There were many shining lights for the Blues in their gutsy 19-point victory over top-four contender Geelong at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, but whose stats had the biggest say on the result?

Carlton Media picks its top-five most influential player stats from Round 10:

Matthew Kreuzer
Career-high 12 tackles, 8 clearances

It’s no wonder coach Brendon Bolton labelled Matthew Kreuzer “the spirit of Carlton” after another lion-heart performance from the ruckman. The big man dominated in his remarkable return just one week after minor knee surgery, collecting a career-high 12 tackles and eight clearances. These are the highest numbers seen for a player over two metres tall since tackles and clearances were recorded.

Ed Curnow
Career-high 24 effective disposals

Hard-running midfielder Ed Curnow not only negated Geelong captain Joel Selwood, but also hurt the Cats star the other way, recording a game-high 23 uncontested possessions. Curnow’s possessions were damaging too, with his 24 effective disposals a career-best.

Andrejs Everitt
Game-high 10 score involvements

Andrejs Everitt was involved in just about everything from an attacking perspective against Geelong, producing arguably his best game for Carlton. The 27-year-old wreaked havoc for the Cats’ defence with a game-high 10 score involvements. His four goals were also an equal career-best, taking his tally from his past four outings to 10.

Bryce Gibbs
Game-high 9 clearances

It was yet another masterclass from Bryce Gibbs on Sunday. With Patrick Cripps (ranked first in the league for total clearances) down on his usual output with just three clearances and Marc Murphy’s afternoon cut short in the first quarter, the odds were stacked against the Blues’ midfield, but Gibbs stepped up with a game-high nine clearances to outshine Geelong’s clearance specialists Patrick Dangerfield (seven) and Joel Selwood (three) and make sure Carlton won the midfield battle. 

Sam Docherty
Game-high 10 intercepts

Sam Docherty's elite positioning and ability to read the play continue to shine in 2016, with the young defender again coming out on top for intercepts on Sunday. The 22-year-old repelled attack after attack from the Cats, and then did a heap of damage with the ball in hand, having six inside-50s and two goal assists. With an average of 25 disposals and eight marks a game this season, Docherty is surely in All-Australian calculations.


Who impressed you most against Geelong? Vote 3-2-1 in the Hyundai Fans' MVP: www.hyundaiengineroom.com.au