Blog log from R2 of 2023: Carlton vs Geelong

After the first goal from Charlie Curnow, Gary Rohan opens the Cat’s account, followed by Cameron from a set shot from 50m on a slight angle. (Q1 8:08)
Ratugolea dives on the line to touch through a Kennedy snap from a stoppage 20m out. (Q1 10:42)
Silvagni marks a long, searching McGovern ball on a rebound and passes inside 50 to Charlie Curnow to mark 40m out on the flank. Curnow misses across the face. (Q1 17:06)
Motlop roves a Charlie Curnow contest in the pocket and gets caught high 15m out. He kicks truly, giving the Blues some reward for territorial dominance. (Q1 23:15)
Durdin baulks with Blicavs on his hammer on the HFF, he kicks to the square but De Koning rushes. (Q1 27:55)
Carlton are getting bulk inside 50s, they need reward for it. (Q1 28:23)
Yet another repeat inside 50 as the Cats can’t rebound, Cerra misses a flying snap from 40m on a slight angle. (Q1 28:49)
After Geelong gets the first centre clearance of Q2, Hawkins centres to the hotspot, Blicavs uses his height to leap over Docherty for the mark at the hotspot and goal. (Q2 0:55)
Miers marks a centring ball by Cameron to 40m on a slight angle that Ed Curnow really should have spoiled. Cats now piling up repeat inside 50s, but that one misses. (Q2 4:35)
Holmes gets a rather lucky contact free under a Hollands tackle on the HFF that should have been paid HTB. His set shot is short and rushed. (Q2 6:37)
Acres passes from the wing to the lead of Silvagni in front of Stanley in the pocket 30m out. His drop punt is narrow. (Q2 7:47)
Miers passes to the lead of Henry 35m out on a slight angle on a slow play. He converts, Geelong builds a lead. (Q2 9:18)
Motlop cleans up Cerra’s chaotic inside 50 ball towards the hotspot and gives outside to Saad who misses the lot off the left. (Q2 11:16)
Stengle goes long to Hawkins one out with Weitering 40m out on the flank, Hawkins uses his strength to position the BLue out of it to mark and then miss. (Q2 13:10)
Saad spoils a rebound kick by Smith, Ed Curnow passes to brother Charlie 45m out on the flank, he wheels onto the right and goes low and hard for the goal! (Q2 16:41)
The crumb to a big contest 20m out falls over the back where Silvagni gathers and gives Owies a Joe the Goose special for the go-ahead goal for Carlton. (Q2 19:10)
A 50m penalty brings Henry from wing to 40m on a slight angle but he tugs it left. (Q2 22:26)
Saad beats Stengle to a loose ball behind a stoppage and kicks inside 50 for Charlie Curnow to show good hands on a greasy night to mark and goal from 35m. (Q2 24:16)
The Blues muscle their way out of the centre in a big wrestle, Acres goes to McKay who draws a contact free on Ratugolea 30m out on the flank… which he converts! (Q2 26:21)
Hawkins marks on the HFF, shapes to shoot then passes to Cameron on the boundary 40m out, Jezza screws in a high quality set shot! (Q2 29:30)
Saad receives on the wing and kicks long to the pocket 30m out for McKay to lead onto. McKay kicks OOTF. (Q3 0:56)
Silvagni roves a loose handball by Sam De Koning, baulks and shoots off the left from the hotspot but it floats wide. (Q3 1:59)
Durdin marks a bullet pass by Kennedy to 40m on the flank in front of Stanley. He hits the left goalpost. (Q3 2:56)
After a Cam Guthrie kick clanger on the wing, Cripps centres to the corridor 40m out where Charlie Curnow juggles the mark over Cameron. He boots goal number four. (Q3 4:41)
Holmes kicks around the 50m paint to Cameron who is on a slight angle. Jezza’s finishing has always been Waterford crystal quality, and that is no exception. (Q3 7:40)
