'Going nuts': Carlton fan becomes instant hero after Richmond upset

For no less than 11 consecutive seasons, Carlton fans were treated to a brutal loss to the Richmond Tigers to start their AFL season - but the streak has finally been broken.

Blues fans were elated after they stunned Richmond 14.17 (101) to 11.10 (76) in Michael Voss' first game as the club's head coach.

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With a decade of round one misery in the rear view mirror, Carlton fans were celebrating hard - but none moreso than one footy fan who managed to sneak into the background of Fox Footy's post-game broadcast from the MCG.

Carlton fans managed to drown out their own team song after the final siren went, such was the excitement around a long-awaited season-opening win.

Much to the amusement of hosts Jason Dunstall, Sarah Jones, David King and Leigh Montagna, the perhaps overly excited Blues fan managed to down a beer and wave his hands around before he was ushered away by security.

“Good camera change there. Jason has just clubbed that guy off air there. We move on," David King quipped.

Earlier in their broadcast, Dunstall had attempted to demostrate the sheer volume Carlton fans had managed to reach in victory.

“We can barely hear each other. They’re beside themselves," he said.

“The crowd are going nuts.”

Spiritual leader Sam Docherty marked his return after a cancer battle with a team-lifting goal on Friday as the Blues twice recovered from 20-point deficits.

Docherty's long set shot after a 50-metre penalty brought many in the 72,179-strong crowd at the MCG to their feet.

It put the Blues eight points ahead in the shadows of halftime before they were forced to fight their way back into the match in a thrilling climax.

A six-goals-to-two third quarter gave Richmond control and Shai Bolton's third goal of the night looked to have set the Tigers on their way to victory early in the final term.

Carlton complete comeback to enjoy memorable AFL win

Carlton turned the match on its head with five goals in eight minutes in a stunning surge to power themselves to a 14.17 (101) to 11.10 (76) upset.

Captain Patrick Cripps kicked three goals from 30 disposals in the Blues' first triumph over Richmond since the famous 2013 elimination final.

It was also Carlton's first round-one win in a decade, after what new coach Voss felt was a pre-season preparation that set his side on the right track for the new home-and-away campaign.

"There were still a couple of questions that we weren't sure that we could answer but the consistency of the group was pretty good throughout," Voss said.

"We had to answer a couple of challenges and it's a signature win for the club.

"At some stage we'll put it in its place where it belongs, but at this particular moment it's a very important win for us."

Cripps combined with Matthew Kennedy (33 disposals) and new recruits Adam Cerra (30) and George Hewett (28) as Carlton mauled Richmond in the centre square in the final term.

The centre clearance (7-0), overall clearance (17-2), contested possession (42-23) and inside-50 (22-2) counts were landslides in the Blues' favour.

"Richmond were able to get field position from that avenue throughout the night and we responded," Voss said.

"I don't think we lost one (centre clearance) in the last quarter.

"Collectively, they're forming a really good relationship with one another and that will hopefully only get stronger."

With AAP

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