NOT even a six-goal performance from Cats star Jeremy Cameron could spark Geelong to its first win of the season, with Carlton holding off a spirited fightback to win by eight points at the MCG on Friday night.
Geelong kicked four of the last five goals of the game, which would have had Blues fans nervous – after a final quarter fadeout last week caused their clash with Richmond to end in a draw.
Carlton coach Michael Voss said the teams ability to hold on this time around shows signs of improvement.
“We were sort of absorbing a fair bit from about seven minutes to go and it wasn’t quite going the way that we wanted it,” Voss said.
“But the last three-and-a-half minutes I thought we executed really, really well.
“What we were confident of was our system was standing up, there was a few little decisions we needed to make better to correct it.”
It was a shootout between two Coleman medallists at either end of the ground, with Blues spearhead Charlie Curnow booting five goals, while Cameron was enormous for the Cats with six goals to go along with his 25 disposals, eight marks and 592 metres gained.
Cameron almost did enough to drag Geelong across the line, but it was Lewis Young who took the game-saving mark on the superstar Cat to end the game.
It’s a second straight loss for the Cats to start the season, making it the first time since 2015 Geelong’s started the season 0-2, which was also the last time Chris Scott’s team missed finals.
But despite the shaky start, Scott said it’s not time for panic.
“Some of the disjointed manner in which we’re playing was a bit foreseeable with the shifts we’ve had,” he said.
“Some of the new players that have come in, if you look at them in isolation, there’s a lot to be positive with about those guys.”
CARLTON 2.6 6.8 12.11 13.12 (90)
GEELONG 2.1 5.6 9.6 12.10 (82)
GOALS
Carlton: C.Curnow 5, Owies 3, Motlop, McKay, Fisher, Durdin, E.Curnow
Geelong: Cameron 6, Henry 2, Rohan, Hawkins, Close, Blicavs
BEST
Carlton: C.Curnow, Saad, Acres, E.Curnow, Weitering, Kennedy, Owies, Cripps
Geelong: Cameron, Smith, C.Guthrie, Holmes, Bowes
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Geelong: Stanley (ribs)
LATE CHANGES
Carlton: Jack Martin (calf) replaced in selected side by Marc Pittonet
Geelong: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Lochie O’Brien (replaced Jack Silvagni in fourth quarter)
Geelong: Cooper Whyte (replaced Rhys Stanley in fourth quarter)
