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Tiger Tom Lynch will be left to rue his wasted opportunities in front of goal as he finished with 2.7 \u2013 that second goal coming in the dying minutes from a free kick to set up a grandstand finish.<\/p>\n
Only 15 players since 1965 have had a worse game in front of the sticks than 1.7, a brutal scoreline which Lynch narrowly avoided.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m Michael Voss, I\u2019m sending a bouquet of flowers to Tom Lynch\u2019s house,\u201d Leigh Montagna said.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichmond blew it.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the end, Carlton held on for their first win of 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am literally stunned with what we saw play out in the second half,\u201d AFL great Jason Dunstall said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe saw them stop last week in the second half, the Blues. They stopped again! There was no run.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo kick one goal in a half of football and hang on and win a game, it\u2019s just that the opposition weren\u2019t good enough to execute when they had their opportunity to actually get the game done.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am flabbergasted that they hung on! I felt nervous for the Blues all the way through that second half because you could tell what was happening; in the end I felt sorry for the Tigers because they probably deserved to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
David King explained of Richmond\u2019s young side: \u201cThey didn\u2019t know how to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a week of turmoil where former club captain Sam Docherty found himself banned from a pre-game function, the Blues were off to a red-hot start with a six-goal opening term.<\/p>\n
But they managed just four more goals for the match, leading from start to finish.<\/p>\n
The Tigers threw everything at the Blues in the second half, but Lynch\u2019s woes in front of goal – and a moment of ill-discipline – cost his side their momentum.<\/p>\n
When Zac Williams nailed the late final quarter goal – breaking Carlton\u2019s 55-minute drought, the Blues were home.<\/p>\n
THE 3-2-1… (what we learnt)<\/p>\n
3. TALE OF TWO HALVES AGAIN AS \u2018NEW CARLTON\u2019 LET OFF THE HOOK<\/p>\n
The \u201cnew Carlton\u201d was on full display on Thursday night… though it was again only for two quarters in a repeated tale of two halves. <\/p>\n
And the Blues might\u2019ve been saved by Tom Lynch\u2019s horror night in front of goal. <\/p>\n
Lynch converted a wasteful 2.7 in front of goal including three consecutive misses in the fourth quarter when Richmond was pressing. <\/p>\n
It came during a scoring drought from both clubs. Until Zac Williams nailed Carlton\u2019s first major in a whole 54 minutes \u2014 and only goal of the second half \u2014 in the most important of steadiers to give the Blues a handy 11-point buffer in the dying minutes<\/p>\n
Of course, Lynch finally responded at the other end to break his run of costly misses and get Richmond back within a kick, setting up a tense finish.<\/p>\n
But Carlton hung on for dear life in the end.<\/p>\n
Just like last week, the Blues were again utilising the forward handball to great effect in the first half in a clear shift in style from Michael Voss\u2019 side.<\/p>\n
It included a particularly promising six-goal first quarter. However, just like last week \u2014 and last year\u2019s corresponding match \u2014 Carlton faded badly in the second half to let Richmond back in.<\/p>\n
At least this time, Michael Voss\u2019 side was able to bank the four points. But questions of their ability to play this new game style over four quarters will clearly be raised.<\/p>\n
The Blues, who averaged 207 metres gained from handball last year, had 287 at half-time after 538 total against Sydney last week.<\/p>\n
You could see Carlton wanted to move the ball at speed with hand and run in waves at just about every opportunity to create overlap and open up Richmond defensively.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is new Carlton,\u201d Kangaroos legend David King said on Fox Footy commentary after a Blues chain in the first quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the best version of them when they can link like that \u2026 get it to the outside, let \u2018em run.\u201d<\/p>\n
It gave Carlton more pure looks at goal inside 50, at least in the first half, in an area it\u2019s previously struggled.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt works, because they were the worst field kicking team in the competition last year,\u201d dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna said on Fox Footy at half-time. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo to use the handball game and the strengths and some of the players, they all join in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s making them more efficient when they go inside 50, because they\u2019re not bombing the ball from the wing .. they\u2019re getting closer to the 50m line and getting better avenues to goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The contrasting reactions on the siren.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