Charlie Curnow goes back to the square in front of Ratugolea to mark an Owies kick from the pocket for his fifth goal. (Q3 10:21)
Bowes comes in hot to tackle but only succeeds in catching Owies high as the Blue searches for the ball on the ground. Owies goals from 20m in front. (Q3 12:21)
Owies thieves the footy off Sam De Koning’s hands on the HFF and reefs out a handball, Durdin tries a running checkside 25m out in the pocket and it comes off! (Q3 16:48)
Geelong have been hanging on for a while in this game but the floodgates look wide open from here. (Q3 17:21)
Holmes sets Cam Guthrie off on a run from the next bounce but the snap from 50m on a slight angle drifts OOTF. (Q3 18:16)
Stengle runs ahead of McGovern up the guts and goes to the pocket for Henry who kicks a goal against the run of play from 20m. (Q3 20:08)
Newman wins a loose footy in midfield and rides a tackle to get a kick off, Kennedy goes to Tom De Koning at the hotspot who sets Fisher up for an easy finish. (Q3 23:16)
Stengle stays down to rove Saad’s one-handed attempt, rides the tackle and feeds Close to goal from 30m on a slight angle. (Q3 24:23)
Tuohy gets in trouble in the BP on a slow play and scrubs the kick to green grass, eventually Silvagni centres to Ed Curnow 30m out on a slight angle who kicks truly. (Q3 27:42)
Weitering goes under an inside 50 kick to Hawkins to allow his man to mark 35m out on a slight angle. Hawkins doesn’t miss. (Q3 29:43)
Fisher roves on the HFF and feeds Cripps who jinks clear and centres for Hollands 40m out in the corridor. The second-gamer Hollands hooks it left just before 3QT. (Q3 32:17)
After a Dangerfield inside 50 kick, Stengle shrugs a Saad tackle on the HFF and passes to the lead of Cameron in front of McGovern 40m out on a slight angle. Jez goals again. (Q4 0:57)
Cameron intercepts McGovern’s kick in towards Docherty 40m out on a slight angle. This for his fifth goal… it’s good! (Q4 3:21)
Charlie Curnow misses a flying snap from the HFF.
(Q4 8:39)
McGovern’s desperate tackle forces a Cameron dribbler wide from 10m after a feed by Close. (Q4 8:52)
After Newman does good pack work in the centre and reefs out a handball, Kennedy passes to Owies 35m out in front. Carlton needs a settler… he delivers. (Q4 12:31)
Hawkins receives behind a pack on the HFF and goes to the fat side for Bowes to mark 20m out on a slight angle. The ex-Sun shanks it for a horrible point! (Q4 20:26)
Miers passes short to Cameron 35m out near the boundary, perfectly set up for his screwing set shot off the left… for his sixth goal! (Q4 21:37)
Margin now two kicks with the clock at 4:51. (Q4 21:52)
Ball up at the top of the Geelong goalsquare but Hollands sets up the rebound… instantly comes back in via Holmes to Rohan 50m out on the flank. Rohan hooks it for no score. (Q4 24:12)
3:10 left as a 50m penalty on Stengle brings Tom De Koning out of defence and a bit of tempo results. (Q4 24:39)
Out on the wing for a throw in, 2:43. (Q4 25:07)
Dangerfield clears to half forward, Bruhn kicks inside 50 but it’s a shank OOTF, 2:17. (Q4 25:59)
McKay takes the link mark on the wing, more tempo as the clock ticks under 2:00 with the margin still two kicks. (Q4 26:37)
Another big McKay mark forward of the wing to drain the clock… but Ratugolea intercepts on the HBF! (Q4 27:08)
Weitering mops up a Dangerfield kick to no one on the HBF and hoofs it to the wing for a throw in, 1:18. Carlton should be home from here. (Q4 27:37)
Ed Curnow kicks to the HFF and eventually it’s another stoppage, 48 seconds left, that’ll do. (Q4 28:09)
Bowes speeds away and kicks to CHF but Young intercepts and that’s the full stop. (Q4 28:38)