Captain Cripps leads Carlton to statement win over Port Adelaide (2024)

A fantastic evening for Carlton fans, who get to enjoy the rest of the weekend's footy with the four points safely in the back pocket.

I'll be back tomorrow night for Collingwood's clash with the Western Bulldogs, and I hope you'll join me for that one too. Until then, have a lovely Friday.

The skipper spoke to Channel Seven after the game and gave his opinion on where the match was won by the Blues.

"We said all night it would be an arm wrestle, they play a contested brand. Territory would be important.

"We gained the dominance around the ball and I felt like in the last term we got on top of that.

"We spoke about courage and taking the game on. Once we were up a few goals we probably played safe but tonight we played aggressive and that is why the score board kept ticking over."

Sam Walsh was fantastic from first siren to last, but in a two-minute burst at the start of the final term Patrick Cripps decided this game.

He kicked two inspirational goals to turn a close game into a Carlton coronation, and the rest of his teammates had no choice but to go with him.

That's not to downplay Walsh's game at all. Tom De Koning was fantastic as well and Zac Williams, Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay kicked three goals each.

Carlton have gone away from home against a top-four side and come away with the points. That is significant.

With key players coming back into the team we're starting to see the best of the Blues again, and on tonight's evidence that will challenge most teams. They were beaten in the clearances in the first half but had wrestled back control by the end of the game, and an avalanche of goals early in the last quarter took the game away from Port.

It's a difficult one for Port Adelaide, who had chances to take a lead in the first half but struggled in front of goal. By full time, the Power were soundly beaten in all aspects though and couldn't keep up with the relentless Carlton midfield.

They might not end the round in fourth place, but the Blues are there right now. They are wonderfully placed for a charge in the second half of the year.

They have been dominant in this final quarter. Patrick Cripps started it, Sam Walsh has been everpresent throughout it and now Williams and McKay are here to finish it off.

It's party time for the Baggers.

Williams pinched the mark out of McKay's lap, so he absolutely had to go back and nail that one. It was never in any doubt.

Zac Williams has kicked three goals tonight, and that one will be the sealer. Carlton lead by five goals with four minutes to play, and will go to bed tonight inside the top four.

And it's a straight four-goal lead to Carlton now on the back of a McKay behind.

The Blues are closing in on a significant win here.

A horrible error from Zerk-Thatcher, whose square kick across goals falls right into the lap of Acres.

He's a man for big moments, and his set shot might have burst the Port Adelaide bubble.

The Carlton defence collapsed a little easily there, as a pretty straightforward Port transition led to numbers everywhere inside 50.

Marshall got on the end of the chip from McEntee and converted from right in front. Plenty of time for Port Adelaide in what has turned into a shootout.

A big grab from Charlie Curnow at half-back, a big grab from Harry McKay at half-forward and some slick hands inside 50 lead to another Carlton goal. It's worked for them all night, and it's helped them to a 24-point lead now.

It's been a mixed night for McGovern, but that's a clear highlight. A composed snap on the left from 25 out.

Make it six goals in under four minutes of game time now. Fair to say this one has busted open.

That's the best of the lot though from Finlayson, who snapped from the boundary line off a step. They're going in from everywhere right now.

What on earth is happening in this game? Five goals in less than three minutes, four of them to Carlton. Both sides have left their defending in the three-quarter-time huddle.

The Power haven't been able to defend Carlton at ground level in this quarter, conceding four goals from four inside 50s, all in general play.

We haven't taken 2:30 off the clock in the quarter yet, and we've got four goals on the board. It is flying out of the middle and straight to goal right now.

Williams is playing as a defensive forward but now has two opportunistic goals to his name.

Absolutely electric start to the last quarter! Three goals directly from the first three centre clearances of the term.

McGovern thought he was held by Soldo, allowing McEntee to slide in unopposed in front of goal. The umpire did not agree, and Port Adelaide have a very important goal.

Two in a little over a minute from Carlton's captain! He is putting his team on his back and driving them to a 19-point lead.

Tom De Koning did some excellent work in there too, and Cripps had just slipped out the side of the contest in a pocket of space. He took a second to line up his shot and slotted it.

With only 21 seconds taken off the clock, Carlton strike the first blow in the last quarter through their inspirational leader Patty Cripps.

He pushed forward from the centre clearance, dodged a Horne-Francis tackle, fell over, got back up and snapped just over Ratugolea's fingernails. Dream Carlton start.

It really is up for grabs here. Both sides have enjoyed elements of their best play but have managed to cancel each other out a bit too.

Carlton started to level things up at clearance in that quarter, while the Port defence did a better job of impacting the Blues' big forwards. The inside 50 count favours Carlton but the margin doesn't yet reflect the extent of that lead.

This one could come down to chances taken and chances missed. It doesn't feel like either side is about to kick clear, we could be in for a thriller.

Every time Port find a goal, it seems like Carlton cancel it out within a breath.

Patrick Cripps charged out the front of the centre clearance and nearly found McKay, but the ball spilled out of that fumbled mark to Williams in the square. He made no mistake, and it's a seven-point game again.

More slick transition work from the Power, and again Jason Horne-Francis is heavily involved. He's having an excellent quarter.

They got it in quick and deep, and Georgiades slipped away from McGovern to mark.