Brisbane’s hopes of a second consecutive Grand Final appearance are still alive following a gritty 22-point win over Carlton at Ikon Park.
The previously undefeated Blues – who sat on top of the AFLW table last week – were unable to gain control of the game for the most of the night’s proceedings.
Carlton were depleted both on and off the field, and ultimately lacked direction to come away with their third straight victory.
With coach Damien Keeping sidelined for the second week in a row with illness, and captain Brianna Davey out following her season-ending knee injury last week, it was always going to be a tough ask.
But Brisbane had difficulty breaking through Carlton’s resilient defence early on, despite Davey’s absence, resulting in a deadlocked first half of football.
The Blues held on without their captain and general in defence, repelling the Brisbane press forward.
Yet without Davey acting as that rebounding defender slicing through the midfield, Carlton were unable to counter-attack effectively and give clean entries to their forwards.
Nevertheless, the physical style of play and subsequent pressure exerted by the Blues was able to somewhat stifle the Lions, although it did little to boost their own score.
While the Lions had dominated the inside 50 count 12-5 by the end of the first quarter, this did little to reflect the scoreboard, which stood at 0.0 to 0.1 in favour of the visitors.
With neither side able to penetrate the other’s defences or transition the ball from end-to-end smoothly, the stalemate ensued for most of the second quarter.
It wasn’t until Brisbane’s Kaitlyn Ashmore slotted the first of the game in the latter stages of the second term that the goal drought was broken.
Come the second half, a far more collected Brisbane outfit emerged, downing the Blues who were unable to prevent their opposition’s newfound composure.
The Lions got the jump in the opening minute with Jess Wuetschner snapping her first following an undisciplined 50m penalty from former teammate Tayla Harris.
Brittany Gibson chimed in minutes later, and the Blues defensive blockade subsequently fell.
Brisbane’s run, spearheaded by Kate McCarthy and Emily Bates, finally unravelled the Blues who were unable to stage a final-quarter comeback.
Although Darcy Vescio managed to bring the Blues back to within six points, two goals from 18-year-old Sophie Conway and one from ex-Blue Nat Exon stretched the margin out of reach.
While presented with opportunities late, the Blues’ inaccuracy in front of goal finally proved to be costly – their 2.6 for the game unable to topple the Lions’ 6.4.
In the three matches played so far, Carlton’s behinds-to-goals ratio sits just shy of three behinds to every major score.
If the Blues want to continue their push towards Grand Final contention, it’s an issue – further compounded by Davey’s absence – which needs to be addressed.
Now sitting at 2-1, the Lions will hope to make it one better and assert their place as potential Grand Finalists when they face off against the visiting Fremantle.
The Blues meanwhile will be aiming to secure their third win of the season against the Western Bulldogs in the inaugural Pride Game at VU Whitten Oval.
CARLTON 0.0 0.2 1.3 2.6 (18) BRISBANE 0.1 1.2 3.2 6.4 (40)
GOALS Carlton: Gay, Vescio Brisbane: Conway 2, Ashmore, Wuetschner, Gibson, Exon
BEST
Carlton: Gay, Harrington, Audley
Brisbane: McCarthy, Wuetschner, Bates
Comments