A LAST-MINUTE goal to midfielder Brock McLean has kept Carlton in the finals race after the Blues pipped Richmond by four points on a wet MCG on Saturday night.
With just a minute remaining, Richmond defender Steven Morris won a critical contest against four-goal forward Eddie Betts, only to send the ball out of bounds on the full.
McLean took the resultant free kick and kicked long looking for Levi Casboult, but the ball sailed over the tall forward and bounced through for the match-winning goal.
The Tigers' Brett Deledio took the ball forward from the final centre bounce but the injury-ravaged Blues managed to hold on for a famous victory - 14.11 (95) to 13.13 (91).
Carlton had been 13 points down at the 20-minute mark of the last quarter before goals to Dennis Armfield, Bret Thornton and McLean stunned a crowd of 46,013.
The action-packed last quarter went for almost 36 minutes.
In a wildly fluctuating game, the lead changed 12 times.
It was the third heartbreaking loss in succession for the Tigers after nailbiting defeats to Gold Coast and North Melbourne.
The Blues have now won nine consecutive games against Richmond, at an average of almost 50 points.
For much of the night it appeared the Tigers would finally break their hoodoo against their arch enemy.
Carlton was lucky to be within a goal at quarter-time after Richmond started the game with far more system and style.
Tiger duo Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin produced an electrifying first term, combining for 21 possessions (10 contested), five clearances and all of Richmond's five goals - while changing onball and forward.
The Tigers appeared set to break the game open when they led by 12 points in the dying stages of the first term. But they gifted the Blues a goal just before quarter-time when they were penalised after a poor Jake King kick almost hit the team runner. It was the first of four consecutive goals to Carlton.
Richmond had won just two second quarters for the season and weren't going to improve on this poor record with the Blues quelling the influence of Martin and Cotchin, who were restricted to just four touches apiece as their team went goalless for the term.
Carlton's 10-point half-time lead quickly evaporated in the third term with the Tigers adding the first three goals after the break to lead by nine points.
However, the Blues added 3.3 to nothing in the last 10 minutes of the third term - the first time either side had dominated play to the Punt Road end - to hold a 12-point advantage at the last change.
But few could have foreseen the drama of the final term.
Marc Murphy (a game-high 36 disposals) again led the Blues' strongly in the absence of suspended skipper Chris Judd, while McLean (27) continued his impressive form in conditions that suited him and Heath Scotland (27) was typically prolific.
Andrew Carazzo (27), in his 150th game, was superb after being given the job on Cotchin after quarter-time, while Michael Jamison kept Jack Riewoldt to just two behinds.
Shane Tuck (31 and two goals) was the Tigers' best.
CARLTON 4.2 7.5 10.11 14.11 (95)
RICHMOND 5.2 5.7 8.11 13.13 (91)
GOALS
Carlton: Betts 4, Thornton 2, Armfield 2, Murphy, Carrazzo, Bell, Garlett, Casboult, McLean
Richmond: Martin 3, Cotchin 3, Tuck 2, Nahas 2, McGuane, Newman, Grigg
BEST
Carlton: Murphy, McLean, Betts, Carrazzo, Scotland, Jamison
Richmond: Tuck, Grigg, Ellis, Martin, Cotchin
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Richmond: Jackson (TBC)
SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Frazer Dale replaced Nick Duigan early in the final quarter
Richmond: Addam Maric replaced Daniel Jackson in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Rosebury, Hay
Official crowd: 46,013 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club
