A relentless Essendon side has stormed home over the top of a slow-finishing Carlton outfit to record a 16-point triumph at the MCG on Saturday night.
After a close first half where both sides failed to break the game open and a thoroughly entertaining third term where goals rained down, the Bombers put the foot to the floor in the deciding quarter to kick six goals to three, running out 23.12 (150) to 21.8 (134) winners.
Even Carlton captain Chris Judd's best game in a long time and eight goals from enigmatic forward Brendan Fevola wasn't enough to stop the tenacious Bombers, as they used their impressive pace to set up the win early in the fourth term.
With Essendon on the rebound from a 99-point thumping by Geelong and Carlton looking at equalling the club's worst-ever losing streak of 14 games, there was plenty to play for in this Rivalry Round match.
But the Bombers seemed to find something more than their opponents after the final change, with the result meaning the Blues have recorded their biggest run of losses since the 1901-02 seasons.
Mark McVeigh was in terrific touch for the Bombers and finished with 26 disposals and four goals, while Dustin Fletcher was solid in defence with 21 possessions while keeping Brad Fisher to 1.1.
Andrew Lovett was explosive and ended with 2.1 goals, as well as an important goal-assist for Adam McPhee that set up the one-point deficit the Bombers had to chase with a quarter to go.
Matthew Lloyd booted four goals after battling kicking yips early on, although young Carlton defender Michael Jamison wasn't to be disgraced alongside the Essendon captain.
For the Blues, Judd played his most imposing game in his new strip with 32 possessions, two goals and an almost match-winning third quarter, while Fevola kicked his biggest bag since round three last year and Eddie Betts enjoyed plenty of the pill with 27 touches.
After a week of debate regarding his weight, Nick Stevens played like he had something to prove and picked up 26 possessions, while Matthew Kreuzer gave Carlton fans something to cheer about in his debut match.
As fellow No.1 draft pick Bryce Gibbs did in round one last year, Kreuzer was able to write his name into football history by sending his first kick in league football straight through the big sticks to record a goal. He ended with 16 touches, 12 hit-outs and two majors.
The lead changed five times in the first quarter but it was the Bombers that held an eight-point advantage at quarter-time. They then led for the majority of the second, but were unable to get further than 16 points clear of the persistent Blues.
It then became a goal-fest in the third with 15 majors shared between the two sides in a quarter that lasted almost 34 minutes. Judd and Fevola were in stunning form and combined to whittle the Bombers' 17-point lead away and move the Blues in front.
Fevola's seventh goal – obtained when he once again marked in front of opponent Mal Michael – blew the Blues' lead out to 14 points, but late goals to Lovett and McPhee meant the three-quarter time difference was a mere point, Carlton's way.
After an incredible term of football, the scene was set for an even better final stanza with Carlton looking for its first win of the season and Essendon it's second. What followed, however, was bitterly disappointing for Blues' supporters as the side once again dropped off the pace.
The Bombers exploded out of the blocks and had four goals on the board before the Blues had even broken from their three-quarter time huddle. McVeigh, Lloyd, Sam Lonergan and Bachar Houli put together the quick 24 points, and suddenly, the game looked beyond Brett Ratten's men.
The Blues' young guns Marc Murphy (23 possessions) and Gibbs (16) booted back-to-back goals to give the side some hope and Fevola snared his eighth in red time, but the match ended with Lloyd's fourth goal, to the delight of the raucous Bombers supporter base.
Essendon will kick off round four with a Friday night encounter against the unbeaten Western Bulldogs, while Carlton will face another traditional rival in Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
ESSENDON 6.4, 11.8, 17.11, 23.12 (150)
GOALS
Essendon: Lloyd 4, McVeigh 4, Monfries 2, Lovett 2, Lonergan 2, Peverill, Davey, Ryder, Reimers, Ramanauskas, Laycock, Hille, McPhee, Houli
BEST
Essendon: McVeigh, Fletcher, Lovett, Lloyd, Winderlich, Stanton
INJURIES: Essendon: Jetta (hamstring)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Kamolins, Ryan, Nicholls
Official crowd: 64,388 at the MCG
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
