Punchest and punters alike tuned into the M.C.G. on Sat, 29 Aug, 7:35 pm AEST for a massive Wildcard Finals showdown between Melbourne and Carlton. When the dust settled on the turf, it was the travelling side that had the last laugh, with Carlton putting on a defensive clinic to run out 74–55 victors over Melbourne.
The market had told an interesting tale in the lead-up. Melbourne saw some late support on the boards, moving from 2.08 out to 1.99 and firmed (price down), while Carlton drifted from 1.75 out to 1.87 (drifted). Despite the late move for the red and blue, the Blues showed their true colours when it mattered most, completely shutting down Melbourne's scoring avenues and sealing a memorable finals win.
How the match unfolded
Coming into this clash, Melbourne had been reeling from an 87–108 loss against the Western Bulldogs, whereas Carlton rolled in off the back of a solid 119–82 win over Fremantle. That recent form disparity proved telling as the match wore on under the M.C.G. lights.
Carlton's defensive pressure stifled Melbourne's usual ball movement, restricting them to just 55 points for the evening. In return, the Blues managed 74 points of their own to claim a 19-point victory, safely covering the pre-match line and capping off a disciplined display of finals footy.
How the tips went
It was a mixed bag for our published tips on the arvo's action, but punters who trusted the Blues to get the job done walked away smiling.
Our head-to-head selection on Carlton at 1.74 saluted nicely as the Blues outmuscled Melbourne to win 74–55 (win).
The line tip of Carlton -5.5 at 1.9 also got home comfortably given the 19-point final margin (win).
However, our total points look at Over 159.5 at 1.33 fell short of the mark, with the defensive slog seeing a total of only 129 points scored across the four quarters (loss).