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Trailing premiers Brisbane by 49 points early in the third quarter, the Blues discovered some much-needed fight to at one stage reduce the Lions\u2019 lead to just 10 points before eventually losing 14.16 (100) to 13.11 (89).<\/p>\n
While the ultimately fruitless fightback will be little consolation after another defeat, it will at least give besieged Carlton coach Michael Voss hope that there are better times ahead.<\/p>\n
For the Lions, whose performance was underpinned by 33 disposals from Robert Walls Medallist Lachie Neale and four goals from Logan Morris, the second-half scare will be a reminder that they can\u2019t take their foot off the pedal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a bit (interesting at the end) and we knew they were going to come out in the second half and have a crack,\u201d Morris said on Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe spoke about that at half-time and we tried to kill them in the third quarter but they were able to punish us and they smashed us around contests and around the ball, so we\u2019ll look at that and learn from it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was great to get the win in the end though.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was perhaps a sense of complacency brought about after Carlton conceded six or more straight goals for the seventh time this season.<\/p>\n
Lachie Neale of the Lions celebrates kicking a goal. Picture: Chris Hyde\/AFL Photos\/via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
However, after copping six on the trot, the Blues responded with six consecutive majors of their own, including two from Mitch McGovern, to seemingly revive their hopes<\/p>\n
Having trailed by 49 points early in the second-half, the Blues reduced the deficit to 20 points by three-quarter time.<\/p>\n
It was only the fifth time this season that Carlton had won a second-half quarter.<\/p>\n
A Harry McKay goal early in the final quarter further eroded Brisbane\u2019s lead before Lions forward Kai Lohmann booted his second six-pointer of the night to stop Carlton\u2019s run.<\/p>\n
However, Carlton wasn\u2019t done, with McKay adding two more goals to ensure the Blues at least won another quarter, if not the game.<\/p>\n
THE 3-2-1 \u2026<\/p>\n
3. \u2018WHAT ON EARTH?!\u2019: BONKERS BLUES BLITZ STUNS FOOTY WORLD<\/p>\n
It was the dramatic comeback genuinely no one would\u2019ve expected. Yet still wasn\u2019t enough for Carlton to earn four points.<\/p>\n
The Lions at half-time seemed destined for a mammoth win. The Blues had no answers to the home side\u2019s clearance dominance, while their lack of workrate and pressure was alarming.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo on the checklist, it\u2019s clearance diabolical and pressure non-existent at the moment for the Blues,\u201d Kayo Sports commentator Gerard Whateley said late in the second quarter.<\/p>\n
The already immense pressure on coach Voss appeared bound for a tipping point.<\/p>\n
Then the Blues found a gear we haven\u2019t seen from them \u2013 and never expected them to get into \u2013 in the second half.<\/p>\n
Trailing by 49 points, Carlton kicked the next six straight goals as they flipped the script in the third quarter. They outscored the Lions by +39 points and convincingly won the contested possession (+16), clearance (+7), inside 50 (+14) and forward half intercept (+7) counts. Their pressure lifted, their clearance game improved out of sight and their defensive structure was sound, leading to scoreboard dominance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat on earth? What an effort to turn this around for Carlton,\u201d triple premiership Lion Alastair Lynch told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
Mitch McGovern of the Blues celebrates kicking a goal. Picture: Chris Hyde\/AFL Photos\/via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Importantly, when the Lions inevitably responded to the Blues challenge in the fourth term, Voss\u2019 troops fought and scrapped until the end.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf any Carlton fan in your house went to bed, wake them up now – because the Blues have woken up!\u201c Fox Footy\u2019s Anthony Hudson said in commentary.<\/p>\n
Some wasteful shots at goal and ill-disciplined down back proved costly \u2013 clearly not as costly as the slow start to the match \u2013 but they \u201cfrightened the daylights out of the Brisbane Lions\u201d,\u201d according to Hall of Fame legend Jason Dunstall.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlues fans haven\u2019t seen football like this basically all year, not against a quality opponent and not coming from behind like this. It\u2019s exceptional. Love the risks they\u2019re taking,\u201d Dunstall said.<\/p>\n
