Carlton have hung on to a thrilling five-point win over arch rivals Essendon in a pulsating AFL clash that went down to the final seconds of the match.
Trailing by 11 points with less than 30 seconds on the clock, Bombers defender Zach Reid was swung forward and took a spectacular mark in front of goal before hurrying back to kick the goal and keep his side’s slim hopes of a miracle victory alive.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Harry McKay cons umpires with shrewd gamesmanship
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
The clock stopped with nine seconds remaining, giving Essendon one last chance to generate a score with a perfect centre clearance and mark or free kick inside 50.
And they almost pulled it off — only for an uncharacteristic fumble from Zach Merrett to stall their break from the centre circle and run the clock down to zero.
Critically though, the Bombers might be forgiven for feeling hard done-by that they didn’t have more time, given the shrewd gamesmanship from Carlton forward Harry McKay about a minute earlier.
McKay took a mark outside 50 near the boundary line with one minute and 43 seconds left to play.
Given the player on the mark was standing at about 55, and a shot for goal would have had to clear the pack on the goal line, McKay would have needed to kick it close to 65 metres to be a realistic chance for a major.
It was always going to be beyond him, but that didn’t stop the former Coleman medallist from selling his intentions to the umpire.
McKay went back and pointed to the goals to try to get the valuable 30 seconds allocated for a shot on goal, as opposed to the eight given for marks around the ground.
“Does the umpire believe him that he’s having a shot and can take his 30, or will they call his bluff?” Kane Cornes said on Channel 7.
Brian Taylor wasn’t buying it, but the umpire did.
“Surely not. You can’t give him 30 from there,” Taylor said.
“He’s asking, he’s appealing for it. Oh, c’mon — the man on the mark’s at 55! They’re giving him the 30.
“Even he is having a giggle.”
McKay started his approach to goals with 1:14 left on the clock and didn’t take his kick until the 1:03 mark.
Predictably, he didn’t even take the shot, instead kicking it to the top of the goal square.
“He doesn’t even go for it in the end,” Taylor said.
“Umpires were completely conned on that one I reckon, late in the game. And it’s cost them (Essendon) 30 seconds.”
The ball was contested by a pack of players who locked it up and forced a stoppage with 55 seconds left.
As it would turn out after Reid’s goal a minute of actual time later, those seconds proved crucial in the result.
Carlton trailed by 23 points in a poor first half showing before George Hewett (27 disposals), Sam Walsh (24), Jagga Smith (24) and Patrick Cripps (23) turned the midfield battle around.
Harry McKay kicked three crucial goals, and the Blues added seven majors to the Bombers’ four after the main break in a fiery contest.
Essendon (1-12) remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder despite Reid’s efforts in defence and a dominant first half from Sam Durham (30 disposals).
Ben McKay and Hussien El Achkar kicked two goals each. Zach Merrett had 33 touches at half-back but did not have his usual influence.
Essendon led at quarter-time for just the second time this season after also doing so in their only win of the campaign in Round 5 against Melbourne.
The Bombers took advantage of their opponents’ lack of pressure when Max Kondogiannis, El Achkar and Durham goaled in quick succession to send their team clear.
But Harry McKay kept Carlton in touch with two late majors before halftime, trimming the margin to 14 points.
The Blues spearhead wobbled through another set shot after the main break but a reply from comeback kid Harrison Jones — in his first AFL game in more than 13 months — lifted Essendon.
Tension boiled over as Jones celebrated and a series of spotfires broke out in a heated contest.
Durham went quiet in the third term and the Blues lifted their intensity, drawing level with one quarter left to play.
They hit the front for the first time when a score review confirmed a rushed behind, and gained some breathing space through Ben Ainsworth’s goal on the run.
Ben McKay converted the second of two chances to drag Essendon back within a kick but teammate Jacob Farrow’s late shove on Brodie Kemp led to a free kick and a brilliant goal from the boundary line.
The lead grew to 18 points but two late goals to Essendon set up a huge finish.
With AAP
