Carlton’s feel-good factor has continued with a 10-point win over St Kilda, giving David Teague a winning start as a full-time AFL coach.
The Blues came from behind to post a 11.12 (78) to 10.8 (68) win at the MCG on Saturday, two days after Teague was appointed as head coach.
Carlton’s faithful turned out en masse for the occasion and saw two of the club’s favourite sons power them to a morale boosting victory.
Number one draft picks Marc Murphy and Matthew Kreuzer were superb as the Blues reeled in the Saints and responded to all challenges in the final term.
Ninth-gamer Josh Deluca was an unlikely hero, sending a wobbly goal over the line by the barest of margins to restore Carlton’s lead with six minutes remaining.
Harry McKay then ensured the Blues’ seventh win of the season – and sixth under former interim coach Teague in his 10 game stint – with a roaring goal around the corner.
The Saints were strong competitors and led for just as long as Carlton in a match of major momentum swings.
But given the redemptive narrative around Teague’s Blues, a Carlton win felt like the only possible result in the magnificent Melbourne sunshine.
A powerhouse crowd of 51,786 saw a terrific contest.
Carlton jumped the Saints for the first two goals of the game, before the Saints settled and fired back the next six including a pair each to Nick Hind and Tim Membrey.
While Membrey endured an up-and-down afternoon, Hind was a star up front.
The livewire mature-age draftee was an electric presence even when not hitting the scoreboard himself.
St Kilda led by 24 points early in the second term but from that point, Carlton were in the ascendancy.
With Patrick Cripps well tagged by Jack Steele, Murphy and Ed Curnow were smart presences around the ball.
It was the former captain that finally edged the Blues into the lead, the club’s favourite son kicking a stunning checkside running goal midway through the third term.
The sides traded leads into the final term, when a dicey umpiring call allowed Jake Carlisle to kick a goal and give the Saints a foothold.
When Membrey fired a third of his afternoon, the Saints led and threatened a boilover.
Deluca and McKay put paid to those ideas, allowing Bluebaggers to sing their victory song with gusto.