IN WHAT was an otherwise unremarkable contest, Carlton took the four points by the barest of margins over the Danny Frawley-coached Richmond, having actually conceded the first four goals of the game before a Scott Camporeale snap stopped the rot.

With ruckman/forward Corey McKernan an imposing presence up front, the Blues found a way late in the opening term and weathered an early second-quarter challenge to ultimately prevail with a seven-goal-to-four second half return when goals were hard to come by.

This game is remembered as much as anything else for a Matthew Richardson tantrum where the 'Richoman' pulled out of a lead to an incoming kick from Matthew Knights – not because he’d twinged a hammy, but because he didn’t consider the delivery to be silver service – and the Seven gamecallers Cometti and co. had great fun with that one.

McKernan and Simon Beaumont - the latter completely negating Richardson in the one on ones – featured amongst the Blues’s best, as did Andrew McKay and Blake Campbell across half-back, and Matthew 'Skinny' Lappin, whose final-quarter heroics from coast to coast are indelibly etched in the memory.

The play of the night was owned by Lappin, who chiefly orchestrated Carlton’s last telling goal. Having taken a massive grab in the last line, Lappin followed the footy up the field, found himself on the end of a clever Ryan Houlihan chip and fired in a brilliant cross-goal pass to the lunging Jordan Doering, who duly put the pill over the goal umpire’s hat.

Carlton v Richmond - Round 14, Friday 5 July, 2002, MCG

Carlton                 3.5          6.6          10.6        13.8 (86)
Richmond            4.3          8.5           10.10      12.13 (85)

GOALS

Carlton: McKernan 5, Wiggins, Doering 2, Camporeale, Hickmott, Fletcher, Whitnall

BROWNLOW VOTES

3: Corey McKernan (CARL)
2: Greg Tivendale (RICH)
1: Simon Beaumont (CARL)

The Carlton team

B:            Andrew McKay (vc)         Luke Livingston               Adrian Hickmott (dvc)

HB:          Craig Bradley                 Simon Beaumont             Jordan Doering

C:            Blake Campbell              Brett Ratten (c)                Justin Murphy

HF:          Anthony Franchina         Lance Whitnall                 Ryan Houlihan

F:            Corey McKernan             Brendan Fevola                Matthew Lappin

Ruck:      Andrew Merrington          Simon Fletcher                Scott Camporeale

I/C:         Simon Wiggins                Bret Thornton                 Andrew Eccles               Sam Cranage

Coach:  Wayne Brittain