The Demons, ravaged by injury in the final rounds of the season, battled hard but simply couldn’t match the Blues’ scoring power, eventually going down 24.9 (153) to 15.6 (96).
The match reflected Melbourne’s season in terms of injury, with Ricky Petterd (adductor in first term) and Matthew Whelan (hamstring in the second) both succumbing early in the match and the Demons struggling to cope thereafter.
But Melbourne did have a few winners.
Mark Jamar proved a surprise packet in attack with five goals, while Russell Robertson also booted five and in the process overcame club great Garry Lyon to become the Demons’ third-highest goalkicker.
James McDonald fought valiantly off half-back, while Colin Sylvia also battled manfully.
But Carlton, led by midfield trio Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy and Chris Judd – as well as seven goals from full-forward Brendan Fevola – had all the answers.
Bailey decided to go tall before the bounce, with Jamar called into the side to replace Nathan Jones who was a late withdrawal.
The match never reached any great heights as a spectacle, as both sides seemed to lack any real vigour or spark.
Whether it was the fact the Western Bulldogs had the previous night killed off any chance the Blues had of making the top four, or the swirly wind outside the Docklands Stadium, Carlton especially didn’t seem to have its mind on the job.
Meanwhile, the Demons’ younger brigade seemed to pick up on the general lull in proceedings and took the game right up to Brett Ratten’s men.
Neville Jetta was particularly lively in attack, with Jamar and Paul Johnson providing solid targets up forward.
The inexperienced Jake Spencer also showed his wares across half-forward and, more particularly, in the ruck where he was opposed to young dynamo Matthew Kreuzer.
The Dees started brightly and goals to Brent Moloney and Johnson gave them an early break, but the Blues responded late in the opening quarter to take a 13-point lead into the first break.
Jamar and Jetta were again prominent early in the second term as their goals edged the Demons closer, but again Carlton responded.
Fevola got involved in a couple of Blues goals and as the red and blue tried to get numbers back in front of the spearhead, others – such as roving forward Jeff Garlett – escaped the noose to prove a headache inside-50.
Kyle Cheney appeared stiff to be pinged for holding the ball mid-way through the second quarter and when Kane Simpson slammed it through from the ensuing free kick, the Blues were more than four goals clear at the main break.
Melbourne, led by the ferocious McDonald and Sylvia, were trying hard but the run of the Blues looked like it might prove too great.
Garlett kicked a superb banana on the run three minutes into the second half to extend the margin but Jamar kept going, booting his fourth and then his fifth mid-way through the third to get the margin back under four goals.
However Fevola, who had been kept under control when Frawley was by his side, cut loose.
He booted four for the term, with McNamara powerless to stop him while Frawley also didn’t get away unscathed.
By the final change it was out to 41 points and the only real interest left was the margin and how many goals Jamar and Fevola would kick.
Fevola only added one more but Robertson chipped in for Melbourne to go past Lyon’s stand and reach 427 career goals.
Next week Melbourne’s season will finish when it takes on league leader St Kilda at the MCG.
DETAILS:
Carlton 6.3 12.5 18.9 24.9 (153)
Melbourne 4.2 8.3 12.4 15.6 (96)
GOALS
Carlton: Fevola 7, Garlett 4, Simpson 3, Houlihan 2, Scotland 2, Betts, Carrazzo, Gibbs, Kreuzer, Murphy, O’hAilpin
Melbourne: Jamar 5, Robertson 5, Jetta 2, Johnson, Jurrah, Moloney
BEST
Carlton: Gibbs, Murphy, Fevola, Judd, Garlett, Carrazzo, Houlihan
Melbourne: McDonald, Jamar, Sylvia, Jetta, Bate, Davey, Robertson
INJURIES
Carlton: Armfield (ankle) replaced in selected side by Anderson, Hadley (suspected broken arm)
Melbourne: Jones (illness) replaced in selected side by Jamar, Petterd (adductor), Whelan (hamstring)
Reports:
Nil
Umpires: Farmer, James, Pannell
Official crowd: 37,433 at Docklands
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
