Melbourne has pulled off a stunning upset at the MCG, mounting a four-quarter comeback to defeat Carlton by 23 points in Round 3, after the Blues led by 43 points early in the second quarter.
Despite kicking the first seven goals of the game, Carlton had no answers as it faltered in the second half, with Melbourne finishing the contest the better of the two sides. The final margin was 15.10 (100) to 11.11 (77).
Carlton's dominance in the opening half seemed overwhelming. The play lived in Carlton's forward half with 22-5 inside 50s, and when Mitch McGovern kicked back-to-back goals in his milestone game, the Blues had a big quarter-time lead.
Momentum started to shift in the second term with just a goal apiece for either side, with Melbourne kicking its first goal at the 25-minute mark of the second quarter. From that point, the contest transformed entirely. In the second half, every time the Blues looked to settle, the Dees responded, gaining all the momentum heading into the last term with a six-goal third term.
Carlton attempted to regain control late in the third quarter. The Blues opened up a 20-point gap after consecutive goals from Elijah Hollands and Matthew Carroll, but the Blues were then no match for the Dees in the final 15 minutes, who piled on seven straight majors to prevail by 23 points.
The collapse adds to Carlton's recent struggles with controlling leads at the MCG. Last year's Round 1 meeting between these teams saw Richmond mount an improbable comeback after trailing by 41 points, ultimately defeating the Blues by 13 points. That loss set the tone for Carlton's difficult campaign. Sunday's defeat suggests the issue remains unresolved.