2. YOUNG BLUES STAR DRAWS DAICOS COMPARISON<\/p>\n
In case you didn\u2019t know, the kid in the No. 7 jumper for Carlton can seriously play.<\/p>\n
Jagga Smith has drawn comparisons to Nick Daicos after the young Blues star produced yet another brilliant performance in just his second AFL game \u2013 and first of many on the MCG.<\/p>\n
Smith was particularly blistering early with 15 of his 32 disposals in the first term alone as hie elite running capacity stood out.<\/p>\n
He just runs, and runs \u2026 and runs.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlues fans would be smiling \u2026 they\u2019ve got a massive grin because of what Jagga Smith is putting on the board tonight \u2013 15 disposals \u2013 but it\u2019s more than that, it\u2019s the second and third efforts,\u201d Bulldogs legend Brad Johnson said on Fox Footy at quarter-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a type of player, that, if you don\u2019t get on your bike and run with Jagga Smith, you\u2019re going to miss out on an opportunity to get involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe goes and reads it so well and he\u2019s so effective with ball in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indigenous great Eddie Betts noted Smith was \u201csuper exciting\u201d and \u201csuper quick,\u201d comparing the way the young gun plays to Pies superstar Daicos.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is like Nick Daicos with the way he gets it and goes,\u201d Betts said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is that outside run and it takes the pressure off Sam Walsh \u2026 to have two players like that in the midfield, you don\u2019t know who to go to.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s super exciting, you enjoy watching it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dual premiership Kangaroo David King added: \u201cThey say don\u2019t go with the messiah complex at Carlton and that it hasn\u2019t worked in the past. Well, I\u2019m telling you it\u2019s hard not to!<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s arrived, he\u2019s back, he\u2019s here in Jagga and wow, what a start.\u201d <\/p>\n
The modern prototype midfielder, Smith \u2013 the Rising Star favourite after his first season was ruined by an ACL injury \u2013 clearly adds a different dynamic to Carlton\u2019s midfield it desperately needs.<\/p>\n
The combination of speed and classy ball use is what sets him apart from, not only the rest of the Blues on-ballers, but already many other gun mids in the AFL.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis first quarter was actually unfair \u2013 he got too much of the footy, they couldn\u2019t run with him,\u201d Hawks legend Jason Dunstall said on Fox Footy at half-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cCovering the ground is an understatement \u2026 he keeps running and gets the next one. He keeps putting himself in good positions to receive the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve spoken about how quick he is and he runs and he covers ground, but he\u2019s not afraid to get down and inside the contest and feed the ball out to those around him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zac Williams celebrates the match-winning goal.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
1. \u2018EASIEST DECISION THIS YEAR\u2019: YOUNG TIGER FACES BAN FOR \u2018SILLY\u2019 ACT<\/p>\n
AFL footy boss Greg Swan put his flag in the ground around how there will be a crackdown of jumper and stomach punches in 2026.<\/p>\n
Well, Match Review Officer Michael Christian faces his \u201ceasiest decision\u201d this year for an incident where Richmond youngster Jonty Faull struck Carlton star defender Jacob Weitering off the ball. <\/p>\n
Faull is set to be suspended for the stomach punch to Weitering behind play in the second term of Thursday\u2019s match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat might be a little rib tickler there and it\u2019s been given a week this year already. Greg Swan was adamant that was going to be a week\u2019s suspension at the start of the season,\u201d Tigers legend Jack Riewoldt said on Fox Footy commentary.<\/p>\n
Kangaroos great David King responded: \u201cShould be a week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assessing the incident at half-time, Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph suggested Faull was a near certainty be suspended for next week\u2019s clash with Gold Coast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis might be the easiest decision (MRO) Michael Christian makes all year. I\u2019m sure Jonty Faull will be suspended for a week for that stomach punch to Jacob Weiteirng. It was off the ball, it was ridiculous, and he will face a one-week ban.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith that crackdown, international strikes to the stomach will generally be graded as medium (impact), so you\u2019d imagine he will miss against Gold Coast.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty silly act, it\u2019s misplaced aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n