The first half was difficult viewing for fans of both clubs, with just six goals scored in perfect conditions. The contest was littered with turnovers, inexplicable decision-making and exasperatingly indirect, conservative play. Mercifully, the entire complexion of the match changed after halftime – both teams showed more adventure and the floodgates opened. It was quite literally – pardon the cliché – a game of two halves.
2. The Menzel monopoly
Troy Menzel was on fire early – after 24 minutes the young gun had provided the Blues' entire score – 2.1 – and was even outscoring the Crows (1.4). The 19-year-old opened his account with a behind from 50 metres before slotting an angle shot from 40 and adding another major after conjuring a holding free at point-blank range. A Jarrad Waite behind late in the first term ended Menzel's sequence. Menzel also took a smart, strong contested mark at half-back in a busy first term. The youngster added a third major early in the pressure-packed final term.
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3. Jenkins' lucky run with the umpires
With the Blues celebrating their 150th year, the big screen displayed a pre-match highlights package featuring some of the club's greatest moments, including Alex Jesaulenko's iconic grab aboard Collingwood defender Graeme Jenkins in the 1970 grand final. Another Jenkins, the Crows' Josh, was wrongly awarded a left-handed mark that replays showed had clearly bounced. As Blues fans booed after watching the big screen, Jenkins' shot after the halftime siren thankfully missed. It raises the question: in such circumstances – at a stop-play where the replay has been shown – should umpires have the power to correct a decision? In the dying minutes, with his side five points down, Jenkins also received a dubious free kick for deliberate out of bounds against Sam Rowe. He missed that shot too.
4. Betts goes off
If Eddie Betts was nervous about taking on his former Carlton teammates for the first time, he didn't show it. "Fast Eddie" – who joined the Crows under free agency after 184 games and 290 goals – was his usual livewire self, kicking four goals and applying terrific defensive pressure that caught napping players who should've known better. Blues backman Zach Tuohy, and later Andrew Walker, had their hands full. As expected, there was plenty of banter, with Betts even engaging in a brief, light-hearted wrestle with great mate Chris Yarran over the boundary line. They got up smiling, but in the end the Blues had the last laugh.
5. Blues farewell stalwarts
There were lumps in throats among the Blues faithful as the club marked the retirement of veteran Heath Scotland and the passing of premiership player and club powerbroker Wes Lofts. Scotland, 33, hung up his white boots after averaging 21.6 disposals over 268 games (53 at Collingwood and 215 at Carlton), and received warm applause, and not just from Blues fans, on a pre-match lap of honour with sons Riley and Tyler. The Blues' cheersquad banner paid tribute to "a true champion" – the best of the recycled players recruited by Carlton under Denis Pagan 10 years ago. The Blues also wore black armbands out of respect for 1968 premiership player and club powerbroker Wes Lofts.
3. Jenkins' lucky run with the umpires
With the Blues celebrating their 150th year, the big screen displayed a pre-match highlights package featuring some of the club's greatest moments, including Alex Jesaulenko's iconic grab aboard Collingwood defender Graeme Jenkins in the 1970 grand final. Another Jenkins, the Crows' Josh, was wrongly awarded a left-handed mark that replays showed had clearly bounced. As Blues fans booed after watching the big screen, Jenkins' shot after the halftime siren thankfully missed. It raises the question: in such circumstances – at a stop-play where the replay has been shown – should umpires have the power to correct a decision? In the dying minutes, with his side five points down, Jenkins also received a dubious free kick for deliberate out of bounds against Sam Rowe. He missed that shot too.
4. Betts goes off
If Eddie Betts was nervous about taking on his former Carlton teammates for the first time, he didn't show it. "Fast Eddie" – who joined the Crows under free agency after 184 games and 290 goals – was his usual livewire self, kicking four goals and applying terrific defensive pressure that caught napping players who should've known better. Blues backman Zach Tuohy, and later Andrew Walker, had their hands full. As expected, there was plenty of banter, with Betts even engaging in a brief, light-hearted wrestle with great mate Chris Yarran over the boundary line. They got up smiling, but in the end the Blues had the last laugh.
5. Blues farewell stalwarts
There were lumps in throats among the Blues faithful as the club marked the retirement of veteran Heath Scotland and the passing of premiership player and club powerbroker Wes Lofts. Scotland, 33, hung up his white boots after averaging 21.6 disposals over 268 games (53 at Collingwood and 215 at Carlton), and received warm applause, and not just from Blues fans, on a pre-match lap of honour with sons Riley and Tyler. The Blues' cheersquad banner paid tribute to "a true champion" – the best of the recycled players recruited by Carlton under Denis Pagan 10 years ago. The Blues also wore black armbands out of respect for 1968 premiership player and club powerbroker Wes Lofts.
