Blog log from R23 of 2025: Carlton vs Port Adelaide

O’Keeffe leaps in front of Zerk-Thatcher to clunk a contested mark 25m out on a slight angle and kicks the first goal of the afternoon. (Q1 1:52)
Moir has the sit on Jones and leaps on his back to take a juggling specky 25m out on the flank, and steers the set shot inside the left goalpost for his first major. (Q1 7:04)
Evans receives a hardfought handball from McKay with two hanging off him in the pocket, and rolls through a quality snap from 20m. (Q1 9:53)
Williams marks an Acres centring ball near the top of the square for another one for Carlton, who are carving a swathe like a knife through Butters. (Q1 12:48)
Mead is rightly pinged for deliberate rushing under no pressure on the behind line, Flynn Young takes the free and checksides the goal off his left. (Q1 14:47)
McKay goals from a throw-in 15m out against Whitlock, crowd loved that one as he held Whitlock off the fall with his right arm and guided the ball to foot with his left! (Q1 17:18)
The undersized Jones gives away a contact free on McKay on the HBF, long ball to the hotspot where O’Keeffe again is too tall for Zerk-Thatcher in the air, but he misses left. (Q1 18:49)
The Power finally get a rebound going around members wing, with Sweet providing the link mark and pass to the pocket for Whitlock 30m out… shank kick but Wines roves, Boak goal! (Q1 20:21)
Not how they drew it up on paper, but that was sorely needed by Port to stop an onslaught up the other end. (Q1 20:53)
Drew gets a bad bounce chasing a loose ball on members wing but beats Cripps to it anyway with a lovely step, his pass to Lord draws a contact free on Weitering 40m out, miss left. (Q1 22:02)
Georgiades’ first touch of leather is a mark from a Liddy pass 25m out on a slight angle, same line as Lord’s shot but he kicks straight as a die. (Q1 24:19)
Aliir, who just returned from an ankle roll, is whistled for contact on McKay from behind contesting a Walsh centre clearance kick to 40m on a slight angle. Harry goals. (Q1 25:54)
Rozee’s inside handball keeps an attack going through traffic in the centre, Whitlock marks 45m out on a slight angle and gets this on line for his first senior goal. (Q1 28:42)
Butters passes from outer wing over Carroll to Berry 40m out on the flank after Rozee gets a free at the next bounce. Set shot floats, is it a mark to Whitlock on the behind line? (Q1 30:32)
Called a behind by the goal umpire, confirmed on a blessedly quick review. (Q1 30:54)
Lord marks over Weitering near the hotspot and drags Port back further into it with the first goal of Q2. (Q2 2:23)
Motlop misses a mid-range snap. (Q2 3:33)
Cripps gives to Haynes deep in the pocket 25m out, the backman who is playing wingman decides to have a snap over his shoulder off the right… just across the face. (Q2 7:00)
After Drew flies in to catch Cooper Lord HTB to prevent a score at half back, Georgiades marks 40m out in front on the counter but misses to the left. (Q2 8:23)
After a series of stoppages in attack for Carlton, Cripps catches Farrell HTB 35m out on the flank, monstering him from behind. His set shot flies across the face to the right. (Q2 12:52)
Hollands sharks a Wines handball at half forward and gives wide for Cooper Lord to pass to Cripps at the hotspot, this set shot is straight enough. (Q2 15:04)
Williams centres from the HFF to near the hotspot where McKay marks and boots goal number three. Blues holding Port at arm’s length for the moment, no comeback imminent. (Q2 16:44)
McKay gets back to back majors to take his tally to four before HT, this one from an extremely obvious holding free on Aliir 20m out. (Q2 18:49)
Acres passes from the HFF to the pocket for Williams to mark untouched 25m out, it’s spinning plates time in the Port defence as supply is overflowing. ZWill converts. (Q2 22:09)
Wines takes a pack mark 30m out on the flank from Boak’s speculator, with the Blue defenders going to Lord instead. However, his set shot is not good vintage. (Q2 25:22)
Cooper Lord passes from the HFF to the hotspot where Cripps bullocks Rozee off the fall, mark paid even though it looked very much like a push in the back, another goal Carlton. (Q2 26:47)
Motlop marks another nice Cooper Lord pass 45m out but chooses a pass to De Koning who marks in between two Power players near the hotspot for a well-deserved goal. (Q2 30:00)
Walsh receives from Fogarty for a run through the centre and pass to Moir 40m out in front, he hooks to the right for no score. (Q3 1:31)
Sweet centres from the HFF to Boak 45m out on a slight angle, who already had one today but misses this one. (Q3 3:11)
Georgiades marks in the pocket 20m out but screws his set shot into the near left post. (Q3 4:51)
Wines misses a set shot from the HFF. (Q3 6:35)
Saad passes to the lead of Evans 40m out on the flank in front of Mead, but he misses everything. (Q3 8:56)
Carlton picking apart the Port defence with ease now, Motlop marks Cripps’ pass 40m out then centres for Walsh at the hotspot who also misses. (Q3 10:11)
Farrell passes to Whitlock 40m out on the flank who converts. (Q3 11:31)
Evans misses a snap on the turn off a step from 40m on a slight angle. (Q3 14:02)
McKay takes yet another big contested grab flying against Aliir and Rozee 20m out on a slight angle for goal number five. (Q3 15:32)
Blues are owning territory now, Evans marks near the hotspot to blow the margin past ten goals. (Q3 19:12)
Moir misses a long-range snap. (Q3 21:37)
Fogarty smothers Georgiades at half forward and passes to Acres for a contested grab against Zerk-Thatcher 35m out but he misses. (Q3 23:32)
Rioli has had an extremely quiet day but he is over the back in the pocket for a Berry pass 20m out, he misses near side left. (Q3 24:27)
Richards kicks off Q4 junk time with a high quality finish from the boundary 45m out. (Q4 1:43)
A review suggests a possible deviation off the post but De Koning’s involvement precludes using the Edge technology, goal confirmed. (Q4 3:39)
McKay snaps his sixth goal from the top of the square after a calamitous short pass by Aliir is spoiled by Fogarty. (Q4 8:55)
Walsh hooks a set shot from 40m on a slight angle. (Q4 11:40)
Flynn Young gets another cherry goal with a snap from the hotspot. (Q4 13:58)
McKay marks a Durdin pass near the hotspot for his seventh goal. (Q4 19:01)
Moraes roves Richards’snap in the square for a junk time special. (Q4 25:44)
Liddy roves at the hotspot and gives outside to Byrne-Jones for some more garbage. (Q4 27:27)
Moraes shoots to the right from half forward with a few minutes left. (Q4 28:16)
Whitlock marks 25m out on the flank and curls in his third goal. (Q4 30:36)