Carlton are the new Collingwood

The biggest margin in Carlton’s past six wins has been six points with their total winning margin in the first two matches of the season just six points.

They now know how to win and that makes them a definite top four chance with Curnow dropping back to stop Richmond scoring in the final five minutes.

Carlton could not get their stoppage game going in the first three quarters with the Tigers outscoring them from that source taking an eight point lead into the final quarter.

However, the Blues lifted their pressure around the ball and began to take advantage of the Tigers’ inability to exit their defensive 50, an issue that afflicted them in the second quarter.

Richmond’s injuries helped the Blues establish a lead and was probably the difference between victory and defeat in the end.

Battle of the forwards

At three-quarter time, each club’s key forwards were dominating on the scoreboard. Richmond’s Tom Lynch and Noah Balta had kicked five between them as had Carlton’s Coleman winners Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.

The problem for the Tigers was that injuries to Josh Gibcus and Tylar Young forced Adem Yze to move Balta into defence. It was a good move, however, it robbed the game of one of its features with Balta and Curnow cancelling each other out.

McKay was impressive both in the ruck and kicking for goal and looks set for an excellent season. But it was ruckman Tom De Koning rather than the goalscoring quartet who chimed in with the match winning effort when required with a team lifting tackle and then minutes later a goal to give the Blues the lead in the last quarter.

Just to add to the irony it was Curnow moving into defence that helped the Blues hang on.

Disaster for Josh Gibcus

A pall fell over the crowd when emerging defender Josh Gibcus went to the ground clutching his knee after flying for a mark.

The Tigers said they suspected he had injured his ACL but would not be able to confirm until after scans.

The injury occurred nearly five years after Alex Rance did his ACL in the first match of 2019.

It is obviously a major disappointment for Gibcus but also for Adem Yze who would have been hoping to give his young defender time playing alongside champion veteran Dylan Grimes and other premiership defenders Nick Vlastuin, who was brilliant throughout to be best on ground, and Nathan Broad.

In the end injuries caught up with Richmond as they played the second half with two on the bench after Dion Prestia hurt his hamstring again and Tylar Young was concussed.