CARLTON has officially finished its AFLW pre-season with a four-point win over Geelong.
Just nine days out from their season opener against St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, it was a youthful Blues outfit which took to the field at IKON Park and produced a 6.3 (39) to 5.5 (35) result.
Missing a host of key names, the Blues once again produced a narrow victory in pre-season, with a late Darcy Vescio goal sealing a result.
With up to 10 names sitting out - including the Blues’ four Australia-Ireland representatives - the game provided the chance for a number of Blues to put their hands up with the season fast approaching.
Amelia Velardo and Yasmin Duursma both featured after missing the hitouts against Essendon and Geelong, while just a day after being announced as a Carlton signing, Nell-Morris Dalton pulled on the Navy Blue No.35 for the first time.
It was Morris-Dalton who provided the assist for Carlton’s first of the day, with Vescio - who played forward for the entire afternoon - the beneficiary.
Responding to the Cats kicking the first two goals of the day, the Blues stepped up their defensive game, with first-year draftee Lily Baxter producing a crunching tackle while new recruit Kiara Bischa stepped up on the last line.
The Cats had the slight ascendancy over the course of the first two quarters, with a clever Lila Keck goal in the second term reducing the half-time margin to one straight kick.
Continuing a strong first pre-season at her new club, Brooke Boileau once again showed positive signs, while Sophie McKay played large amounts of midfield minutes with Abbie McKay, Mimi Hill and Keeley Sherar all managed for the game.
Leading the way for the Blues all afternoon was the excellent Claudia Whitfort, who showed exactly why the Blues recruited the former Sun last summer. Breaking away from stoppage and hunting the opposition, Whitfort was a key driver in the Blues turning a half-time deficit into an 11-point three-quarter-time lead.
Taking on No.1 ruck duties in the absence of Lauren Bella, Jess Good looked more and more dangerous as the game went on, providing an assist for Vescio in the third term, while McKay and Lily Goss also hit the scoreboard in the third term.
Ciara Fitzgerald produced some key defensive moments with the result hanging in the balance of the pre-season fixture, and after the Cats had taken back the lead by a single behind, it was Vescio who finished off some end-to-end ball movement to put the Blues ahead.
The game wasn’t without some last-minute drama, as a snap on the siren from the Cats hit the post, ensuring the Blues would enter next week’s Saints clash with winning form.
CARLTON 1.2 2.2 5.2 6.3 (39)
GEELONG 2.0 3.2 3.3 5.5 (35)
GOALS
Carlton: Vescio 3, Goss, Keck, S.McKay
