The GIANTS have ended Carlton's nine-game winning streak and secured a place in finals in one fell swoop, beating the Blues by 32-points at Marvel Stadium.
GIANTS captain Toby Greene kicked four goals to lead his side into finals, with the visitors posting a significant win, 16.9 (105) to Carlton's 11.7 (73) on Sunday evening to close out the 2023 home and away season.
It wasn't all bad news for Carlton, however, as it took less than a quarter for Charlie Curnow (three goals, six marks) to sew up his second Coleman medal.
The spearhead kicked two goals in the space of four minutes to pull ahead of Adelaide's Taylor Walker, aided by the late withdrawal of star GIANTS defender Sam Taylor.
Without Taylor, the GIANTS defence stood strong in the face of repeated forward 50 entries from the Blues. Jack Buckley (six intercepts, three marks) was handed the job on Curnow, while Harry Himmelberg and Connor Idun each played important roles behind the ball.
Stephen Coniglio (28 disposals, six tackles, two goals), Tom Green (35 disposals, eight clearances) and Callan Ward (16 disposals, five clearances, one goal) were instrumental around the ball for the Giants.
Carlton looked like world beaters when the ball was on the deck, attacking the contest with speed and running in waves to support one-another as it worked it down the ground. Blake Acres was instrumental in setting the tone out on the wing, gathering 12 disposals in the opening term, and ultimately finishing with 21 before being subbed out with a suspected collarbone injury in the third term.
The composure of George Hewett (20 disposals, eight inside 50s, one goal) heading inside 50 was impressive as the former Swan seemed to slow time with ball in hand, while Sam Walsh (27 disposals, seven clearances) repeatedly put his body on the line to impact at the source.
When in control, the GIANTS slingshot the footy out of their back half and were finding space in attack as the likes of Jesse Hogan and Toby Greene exploited a defence that was without Jacob Weitering and Adam Saad for a large portion of the second quarter. The Carlton pair, both being checked by club doctors, made their way back on the field before the half-time siren.
In the second half, as the visitors began to run away with the game, the Blues took an all-or-nothing approach, attempting to use the corridor with speed but too often they were let down by rushed kicks or fumbled marks.
The GIANTS fought, knowing what was on the line, and now looks toward an elimination final against the Saints in a fortnight. Meanwhile Carlton, already locked into the top eight for the first time since 2013, will host Sydney in the other own elimination final.
Coniglio stuns in game 200
Becoming just the fifth GIANT to reach 200 games, former captain Stephen Coniglio was back to his best, topped off with a stunning goal. Moving beautifully across the field, Coniglio registered 28 disposals and two goals as he did everything to secure the GIANTS a place in finals. But nothing was as impressive as his third-quarter goal. Up against the boundary Coniglio got on the end of a Lachie Keeffe handball out of a stoppage, before slotting it from the narrowest of angles and silencing the crowd.
CARTON 4.3 7.5 9.5 11.7 (73)
GIANTS 3.2 8.4 13.7 16.9 (105)
GOALS
Carlton: Curnow 3, Owies 2, Cottrell, Martin, De Koning, Hewett, Durdin, Fisher
GIANTS: Greene 4, Riccardi 3, Coniglio 2, Ward, Keeffe, Hogan, Cuming, Lloyd, Brown, Daniels
BEST
Carlton: Hewett, Curnow, Dow, Acres, Walsh
GIANTS: Greene, Green, Coniglio, Ward, Daniels
INJURIES
Carlton: Acres (collarbone)
GIANTS: Nil
LATE CHANGES
Carlton: Nil
GIANTS: Toby McMullin replaced Sam Taylor (hamstring)
SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Caleb Marchbank (replaced Blake Acres in the third quarter)
GIANTS: Nick Haynes (replaced Toby McMullin in the third quarter)
Crowd: 44,354 at Marvel Stadium
