Carlton beat Richmond in Round 1 for the first time in a decade, producing a big comeback in the final quarter to give new coach Michael Voss a winning start with a 25-point victory at a full MCG.
Both teams were looking for a kick-start to their campaigns after reaching 12th and 13th place respectively in 2021.
The Blues were nervous early on and were left with 20 points in the quarter, but four unanswered goals in the second half gave them an eight-point lead at the main break.
Richmond picked up a run in the third quarter to lead with 15 points in the final change, and the Tigers had the first quarter of the last quarter.
But a surprising string of targets blew the Blues over the top of Richmond, triggering major holidays in the siren.
The start was frantic end to end things. Blues fans were up early when Tom de Koning jumped high to take a big pack mark within 50, but he could not finish.
At the other end, Richmond took advantage of a turnover and got the ball to Shai Bolton, who ran in and shot from 25 yards.
The Blues moved the ball well and quickly on the field, but could not quite get the right last pass or the ball of the ball.
Finally with 12 minutes left Carlton went once again in 50 and after the ball bounced around Matt Kennedy, it hit high to go through.
Carlton still missed chances, and the Tigers showed more composition in the 50s – Shane Edwards fired a kick at Liam Baker in the space in his right forward pocket, and Baker went back and shot it.
A minute later, Bolton showed why his brilliance could make the difference, twisting and turning the Blues defenders before they were coolly finished.
Shortly afterwards, the Tigers looked like they were going to blow up the game, as Tom Lynch scored in his pocket, but his right foot bananas went just too far to the left.
Speerhead made it 45 seconds later, taking out a simple Packmark 20 and he scored his first to give Richmond 19 points in time.
The Blues advanced early in the second inning but Harry McKay missed a set piece.
A few minutes later, Michael Voss’s men showed something they could do.
Mitch McGovern was ever so close to scoring after an excellent corner was met beautifully by Patrick Cripps, but the ball bounced off the post to safety.
The Tigers gave away a 50 to go over the mark. Mitch McGovern long shot at McKay within 50, but Cripps stole and took the mark – he split the pieces and all of a sudden there was only one kick in.
There were injury problems for Richmond – Dion Prestia came down early in the second term with a hamstring problem and a few minutes later he was subjected to Hugo Ralphsmith.
The Blues were suddenly in charge, creating revenue. The ball was quickly back in 50 and Corey Durdin scored and converted for his first AFL goal. Carlton led in the middle of the quarter.
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The emotional moment of the match followed. Carlton cut off another Richmond foray and chipped Sam Docherty in the middle.
The Richmond player went over the mark, took Docherty 50. The crowd roared as the Blues defender, recovering from two bouts of testicular cancer to make it to the field for a round, came back and really did shot from 30 yards out.
His teammates ran in and overpowered the veteran.
Richmond responded in the second half, increasing the pressure level with Lynch scoring a goal four minutes later.
When Jake Aarts got a free kick and converted three minutes later, the Tigers were ahead.
McKay responded for Carlton, but converted defender Noah Balta then scored two goals – including a brilliant curling kick from the left forward pocket to give the Tigers breathing space.
Carlton was under a lot of pressure and the Blues defense gave another free kick 50 to Jack Riewoldt, who really shot to bring the lead to three goals.
The Blues badly needed the next goal, and they got it through a set by Jack Silvagni.
Carlton reduced the lead to nine points, but a late free-kick on Dustin Martin led to a goal just before the siren, and Richmond led by 15 points in three quarters.
Carlton attacked to start the last one, but the Blues could not convert – and then at the other end Bolton seemed to win when he shot his third.
But that was the end of the run for Richmond.
Third-gamer Durdin scored a vital score, then new recruit from Sydney, George Hewett added another as the buzz of Blues fans built.
And once, Cripps hit his third, and when Jack Martin and Zac Fisher started two in a minute, the Blues were ahead.
Two more goals before closing made the final minutes more than comfortable for Carlton.
The Blues midfield had a big impact, with Kennedy taking touch, Cripps and Adam Cerra had all 30 dispositions and the Blues won the clearances 40-22.
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