From: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/92520/default.aspx

CARLTON has ended a seven-game losing streak against Adelaide with a convincing 48-point victory at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.

The Blues kicked the opening four goals of the game and never looked back in recording their first win against the Crows at the venue since 2004, 16.7 (103) to 6.19 (55).

Adelaide finished with more scoring shots but paid a hefty price for wayward kicking inside 50.

Carlton’s small forwards had no such trouble at the other end, with Chris Yarran, Jeff Garlett and Eddie Betts combining for seven goals.

Ryan Houlihan also kicked three goals and Kade Simpson chimed in with two, but it was a vintage performance from skipper Chris Judd that inspired the Blues in the match-defining second quarter.

Judd quickly worked his way into form in just his first game of the season after suspension, picking up 12 of his 30 possessions in the second term.

The Brownlow medallist finished with nine tackles, six clearances, seven inside 50s and a goal to go with his 30 touches, and coach Brett Ratten said his superstar onballer would only get better with more game time.

“I thought for a good part of the game Chris helped the team and he got us going in the second quarter,” Ratten said.

“He’s a professional in the way he goes about his footy. He makes sure he wins every ball and kicks every goal. The way that he’s come back today and had an influence on the team (was great). I thought for him to play that way and lead the team from the front was really encouraging knowing that he’ll get better each week.”

Andrew Walker (36 possessions) and Marc Murphy (32) also found plenty of the ball, while Bernie Vince (31) and Andrew McLeod (26) were busiest for the Crows.

After kicking 10 of the game’s first 13 goals, the Blues led by 44 points late in the third quarter.

The Crows clawed back to get within 25 points in the last term, but where Scott Thompson, Kurt Tippett and Graham Johncock missed, Ryan Houlihan and Garlett converted.

Adelaide was also off-target in front of goal in blustery conditions at the MCG last weekend, kicking 5.11.

After the game on Saturday veteran defender Michael Doughty described the Crows’ goalkicking as being below SANFL standard and coach Neil Craig agreed, saying that easy misses throughout the game had deflated his side’s confidence.

“There’s no doubt our goalkicking isn’t up to standard. The players kept at it with some spirit but it just keeps tearing you apart when you miss those sorts of opportunities,” Craig said.

The Crows, who considered themselves top-four contenders prior to the start of the season, remain winless after four rounds.

Craig conceded he was preparing to enter his toughest time as a coach, as his side tries to resurrect a season that once promised so much.

“It’s probably the most difficult time we’ll go through as a playing group and a coaching group. It’s not fine, don’t get me wrong, but that’s what we’ve got so we’ve got to make sure we utilise that this time the best that we possibly can and get as good as we can under the circumstances that we have,” he said.

The only positive for Adelaide was that it reported no new injuries out of the defeat.

Carlton, which could be back in the top eight at the end of the round, also appeared to get through the game unscathed and will prepare to take on Geelong at the MCG next Monday.

The Crows face the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.

Adelaide     2.7   3.9   4.15   6.19 (55)
Carlton     5.1   10.4   12.5   16.7 (103)

GOALS
Adelaide: Thompson 2, Burton, Douglas, Knights, Walker
Carlton: Garlett 3, Houlihan 3, Yarran 3, Simpson 2, Betts, Henderson, Judd, O’hAilpin, Scotland

BEST
Adelaide: Vince, Edwards, Knights, McLeod
Carlton: Murphy, Walker, Judd, Simpson, Houlihan, Yarran, Garlett

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Carlton: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Wenn, Avon, Mollison

Official crowd: 38,321 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.

From: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-leads-adelaide-by-37-points-at-half-time/story-e6frf9jf-1225854910496

IT TOOK all of 15 seconds to take the AAMI Stadium crowd out of the Adelaide-Carlton clash.

The Blues broke out of the middle and put on a behind. The next three scoring shots were Carlton’s – a magnificent burst and snap from little Chris Yarran, a Chris Judd goal from a 50m penalty and then another one from Yarran after he crumbed a fruitless contest between Graham Johncock and Jeff Garlett.

In six minutes, Carlton had kicked as many as the Crows would until Taylor Walker kicked one on the three-quarter siren.

