With four goals from Anthony Koutoufides, Carlton bounced back from its shock loss to the Crows last week with the 17.23.125 to 14.8.92 win against St Kilda, who were led by five goals from Barry Hall.
Despite kicking the first three goals of the game, Carlton were just a point up at the first change, before extending it to two goals at half-time, only for the Saints to fight back to within a goal at the last change.
With the first goal of the last quarter Carlton stayed clear, and despite the Saints closing to within four points midway through the term, had all the answers late in the game with six of the last seven goals.
Mark Porter continues to shine in the absence of number one ruckman Matthew Allan, Porter collecting 28 hitouts, Brett Ratten (33 possessions), Darren Hulme (22) and Adrian Hickmott (22 touches and three goals) taking full advantage in the midfield.
For the Saints, Aussie Jones and Andrew Thompson led the way with 27 possessions each in the absence of injured skipper Robert Harvey, but Hall was their best with his five goals.
Carlton could perhaps have dominated the scoreboard much earlier in the contest, having gone inside 50 metres 60 times to just 35, but the St Kilda defence stood up for most of the afternoon.
Carlton kicked the first three goals of the game through Brett Ratten, Brendan Fevola and Koutoufides, before Hall kicked the Saints’ first 10 minutes in, a goal that was followed by another to Lenny Hayes.
Simon Beaumont restored the Blues’ two-goal advantage, but with a pair of late goals to Justin Peckett and Stephen Milne, Carlton’s led at the first change by the narrowest of margins, 4.4.28 to 4.3.27.
Playing forward again after a failed experiment as a defender, Barry Hall put the Saints in front with his second goal early in the second quarter, only to see Ryan Houlihan grab it back within 90 seconds, and Koutoufides and Adrian Hickmott extend it.
Former Brisbane Lion Brett Voss closed the gap to two goals for the Saints at half-time with his first goal, making the Blues pay for four straight misses of their own prior to that.
Two goals in three minutes to Mark Gale and Hayes (his second) early in the third term brought the Saints level with Carlton, but the Blues went ahead again through a goal to Ratten.
Hall’s third was answered by Koutoufides and Scott Freeborn, before Hall’s fourth goal of the game kept the Saints within a goal at the last change, 10.14.74 to 10.8.68.
Fevola kicked his second to give the Blues a 14 point lead early in the last quarter, but goals to former skipper Nathan Burke and former Blue Aaron Hamill brought the Saints to within four points.
Craig Bradley punished Saint defender Matthew Young, who gave away a second goal from a poor kick inside the defensive 50-metre arc, before a goal to Spider Everitt was answered by Koutoufides (his fourth) and Simon Wiggins.
From there the Blues added the icing to the cake with another couple of goals to Hickmott and Fevola’s third, while Hall continued to battle his heart out for the Saints with his fifth goal, but could have had several more after also kicking four behinds.
CARLTON 4.4 7.11 10.14 17.12 (125)
ST KILDA 4.3 6. 5 10. 8 14. 8 ( 92)
Goals: Carlton: A Koutoufides 4 A Hickmott 3 B Fevola 3 B Ratten 2 S Freeborn C Bradley S Beaumont R Houlihan S Wiggins. St Kilda: B Hall 5 L Hayes 2 J Peckett A Hamill N Burke P Everitt B Voss M Gale S Milne.
Best: Carlton: M Porter B Ratten D Hulme S Freeborn A Koutoufides G Manton A Hickmott. St Kilda: C Beetham B Hall M Hudghton J Koschitzke M Gale.
Injuries: Carlton: M Lappin (virus) replaced in selected side by S Wiggins, S Camporeale (hamstring) replaced in selected side by H Culpitt. St Kilda: R Harvey (hamstring) replaced in selected side by S Baker, B Voss (ankle), S Lawrence (hamstring).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: G Dore, M Vozzo, S McInerney.
Official crowd: 24,385 at Optus Oval.
