SIX GOALS in nine minutes.
That's all we needed to see from Carlton in the third quarter on Sunday against the Sydney Swans to know that there is something special about the Blues this year.
Never mind the early goals to the Swans, or the junk time flurry towards the end, it was the imperious fashion in which the Blues kicked away in that nine-minute spell, which gives rise to hopes that the rest of this season isn't just a drawn out curtain-raiser ahead of an inevitable Collingwood-Geelong Grand Final.
The missing piece in the Carlton puzzle was filled yesterday with the best on ground performance of Matthew Kreuzer. The hope for the Blues was that after 12 months away courtesy of a knee reconstruction, Kreuzer would return to the side, not necessarily dominate, but play a role and find some form ahead of the finals.
Instead it took just his second match for him to star and his return against the Swans was 24 possessions, 13 hit-outs and seven tackles.
Blues coach Brett Ratten couldn't get the praise out quickly enough afterwards, saying of Kreuzer, "He was the best player on the ground today. I thought his second and third efforts, and the way he follows up and cracks in, were just outstanding."
With Marc Murphy delivering Chris Judd the long-needed chop out in the midfield, Chris Yarran's brilliance across half-back, Michael Jamison's All Australian form at full-back and an enviable array of talls - now complimented by Kreuzer - the Blues are a five-goal better side than last year.
The Blues still have some more boxes to tick before the finals. They play the Magpies again in round 17 in a genuine, but rare, Saturday afternoon blockbuster at the MCG and Hawthorn - which it hasn't beaten in its last seven attempts - on a Friday night in round 22. On that subject, and we're surely flogging a dead horse here, but could the AFL at least give some consideration to moving that game from Etihad Stadium to the MCG, where more than 75,000 could be expected to attend?
Check back with us in late August for the next update on the Carlton Football Club. By then we will have a better indication as to whether the Blues are premiership material. But for now, we are not discounting the possibility.
Gaz's sea change
It is a sign of the football world we now live in that Gary Ablett's worth as a footballer in his first year as a Gold Coast player was couched as much in terms of his Dream Team value as his actual value to the Suns.
His opening term against Hawthorn on Saturday was phenomenal. Ablett had 11 touches, enjoyed some brilliant clearance work and was in everything as the Suns opened brightly against the Hawks.
Like his team, he faded a bit from there, but he was still clearly his team's best afield and in all likelihood, the recipient of at least one Brownlow vote.
There was an interesting discussion on SEN on Sunday about Ablett and the footballing "sea change" he embarked upon by heading to the Gold Coast. Yes, Ablett is being wonderfully compensated for the said "sea change" but he does appear to have been reinvigorated by the challenge.
The Network 10 footage of his juggling three footballs in the pre-match, suggests to this observer a player at peace with the decision he has made and clearly enjoying his new teammates and his new surrounds.
CLUB BY CLUB
GEELONG: With 12 wins to their name and a home game against Adelaide next on the schedule, why wouldn't the Cats take the conservative route and rest Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly and Darren Milburn this week? There is nothing at all to be gained by risking them.
COLLINGWOOD: Finally hits the skies this week with a trip to Homebush to meet the Swans. Should be less eventful than the mid-season injury jaunt by some to Arizona, where Nathan Brown's audacious bid to play this year was derailed by an injury to his 'good knee'.
CARLTON: Network Seven's punt on Carlton continues to pay dividends. The network found itself with a swag of Carlton matches this season and now, Sunday's clash with West Coast is the match-of-the-round.
HAWTHORN: Alastair Clarkson is coaching really well this season with an injury list that has forced him to be daring and inventive. Saturday's move of Shaun Burgoyne to the backline worked a treat. He'll likely be delving deep into his bag of tricks once more against the Bombers on Friday night.
WEST COAST: Will need a win in Victoria at some stage this season if it hopes to climb into the top four. Has four matches left at Etihad, none bigger than Sunday against the Blues. Shame the Eagles won't see the MCG again before the finals.
SYDNEY SWANS: The ladder doesn't lie. The Swans are too good for most, not good enough to trouble the best.
FREMANTLE: This MCG hex - 10 matches and counting - is becoming an issue. One positive for Freo was the comeback game for Michael Barlow. It was tremendous to see him back on the park, and contributing in just the same way as he did in 2010, pre-leg break.
ESSENDON: During his brief media career, James Hird once wrote that if he could come back for one last match for the Bombers, it would not be against Collingwood or Carlton, but instead Hawthorn at the MCG. It might be time for some fire and brimstone from the Bomber coach this week. Dare we say it - is it 'line in the sand' time this week for the Bombers?
MELBOURNE: Beating Freo by 89 points at the MCG would be Melbourne's best win for the season. But the rollercoaster has to stop. Time for some consistency. Massive game against the Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
RICHMOND: How good is Dustin Martin? A fabulous five-goal display at the Gabba on Saturday night, one after one of the best "don't argues" you could wish to see. Fast becoming one of this column's favourite footballers.
NORTH MELBOURNE: Finally landed something resembling a big scalp. The value of Drew Petrie to this side cannot be underestimated, while Brent Harvey has responded to the critics in fine fashion.
ST KILDA: What is troubling Nick Riewoldt?
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Got the bikkies against Adelaide and should make it two straight at Metricon Stadium on Sunday. A good opportunity to keep playing the kids. Liked Friday's old-style jumper better than the contemporary outfit, also.
ADELAIDE: Kurt Tippett is rightly drawing some flak for some inconsistent efforts in the year after signing a massive contract extension. Key forwards (or the lack thereof) have long been an issue for the Crows, and Tippett's long-term commitment was supposed to be the start of the end of that problem.
BRISBANE LIONS: Had a real crack against the Tigers, but were just not good enough. Same story most weeks for the Lions.
PORT ADELAIDE: The clash with the Eagles had "blow out" written all over as the home team skipped away in the second term. That Port hung tough thereafter will please Matty Primus. Not without a shot at beating North on Sunday.
GOLD COAST: Tom Lynch can take a mark and knows how to find the goals. You would think he and Charlie Dixon will pack a nice 1-2 key forward punch for the Suns in the next few years.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Martin and Kreuzer are a bit stiff here, but the nod goes to Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell, who had 38 disposals and three clearances in the win over Gold Coast. Mitchell has been in vintage form this year, despite complications on the home front as one of his newborn twin daughters battles various ailments. According to Josh Gibson's Twitter updates, Mitchell spent nine hours at the Royal Children's Hospital on Wednesday, then had to leave that situation a day early on Thursday to fly to Launceston with his teammates because of the volcanic ash cloud concerns.
THE TWITTERATTI
"If there is any talk of a bus trip home tomorrow I'll hire my own plane! #nomoreroadtrips" Richmond's Daniel Jackson (@DanJackson23) looking forward to the flight back from Brisbane.
"How does Moses make his Tea?...... Hebrews it!" Western Bulldogs usually erudite ruckman Will Minson (@WMinson), fast becoming a favourite on Twitter.
NEXT WEEK'S GAME NOT TO BE MISSED
Carlton-West Coast, Sunday afternoon at Etihad. Chris Judd plays against his old team, as does Josh Kennedy against his and it is a big test for the Eagles against one of the best. Sydney failed dismally in its bid to move closer to the top four. Can West Coast do any better?
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.