Melbourne legend Garry Lyon added on Fox Footy post-game: \u201cIf you\u2019re a Carlton supporter, you\u2019re sitting there going \u2018where\u2019s that been\u2019? Because they played the kind of football, I\u2019m sure, Michael Voss would have expected over the last six or seven weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Whateley aptly declared on the siren: \u201cThey will leave empty-handed in terms of points, but they will leave with much fuller hearts than they came with.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. \u2018SH*THOUSE QUARTER\u2019 UNDOES LIONS\u2019 EARLY DOMINANCE<\/p>\n
And as Lyon declared on the siren: \u201cI think they were very thankful, the Brisbane Lions, when the final siren sounded.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the Blues left the Gabba with more admirers, the Lions departed with four points \u2013 yet some question marks hanging over their heads.<\/p>\n
How they allowed a lowly Carlton, who were so poor in the first half, to launch the most unlikely comeback will be heavily reviewed by Chris Fagan and his Lions coaching staff during the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave the camera on Chris Fagan at three quarter-time I would have thought because he will steam out \u2026 this is testing his patience,\u201d Lynch said late in the third term.<\/p>\n
Dunstall added: \u201cOnce Carlton built momentum, they couldn\u2019t\u2019 stop them.\u201d<\/p>\n
So after conceding a string of goals in the third term, Fagan let his team know exactly what he thought at the final change.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe first told us it was a sh*thouse quarter, so we got a bit of a spray at three quarter-time,\u201d Lions forward Logan Morris told Fox Footy post-game.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we came out and just pound the rock and chipped away. We got the win in the end, so it was great.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Blues blitz undid a lot of Brisbane\u2019s impressive work at the start of the game.<\/p>\n
‘First gear’ Lions still crushing Blues | 02:03<\/p>\n
The Lions opened up a 14-point lead at the first break.<\/p>\n
It was an advantage built from the Lions securing six centre clearances to Carlton\u2019s one, and it should have been a bigger lead, with the hosts twice denied goals by the post.<\/p>\n
The Lions upped the ante in the second quarter, kicking four unanswered goals to open up a 38-point lead at the main break. At one stage, Hudson said the Lions were kicking away with \u201calarming ease\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was again an advantage that was built on Brisbane\u2019s total domination of clearances, which were 25-12 in the Lions\u2019 favour by half-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stoppage dominance is unbelievable,\u201d Lynch told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t seen this for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
1. \u2018HISTORY THERE\u2019: DOUBLE FREE AS BLUES PAY<\/p>\n
Amid the tense last quarter came a spicy incident inside Brisbane\u2019s forward 50.<\/p>\n
With just under eight minutes to go and the Lions leading by 22 points, new Blue Ben Ainsworth caught Levi Ashcroft high when attempting to tackle, leading to a free kick directly in front of goal for the young Lion.<\/p>\n
Ashcroft then got in Ainsworth\u2019s face and had strong words as he walked back to his mark.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be gobbing off before I kick the ball \u2013 because if you miss it, you\u2019re going to look like a right goose,\u201d Dunstall said with tongue slightly in cheek.<\/p>\n
Ashcroft dagger sparks all-in melee! | 00:38<\/p>\n
Then Lynch suggested there was \u201ca bit hit of history there\u201d between Ashcroft and Ainsworth, referencing a practice match between Brisbane and Gold Coast \u2013 Ainsworth\u2019s former team \u2013 in early 2025 where tensions flared. <\/p>\n
Ashcroft nailed the set-shot and immediately got back in Ainsworth\u2019s face, speaking more words and a scuffle between the two teams. Amid the tension, Sam Walsh appeared to get Ashcroft high, leading to a second free kick for the second-year Lion.<\/p>\n
The free kick left Dunstall mightily disappointed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one thing to be aggressive, but getting sucked in just kills any chance that you have. It kills the game off, you\u2019ve got to have discipline,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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