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Depending on who you listen to, Malcolm Blight’s game-winning long bomb goal in a 1976 grudge match between North Melbourne and Carlton was 75, 83 or 90 metres long.
Now fans will be giving their best estimates for this monster from Jordan Endemann in the Swans’ VFL clash with Coburg today. He loaded up from centre half-back, essentially, and his barrel landed 30 metres from goal at the other end before dribbling through. Wow.
The Blues won possession and were about to exit traffic but the umpire stopped play because the Giants’ Toby Bedford was nursing a sore shoulder.
Blues fans were irate when the umpire restarted play with a stoppage, instead of Carlton having possession.
The cynic in me tells me this is open to be gamed by coaches.
Meanwhile, the margin is out to 15 points after Jesse Hogan’s third. There is silence in Marvel Stadium, and probably tension and anger among Blues fans.
The Giants make the Blues pay for another mistake.
Blake Acres dropped a sitter on the wing after some over-possessing in the back half. From the turnover, Callan Ward makes no mistake on the run from 45 out. The Giants lead by nine points.
The Blues are enjoying their best period of the game since early in the first quarter.
Charlie Curnow’s third goal has narrowed the margin to just three points, after it had gone out to a game-high 17.
Moved forward, Mitch McGovern is making an impact. He’s a smart enough forward to demand Leek Aleer to follow him, preventing the Giants defender from slinking off to provide support for Sam Taylor and Jack Buckley against Curnow and Harry McKay.
Jesse Hogan gives the Giants the first goal of the second half, and the Giants are out to a game-high 17-point lead.
The Blues have made a notable positional change to start the second half. Lewis Young has been moved into defence and Mitch McGovern is forward – a position he has rarely played under Michael Voss.
Tom Green and Toby Greene celebrate a goal against the Blues.Credit: AFL Photos
The Blues are in the unfamiliar position of being behind at half-time after the Giants lifted their intensity that quarter.
The Giants, in front 8.4 (52) to 6.6 (42), made the Blues pay for their wastefulness in attack.
Charlie Curnow should have done more with two snaps, while Ollie Hollands, Patrick Cripps and Harry McKay all missed set shots.
The Giants are looking dangerous when they can get some speed in the game. Their forward handballs have caught out the Blues a few times, though Carlton’s defence has held up.
Toby Greene was not a major factor in that quarter but Lachie Whitfield is starting to have a real impact off half-back.
The Blues’ season-long troubles heading inside 50, where they need to tidy up their work, remain a problem. Curnow, with 2.3, has a big game in him. Jacob Weitering is winning his duel with Jesse Hogan, who has kicked just the one goal, but the Blues’ defensive general has not offered as much punch out of defence as normal. If the Blues’ trend of poor second halves continues, the Giants will win this one.
The Giants make Carlton pay for wasted opportunities at the other end.
And it’s another defensive error that hurts the Blues. They allowed Callum Brown to take a mark on the goal line from Jesse Hogan’s errant shot for goal.
Callum Brown has been strong up forward for the Giants.Credit: AFL Photos
Brown made no mistake with his left-foot snap to give the Giants the lead back.
Carlton 6.6 (42)
GWS 7.4 (46)
After 10 goals in the first term, this game has left shootout mode as both sides tighten up their defensive games.
The Giants kicked the first goal of the quarter, through Jesse Hogan, who moved aside Tom De Koning very easily in a marking contest.
Giants forward Jesse Hogan.Credit: AFL Photos
The Blues levelled the score a few minutes later with a snap by Will White, who seized on an honest marking contest from Patrick Cripps at the top of the square.
We have a shootout. The Blues have been involved in some dour games this year, but this one has been free-flowing with 10 goals in the first quarter.
Trailing by a point, the Blues will be disappointed not to have a small lead. They have had more inside 50s but have leaked some soft goals through bad errors in defence.
Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.Credit: Getty Images
Jacob Weitering’s dropped mark gifted one to Callum Brown, and a panicked punch into the hot spot deep in 50 by Adam Saad allowed Jake Riccardi to snap one.
The headline acts from both sides have started well. Charlie Curnow has kicked two in his duel with Sam Taylor, while Toby Greene, in his 250th game, is on track for a monster day with two goals and 11 possessions. The Blues need to tighten up on the Giants superstar.
Carlton 5.1 (31)
GWS 5.2 (32)
We have a fourth lead change. The pace is hot here at Marvel Stadium. It’s been a frenetic start.
Charlie Curnow boots his second goal after a free kick for a hold from Sam Taylor.
It’s an old-fashioned shootout at Marvel Stadium. Five goals to four, Blues up by five points.
Carlton duo Patrick Cripps and Charlie Curnow.Credit: Getty Images
