BLUES BLOW LID OFF

The lid, understandably, was blown off Ikon Park after Carlton’s 17-point win over Collingwood at the MCG a fortnight ago. The ladder leader. A sell-out Friday night crowd. It was a night to cherish for everyone whose heart bleeds navy blue.

But last Sunday’s win over St Kilda might have topped it.

First-choice selections Sam Walsh, Adam Cerra, Matthew Kennedy, Harry McKay and Jack Silvagni were among the missing.

The Blues trailed by 22 points in the second half but turned the screws after the long interval and kept the Saints to just one more goal for the match en route to a 19-point win.

“It’s certainly one of, if not, the best wins since I’ve been here,” coach Michael Voss said.

“It wasn’t all going for us.

“To be able to reset ourselves at half-time, come out and correct a few things, says a lot about the group, says a lot about their mindset and where they’re at, says a lot about their confidence that they’ve got, says a bit about their belief in our system.

EDITOR’S LETTER MICHAEL LOVETT

u WHO’S IN PLAY

u The strain of a long season –remember there is an extra round in 2023 – is starting to take its toll.

“Our second half was compelling.”

It was Carlton’s seventh successive win and, in that period, they have climbed from 15th to fifth.

The Blues’ first finals appearance since 2013 is now within touching distance, although supporters are understandably too scarred from last year’s four-game collapse that tipped their team out of the eight after the final game of the year, to even think about making plans for September.

Carlton’s finals-worthiness will be tested by Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Demons are also in excellent shape, having won their past five games and are now in second place.

Clayton Oliver is expected to make his long-awaited return from a serious hamstring injury, although just as the Demons appeared to have settled their forward line with the finals on the horizon, Harrison Petty injured his foot.

Straight sets coming up. Won’t win another game this year.” And he barracks for Collingwood.

He won’t play again this year while Bayley Fritsch is on the sidelines until the finals.

Friday night at the MCG will be equally huge when Collingwood takes on Geelong.

The Magpies are still atop the ladder, but they’ve had a difficult fortnight with losses to Carlton and then last week to 16th-placed Hawthorn.

To compound a dirty evening, Collingwood lost star midfielder Nick Daicos to a potentially season-ending knee fracture and Steele Sidebottom for at least a week due to foot soreness.

They host the Cats, whose premiership defence is still flickering. They left it until late to overcome a depleted Port Adelaide last week, but the four points were precious

Upset results, combined with injuries to key players, have form analysts changing their minds on a weekly basis.

And what about the fans?

Many are doing it tough, like the author of this SMS which I received last Sunday afternoon.“We are cooked.

Just over a fortnight ago, the Magpies were all the premiership rage and, as a bonus, Nick Daicos was long odds on to win the Brownlow Medal in just his second season.

Despite back-to-back losses, they are still two games clear in top spot with games to follow against Geelong (ninth), the Brisbane Lions (third) and Essendon (12th).

Friday night’s clash with the Cats could well define the season for both clubs.

Collingwood has lost Daicos for the rest of the home and away season with a knee injury, while veteran Steele Sidebottom (foot) won’t play this week.

The Cats looked flat against Fremantle a fortnight ago but rebounded in fighting style against a wounded Port Adelaide last week but they too are nursing injuries to key players. and, depending on results, the Cats could be back in the eight by the end of the weekend.

Collingwood has lost to Carlton – no shame there given how well the Blues are travelling – but last Saturday’s loss to Hawthorn was a concern.

It guarantees almost a full house at the MCG and it might be that way again the following night when the Blues host Melbourne. Yes, that is September you can smell.

Hopes of Adelaide joining Port Adelaide in the finals remain high.

The Crows remain a game out of the eight and face a difficult trip to the Gabba to face the Lions who are unbeaten at home.

One of the clubs in Adelaide’s sights are the GWS Giants, whose seven-game winning streak ended last week with a home loss to Sydney.

So, the Crows will be hoping the Power do them a favour with a win over the Giants on Sunday evening.

Port needs the win to remain in the hunt for a top-two finish, while the Giants are in the bunched-up group from fifth to 13th still with genuine claims of making the finals.

St Kilda and Richmond were two of last weekend’s more disappointing teams.

As coach Ross Lyon said, the Saints were “obliterated” out of the centre after half-time by the Blues, while the Tigers conceded nine goals in the opening term against the Western Bulldogs and were never in the hunt thereafter.

They’ll get some quality players back for Sunday’s match – Dustin Martin, Dylan Grimes and Trent Cotchin were missing – but they have lost seven successive games at Marvel Stadium.

They’ll need to arrest that trend against the Saints because another loss will mean it is curtains for 2023.

The sneakily good game might be Sunday’s Hawthorn-Western Bulldogs clash at UTAS Stadium.

The Hawks pretty much cannot be dislodged from 16th place, but they were bold and brash against the Magpies and the 32-point win offered the strongest evidence yet