BLUES coach David Teague must be questioning how it could happen again.
EAGLES v BLUES Full match coverage and stats
Carlton led West Coast by 19 points early in the third quarter before conceding five unanswered goals in a blitz that ultimately led to a 22-point Eagles win at Optus Stadium.
>> WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
West Coast's 11.6 (72) to 7.8 (50) victory was the eighth time this season Carlton has let a team kick at least four goals in a row.
Dom Sheed joked during the week that his friend would send him weekly texts about how West Coast could have drafted Patrick Cripps instead, but the Eagles midfielder had the last laugh with two outstanding final-quarter goals to go with his 26 disposals.
Nic Naitanui (41 hitouts and seven clearances) was again dominant in the ruck, allowing the Eagles to win the midfield battle comfortably.
The Eagles' sixth straight win puts them in the top four, despite having played one fewer game than Port Adelaide, Brisbane and Richmond.
THE LADDER Where is your team sitting?
Blues fans must be questioning why Zac Fisher wasn't picked at any point since being declared fit on June 23.
The 22-year-old kicked a career-best four goals in his first game since going down with an ankle syndesmosis injury in round one.
Fisher had too few helpers in the forward line, a problem compounded when Jack Martin limped off with a calf problem midway through the second quarter.
In an otherwise disappointing day, the Blues can hang their hats on their forward pressure as they racked up 77 tackles with an astounding 18 of those coming in the forward 50.
Carlton will need to bounce back against Fremantle next Saturday to keep its finals hopes alive, while West Coast will look to make it seven wins on the trot against Hawthorn next Sunday.
ROUNDS 11-13 Check out the full fixture
Tripping Shuey could be in hot water
West Coast captain Luke Shuey may be in for a nervous wait after tripping Carlton's Ed Curnow in the fourth quarter. The Carlton midfielder sidestepped Shuey, but the Eagle stuck out his leg and send Curnow to ground. Richmond's Sydney Stack and Collingwood's Steele Sidebottom have been hit with fixed $750 sanctions for tripping charges in 2020, but that fine can be reduced to $500 with an early plea.
Teague gets the magnets right
Carlton coach David Teague drew criticism for leaving Liam Jones on Charlie Dixon for too long in round seven, but he got the matchups right from the get-go against West Coast. Jacob Weitering started as the deepest defender Josh Kennedy and kept him goalless in the first half, but the star forward fired back with two third-term goals. Lachie Plowman did a respectable job holding Jack Darling, which allowed Liam Jones to run off Oscar Allen and dominate in his preferred role as a loose man.
Lack of height indirectly hurts Eagles
With Jeremy McGovern missing a fourth straight game, West Coast brought in Josh Rotham to partner Tom Barrass in the backline. Carlton took advantage early, bombing the ball in long and high for Levi Caslboult and Tom De Koning to contest. The Eagles defenders were forced to throw more numbers at the contest, which allowed the likes of Zac Fisher and Sam Walsh to get out the back for opportunistic goals.
WEST COAST 2.2 3.3 8.4 11.6 (72)
CARLTON 2.0 5.4 6.5 7.8 (50)
GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 2, Darling 2, Sheed 2, Waterman, Gaff, Sheppard, Cripps, Cameron
Carlton: Fisher 4, Walsh, Gibbons, Setterfield
BEST
West Coast: Sheed, Naitanui, Yeo, Kelly, Duggan, Gaff
Carlton: Fisher, Jones, Kennedy, Murphy, Setterfield, Walsh
INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Carlton: Jack Martin (calf)
