Buoyed by their signs of life against Collingwood, bottom side Carlton now aim to mark Kade Simpson’s big milestone by sabotaging Port Adelaide.
Young guns Charlie Curnow and Patrick Cripps were outstanding for the injury-plagued Blues on Sunday at the MCG, but it was not enough as the Magpies beat their arch-rivals by 20 points in a scrappy, spiteful clash.
The 11.13 (79) to 9.5 (59) result followed a torturous week for Carlton, who were under the pump after an appalling first half against Fremantle.
As Collingwood rose to fourth place on the back of their fifth-straight win, Port are also flying.
Their 10-point win on Friday night over Melbourne was Port’s third-straight and they are fifth, below the Magpies only on percentage.
Blues coach Brendon Bolton wants his last-placed team to stop Port’s momentum dead in its tracks.
Carlton will host the Power next Saturday at the MCG and it will be Simpson’s 300th game.
“I thought considering the adversity that we faced with injury and on last week’s performance against a team that has probably got the most scoring power in the comp … I’m really pleased considering all those layers,” Bolton said.
“But we’ve got to go out and win a game of football next week for Simmo.”
The signs weren’t good on Sunday when Levi Casboult broke his finger in the warm-up and they then lost Lachie Plowman (knee) and Matthew Kreuzer (ankle) before halftime.
But Curnow had given the Blues a highlight during the week when he re-signed on a four-year deal and he backed that up with an outstanding three-goal game.
Carlton led midway through the third term and with more composure, they could have pushed Collingwood even harder.
GWS are half a game outside the eight after Saturday’s 27-point win over Brisbane, but they are set to lose key forward Jeremy Cameron for the next month.
He faces a direct referral to the tribunal after his heavy hit on Harris Andrews in a marking contest left the defender concussed.
Adding to Andrews’ woes, he was hospitalised on Saturday night and the Brisbane medical report will be sorry reading for the Giants ahead of the tribunal hearing.
The 10th-placed Giants host ninth side Hawthorn next Saturday night in a massive game.
The Hawks also have a player problem, with veteran Shaun Burgoyne awaiting scan results after he was forced out of Saturday’s 53-point win over Gold Coast in Launceston with a sore hamstring.
North Melbourne retained eighth spot with a two-point win over the Western Bulldogs.
Essendon opened round 14 on Thursday night with an upset 28-point win over West Coast in Perth.
The Bombers have won four of their last five to stay in the finals hunt, while the Eagles have lost their last two games at home.
Essendon will play North next Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
