LIVE UPDATES: Carlton Blues all over West Coast Eagles early in clash at Optus Stadium
West Coast are hunting their second win of the season as Carlton hit a wet and gloomy Optus Stadium.
Follow all the action in the live blog.
That’s it from us...
Stay with thewest.com.au/afl for all the latest updates and don’t miss your copy of The Game in tomorrow’s The West Australian.
ANALYSIS
For the first time this season, West Coast coach Andrew McQualter whacked his players between the eyes after they’d coughed up seven Carlton goals in the first quarter.
They responded, but the damage was already done, writes Glen Quartermain.
THREE-WORD ANALYSIS
West Coast were outplayed from the start in a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Carlton.
MATCH REPORT
For the first quarter and a half it was the horrible West Coast of old. That’s all Carlton needed to set up a comfortable 34-point win.
FINAL SCORE
Jack Williams kicks a late goal for West Coast to cut the final margin back to 34 points.
Carlton kicked 10 of the first 11 goals to bury the Eagles early, with an improved second half unable to undo that damage.
Blues win 12.14 (86) to 7.10 (52) to claim the four points.
A shining light
On debut, mid-season recruit Tom McCarthy has become the first Eagle to record at least 30 disposals in a game this season.
He also breaks the record of most disposals on debut for West Coast, surpassing Greg Clark’s 24 disposals in 2022.
Major Allen concern
West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen has been helped from the field with an apparent leg injury despite being nowhere near the play in the build up to the incident.
Allen was on the ground at centre half-forward as the ball was marked inside 50 on the other side of the field and hadn’t been involved in a recent passage of play.
Bench update
The Blues are one down on the bench for this final term, with Hudson O’Keefe done for the day.
The ruckman has ice on the hamstring after he appeared to ping it earlier in the quarter.
It comes after Charlie Curnow was subbed off with a calf injury, replaced by Corey Durdin, at half time.
West Coast have also activated their sub, with Clay Hall replacing Jayden Hunt (tactical).
Arm wrestle continues...
Mitch McGovern stretched the margin back out for the Blues but Bailey Williams kicks his third to get the response for West Coast.
THREE QUARTER TIME
It wasn’t a pretty quarter of footy but West Coast have managed to cut the margin back to 40 points.
Top mid-season recruit Tom McCarthy leads the ball-winners for the Eagles, with 25 on debut.
