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Matt Owies has now booted three for the night to become the game’s leading goalscorer.
The Blues have stretched their lead to 38 points.
The Demons need to start making a move if they are going to figure in the finish.
Charlie Curnow and Kysaiah Pickett have both kicked goals in the early minutes of the third quarter.
Curnow gathered a loose ball in the pocket, swung back on his right foot and snapped a brilliant 35m goal. Demons defender Steven May claimed he had touched the ball off the boot, but a score review was inconclusive.
Curnow has now kicked goals in 56 consecutive games.
Pickett was able to get on the end of a handball and kick truly from 45m on the run.
Carlton lead by 31 points at half-time. Bigger leads have been coughed up this year.
So can the Demons bounce back?
While we draw breath from that first half, some fresh news has emerged about suspended Gold Coast player Wil Powell.
Andrew Wu, Marnie Vinall and Michael Gleeson report Powell used homophobic language online before abusing a Brisbane opponent last Sunday.
They’ve also spoken to prominent gay rights advocate Ian Roberts, who called for the AFL to invest more into anti-vilification education.
Powell, 24, was on Thursday handed a five-match ban by the AFL for using the same homophobic slur as previously suspended Port Adelaide player Jeremy Finlayson during the QClash against the Lions.
We have just had a half-time proposal at the MCG. A Carlton fan who was probably already pretty happy just got a whole lot happier when his partner said yes.
The proposal came during half-time karaoke as the crowd sang along to Love Story by Taylor Swift.
The cameras lingered on one couple for a while and it soon because clear why! Lots of cheers for the happy couple.
Kind of fitting that Taylor Swift was playing, given how many proposals happened at her concerts during that very song when she toured here – and the fact she played at the MCG just a few months ago.
As Swift says in the song, “It’s a love story, baby, just say, ‘Yes’.” It certainly seems that advice has been taken on board here tonight by the happy couple (the Channel Seven commentary team tell us their names are Josh and Emily).
If Simon Goodwin thought he had found a few answers at quarter-time, they didn’t last long.
It appeared there was going to be more of the same when the Blues delivered the opening goal of the second term, care of a terrible Demons’ turnover in the middle of the ground, leading to a Matt Owies mark and goal from 40m.
With six on the board, and the Demons yet to score, it could have been argued this contest was done.
The Blues were still dominating contested possession, while Jacob Weitering – surely the frontrunner to be fullback in the All Australian side – was a pillar, acting almost as a goalkeeper when the predictable Demons went long.
Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps helps the Blues take a five goal lead at half-time.Credit: Getty Images
By late in the second term, his opponent, Harry Petty, had yet to touch the ball, and would have only one possession until half-time.
Enter Christian Petracca. After a dirty first term, the 2021 Norm Smith medallist briefly ignited the contest, finally taking the Demons’ first mark in the attacking arc (at the 10-minute mark of the second term).
He converted the set shot from 40m, and followed up minutes later with a strong mark in front of Mitch McGovern, and made the most of his opportunity.
Two goals inside five minutes lifted the Demons, and they began to even the contested-possession numbers.
But just when the night looked like getting better, Charlie Curnow had a moment to savour when he launched from the side into a pack to take a cracking mark. He missed the goal but Patrick Cripps and Owies soon made amends, the latter with a typical elaborate celebration.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the ground, the Demons had major issues. Gun forward Bayley Fritsch was goalless (three disposals), as was Kysaiah Pickett, with only the one touch. The small forward was shutdown by Alex Cincotta.
If the Demons are any hope to resurrect this contest, Fritsch and Pickett need to get moving – and fast.
Melbourne were able to regain some momentum but not make great inroads in the second term.
They kicked three goals for the quarter, two of them from Christian Petracca.
The Blues had a dominant first quarter and then held firm when Melbourne came at them.
The Blues lead by 31 points at the main break.
Daniel Turner has cut the lead back to 31 points with two minutes left until half-time.
Can Melbourne get one more before the long break?
Matt Owies has kicked his second of the quarter to become the Blues only multiple goalkicker.
This game has become a massive problem for the Demons. They can’t pull back this lead.
Matthew Owies kicks his second of the game against Melbourne.Credit: Getty Images
Their defence has not been able to clamp the Blues down. But the fault might be coming from further afield, as Carlton’s midfield has been able to move the ball forward with pace.
Carlton leads by 37 points.
