Blues bounce back with gutsy win

Carlton has overwhelmed Fremantle in the final quarter at Subiaco on Sunday, the Blues' getting their season back on track through a narrow 15-point win.

The Blues trailed by as much as 36 points early in the second quarter and were still 18 points behind at the final change when Carlton skipper Chris Judd ignited his side with a sensational final term.

The Blues slammed in four goals in nine minutes to re-take the lead and despite Fremantle closing to within two points, Carlton showed its quality with a seven goal to two term, running out 16.19 (115) to 15.10 (100) winners.

Setanta O'hAilpin booted four goals for Carlton, proving an effective foil to Brendan Fevola, who led aggressively and kicked three of his own, despite having finger surgery last Saturday morning.

But it was Carlton's midfield brigade that truly impressed, Judd blitzing Fremantle's undermanned midfield as he gathered 10 of his 35 possessions during the final quarter.

Bryce Gibbs with two goals also proved a constant menace as well. The midfielder was dragged in the first quarter after his opponent David Mundy, enjoyed the freedom of the park and helped set-up four early Fremantle goals.

But once back on the field, Gibbs earned 10 of his 33 touches in the second term, seven of which were contested, as he laid the platform for a six-goal quarter that saw the Blues go into half-time just 10 points behind after trailing by six goals.

For Fremantle, Hayden Ballantyne showed glimpses of potential with three goals, while Luke McPharlin also booted three. Paul Hasleby and youngster Greg Broughton both picked up 31 touches, but the Dockers' midfield sorely missed the injured Matthew Pavlich an internally suspended Dean Solomon.

The result sees Fremantle's losing streak extended to seven matches, while Carlton leapfrogs Essendon into seventh on the ladder, recovering from a 69-point annihilation by the Bombers last Friday.

The Dockers opened brilliantly, scoring four goals in the first 10 minutes before a shellshocked Carlton could muster a shot.

Fremantle was running the lines with intent and kicking long to a tall forward line, consisting of Kepler Bradley, Luke McPharlin and Aaron Sandilands dropping back.

The Blues were their own worst enemy, though, giving away four 50-metre penalties, three of which conceded goals.

The worst example of this occurred towards the end of the quarter, just as Carlton was working its way back into general play when Luke McPharlin goaled from point blank after Mark Austin gave away a 50, the Blues then conceding another free kick and 50-metre penalty to give Ballantyne his first AFL goal.

The Dockers were out to a 36-point lead early in the second term when Carlton lifted its rating, scoring six of the next seven goals in a dominant 15-minute period as Gibbs collected 10 touches for the quarter, with Fevola and O'hAilpin kicking two apiece.

But two opportunist goals to Ballantyne during time-on gave Fremantle a 10-point lead at the main break that became 21 points early in the third term when the Dockers kicked three of the first four goals, two coming from McPharlin in two minutes.

The Dockers, though, were struggling to get the ball out of defence as Carlton peppered its goal. But the Blues just couldn't nail their shots, scoring 2.6 for the quarter before Fremantle waltzed down the other end for Scott Thornton to steady.

But it was only a matter of time before Carlton found its range, the Blues slamming on four goals in the first nine minutes of the last quarter, including two to Andrew Carrazzo to take the lead for the first time.

FREMANTLE: 6.2, 9.7, 13.8, 15.10 (100)
CARLTON: 1.4, 7.8, 9.14, 16.19 (115)
GOALS: Fremantle: Ballantyne 3, McPharlin 3, De Boer, Bradley, Suban, Sandilands, Headland, Hill, Thornton, Mundy, Schammer
Carlton: O'hAilpin 4, Fevola 3, Gibbs 2, Carrazzo 2, Garlett, , Russell, Grigg, Kreuzer, Johnson
BEST: Fremantle: Hasleby, Broughton, Mundy, Ballantyne, Tarrant, McPharlin
Carlton: Gibbs, Judd, O'hAilpin, Carrazzo, Murphy, Russell
INJURIES: Fremantle:
Carlton:
REPORTS:
CHANGES: Fremantle Andrew Foster replaced in selected side by Daniel Gilmore.
UMPIRES: Findlay, Avon, Jeffery
CROWD: 34,720 at Subiaco