Monday, June 20, 2011

Swans no match for Blues

Updated June 19, 2011 19:00:00

Carlton put in a complete performance to outmuscle Sydney by 34 points at Docklands on Sunday and continue its ever-improving season.

The Blues made it nine wins from 10 games, piling on 6.4 to 0.1 in the third term to lay the platform for the comfortable 15.10 (100) to 10.6 (66) victory.

The four points again moved Brett Ratten's side back into third spot on 38 points, ahead of the Hawks.

Fifth-placed Sydney had only lost one of its last six matches but was no match for Carlton's speed and power.

The Swans' four losses have come against all of the top-four sides.

Blues ruckman Matthew Kreuzer continued to shine in just his second game back from a serious knee injury, accumulating 24 disposals, two goals and 13 hit-outs.

Fellow number-one draft picks Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs were tremendous in the clinches and across half-back respectively.

Murphy, Kreuzer, Andrew Walker, Jeff Garlett and David Ellard kicked two goals each for the Blues while Adam Goodes and Kieren Jack booted two apiece for the Swans.

Ratten said veteran Heath Scotland as well as Murphy were giving the Blues a lot of bite through midfield along with Chris Yarran's drive off half-back.

"Our third quarter was just outstanding the way we just applied pressure around the ball," Ratten said.

"I thought the heat on the footy was something that we created turnovers (from) and opportunities to go forward.

"Our third quarter was just a beauty to look back on. That's exactly how you put pressure on the ball carrier or the man."

As they always do, the Swans fought to the final siren, kicking six goals to two in the last term, with Josh Kennedy and Ryan O'Keefe leading the way.

Ratten said the Blues tried to get a bit too cute with their ball use in the last quarter.

"We didn't play the basics as we did in the third quarter," he said.

Craig Bird did a solid job tagging Carlton skipper Chris Judd, but the champion still provided his usual sparks of brilliance.

"They were all over us so they were able to share the load really well," Swans coach John Longmire said of Carlton's spread of contributors.

Mistakes punished

Sydney kicked the first three goals of the game but the Blues booted four in a row to claim a seven-point advantage at quarter-time.

Led by midfielder Murphy (29 possessions), the home side continued on its merry way in the second term as it added another three goals to lead by 26 points at the 19-minute mark.

The Swans finally ended Carlton's seven-goal streak two minutes later when Nick Malceski poked one through from the goalsquare.

But Ben McGlynn and Malceski both missed simple chances as the Blues took a 19-point lead into half-time.

Sydney found new ways to butcher goal-scoring opportunities early in the third quarter as Jude Bolton ran unattended to the goal-square only to see Sam Reid kick it over his head for a behind from 45 metres out.

The Blues capitalised on a series of turnovers in defence from the Swans as Carlton kicked away to a 61-point lead at three-quarter time.

Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford attempted to lift his side with a bone-crunching tackle on Ellard at the start of the last quarter.

Ellard left the field with concussion after his head was slammed into the turf and Mumford could face scrutiny from the match review panel.

Blues ruckman Shaun Hampson will have scans on a possible posterior-cruciate ligament knee injury.

Ratten said he hoped to regain key forward Jarrad Waite from a hamstring injury in the next week or two.

Carlton hosts West Coast next Sunday at Docklands while the Swans play defending premier Collingwood at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Saturday.

Blues: 15.10 (100) - A Walker 2, D Ellard 2, J Garlett 2, M Kreuzer 2, M Murphy 2, B Gibbs, C Judd, C Yarran, L Henderson, M Robinson.

Swans: 10.6 (66) - A Goodes 2, K Jack 2, B McGlynn, C Bird, J Bolton, L Jetta, N Malceski, R Shaw.

-ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, vic, carlton-3053

First posted June 19, 2011 17:00:00


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