THE BLUES are again box office – and as a consequence of their presence in tonight’s much-anticipated semi final with Melbourne at the MCG, yet another attendance record will tumble after more than 60 years.
The current record attendance for a Carlton-Melbourne final is 82,773 set in the 1962 first-semi at the same venue – co-incidentally the last time the Blues knocked the Redlegs over in a final.
On that occasion the Blues prevailed by two points 11.12 (78) – 11.10 (76) to advance to the prelim, with Carlton forward Graham Donaldson best afield with three goals and Sergio Silvagni also amongst the team’s most solid contributors.
Martin Cross, the great grandfather of Ollie Hollands, also represented Carlton in that contest, while Ron Barassi chased the leather for Melbourne.
This was a drought-breaking finals victory – the Blues’ first since 1949 – which marked the end of five consecutive finals losses to 1959.
Carlton and Melbourne have, for the record, met eight times in VFL/AFL finals (tonight will be the ninth) since 1897. The first of them came in the back-to-back Premiership year of 1915. On that occasion Carlton won by 11 points – its only victory over Melbourne in finals other than the ’62 semi.