Not surprisingly, Adelaide’s season is sinking like a pebble in the pond after the humiliating 48-point loss to a revived Judd-led Carlton.

As haunted by injury as the Crows have been, there will be a searching analysis before they can come up with mitigating reasons for one of their most hurtful losses under coach Neil Craig.

Winless from four matches, it will take a mighty effort to make the finals from here – and the odds are stacked heavily against them with most of the top liners to play from here, most of them twice.

The ground was as quiet as one of the churches in the city for the first three quarters as the Crows put on an ultra-defensive display when it could not win the contested ball or make the tackles stick as Carlton ran away with it.

The Crows’ biggest concern, and it was a grave one, was their inability to kick goals. Again.

Five goals against Melbourne last week was followed by just three from the first three quarters against the Blues, who were invigorated by the return of Judd and played with zip and grunt to have the game under lock and key by half-time.

It wasn’t until the last quarter that the Crows showed some of the spunk that had them a contender for a flag last year and a perennial finalist under Craig. But even then they couldn’t slot them.

Throughout, it cost them, because even though Carlton had them covered in most aspects, Kurt Tippett and Brett Burton missed some sitters that would have changed the complexion of the match.

There had been talk beforehand about Carlton’s shoddy kicking and turnover count but the Crows outdid anything the Blues dished up the previous week.

Brett Burton missed his first three shots and nobody looked comfortable with the ball in their hands.

Then there was the turnovers. Adelaide was bullied by the Blues, led by a masterful Judd, and coughed the ball in a sea of confusion.

The Blues had their match-ups right: Ryan Houlihan limited the damage of Simon Goodwin while Bryce Gibbs alternated to keep Patrick Dangerfield and Jason Porplyzia in check.

The only bright lights ahead of the long adjournment were Andrew McLeod, who hit his forwards with lace-out kicks, and the nippy Johncock who chased them down from behind and showed a bit of dash and adventure.

The talk of Adelaide being an adventurous and risk taking team was plain rubbish yesterday – the Crows were anything but in one of their sorriest days.

If they were any more negative and defensive they would be playing in crash helmets. The Crows shifted players behind the ball but the obvious happened when they found it by weight of numbers: going forward, there was nobody to kick to.

Carlton, by contrast, played with dash, their inexperience on paper notwithstanding. They looked to intercept, tackle (and out-tackled the Crows), and were quick with the handball whereas the Crows handballed under immense pressure.

Matthew Kreuzer and Robbie Warnock gave the littlemen silver service in the middle, Irishman Setanta O’hAilpin presented forward and small and zippy forwards Yarran, Garlett and Eddie Betts ran circles around the Adelaide defence, which didn’t have enough quick defenders.

And what about Judd. When the game was still to be decided in the second quarter, he again laid claims to being the best man in the competition. He dominated with pace, muscle, vision and skill.

At the other end, Michael Jamison held Tippett, who’s either in a form slump or struggling worse than we thought with calf soreness and knee tendinitis, and youngster Simon White belied his age to at least break even with Burton.

SCOREBOARDCARLTON 5.1 10.4 12.5 16.7 (103)
ADELAIDE 2.7 3.9 4.15 6.19 (55)

Goals: Carlton: C Yarran 3 J Garlett 3 R Houlihan 3 K Simpson 2 C Judd E Betts H Scotland L Henderson S O’hAilpin. Adelaide: S Thompson 2 B Burton C Knights R Douglas T Walker.

Best: Carlton: A Walker C Judd M Murphy C Yarran R Houlihan J Garlett B Gibbs. Adelaide: A McLeod B Vince D Mackay T Edwards.

Injuries: Nil.

Reports: Nil.

Umpires: Stuart Wenn, Jacob Mollison, Michael Avon.

Venue: AAMI Stadium.

For the first time since 2004 the Blues have won at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide, winning by 47 points!  White played a good first game, Garlett was good in his return. had my doubts about the height issues but the blues came through and we’re now 2-2 with a hard couple of weeks ahead – Geelong, Collingwood and St Kilda in the next 3 weeks.