.
Umpires: McLaren, Chamberlain, Jennings.
Crowd: 19,111 at Telstra Dome.

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