THE Carlton Reserves have continued their great start to the season with a 55-point VFL win over North Melbourne at IKON Park. 

The Blues kicked 11 goals to three across the second and third quarters to set up the big win.  

Paddy Dow was the standout performer on the ground, collecting 32 disposals and six clearances, while Tom Williamson was dangerous on the wing kicking three goals. 

Quarter one

It was a free-flowing first term of football with both sides able to put some goals on the scoreboard. Will Hayes got the Blues off to a flyer, after roving the pack and slotting through a goal from 35 metres out. The Kangaroos responded with a couple of majors in quick succession, before a long range set shot from David Handley levelled the game back up again. North then book-ended a couple of Carlton goals through Hirst and Williamson with two of their own, as the sides finished with four goals each at the first change. Paddy Dow had a blinder in the opening term, gathering 15 disposals and laying three tackles to set the tone early for the Blues. 

Quarter two

Ben Crocker’s snapped goal from the pocket was the perfect start to the second term, and the Blues didn’t look back from there. Carlton piled on five goals in a row, dominating territory and getting repeat entries inside 50. Stefan Radovanovic, Josh Cripps, Ned Cahill and Jordan Boyd all put majors through the big sticks, with the latter’s arguably the pick of the bunch: a great piece of team play allowed the rebounding defender to stroll to 50 metres out and nail the goal. Carlton won the inside 50 count 30-21 in the first half, with Dow recording six of those while Lachie Fogarty had four. 

Quarter three 

A snap-happy Tom Williamson became the Blues first multiple goalkicker for the day, as his opening goal of the half extended the lead beyond six straight kicks. It was goal for goal for the next period of the game before the Blues fired home the last four majors of the term to give themselves a nine-goal lead at the last change. The highlight of the quarter was a magnificent diving smother, gather and handball from Alex Cincotta which set up a Jesse Motlop snap from the pocket that sailed through. The Blues were taking their chances in this term, slotting six goals straight without a blemish. 

Quarter four            

It took 10 minutes for the Blues to find their first goal of the last term, with Ned Cahill bagging his second of the game from a difficult angle. The aptly named small forward then completed his hat-trick, with an unbelievable finish coming out of a pack of players. It was just the two majors each for both sides in the final term as the Blues ran out 55-point winners. Will Hayes found a way to reach 30 disposals again, racking up 11 touches in the last quarter. 

Three things we learned: 

1. It is a team game after all. Carlton had 11 individual goalkickers on its way to a big 55-point win. The tone was set in the first half, when the Blues’ nine goals were all kicked by different players. 

2. Tom Williamson is making the wing his own. After kicking his first major of the season last week, Williamson has got an eye for goal now. His three goals all came on the run, and he also gathered 19 disposals in a stellar outing. 

3. It was a true four-quarter performance from the Carlton Reserves, as the Blues won every term of the match. The middle two quarters were the most dominant, with the Blues kicking 11.5 (71) to the Roos’ 3.2 (20) across that period of the game.  

CARLTON RESERVES               4.3     9.8     15.8     17.12 (114)
NORTH MELBOURNE VFL        4.0     5.1     7.2       9.5 (59)

GOALS: Cahill 3, Williamson 3, Cripps 2, Crocker 2, Boyd, Handley, Hayes, Hirst, Maher, Motlop, Radovanovic 

BEST: Dow, Radovanovic, Cahill, Motlop, Boyd, Williamson 

Tarquin Oakley is a student at La Trobe University, undergoing his Bachelor of Media and Communications (Sports Journalism). He is currently undertaking an internship at the Carlton Football Club as part of its partnership with La Trobe University.