They say laughter is the best medicine, and Carlton and Essendon fans would likely have needed all the medical help they could get after enduring the messy spectacle that was the Blues' 15-point win at the MCG on Sunday.
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Luckily, there were plenty of opportunities to laugh – mostly in disbelief – at some of the decision-making and skill errors on display.
Lingy: "We all love an action movie, we all love a good drama – but sometimes you have to sit through a good comedy!" #AFLBluesDons— 3AW Football (@3AWisfootball) May 1, 2016
To be fair to both teams, it was an extremely windy day, and the game did improve when the wind died down in the last term.
So with that in mind, here are the lowlights of the Carlton v Essendon round six clash.
PATRICK CRIPPS IS A LATE OUT
Perhaps it's a bit unfair to call this a lowlight of the game, but hearts around Melbourne must have sunk as the news filtered through that the Blues would be without their classy young midfielder. They (and the game) certainly missed his influence.
MORE THAN AN HOUR WITHOUT A GOAL
True, that hour included the half-time break, but seriously. It was a tightly contested second term that the Blues managed to win ... six points to three. The goalless quarter had fans groaning in the stands. Two of the behinds were rushed. It wasn't until Mitch Brown kicked a goal for the Bombers 14 minutes into the third term that the crowd finally experienced some joy. It would be another 10 minutes before the Blues would break their own goal drought.
EVERYONE in the stadium after that goal. #AFLBluesDons pic.twitter.com/Z4LaICpMvn— Essendon FC (@EssendonFC) May 1, 2016
SAM GRIMLEY'S FRESH AIR SHOT IN THE GOAL SQUARE
This incident occurred during the dire second quarter. With the ball sitting on the left edge of the goal square, Grimley came rushing in from the right - with an open goalmouth - and somehow managed to avoid making contact with the ball. Unfortunately, it let to yet another lowlight ...
JACOB WEITERING GOES DOWN
The young Blues defender hit the deck to frantically smother the Dons' follow-up attempt to get the ball across the line for a goal. Unfortunately, Mitch Brown, who was coming in to try and score, collided with Weitering's face and shoulder, and the No.1 draft pick was left writhing on the ground. One of the highlights for the Blues so far in 2016, he didn't return to the ground. He had suffered a partial shoulder dislocation.
Weitering has come off favouring his right arm following this incident in the second term #AFLBluesDons https://t.co/0OKj0KHjeq— AFL (@AFL) May 1, 2016
LIAM JONES AND LEVI CASBOULT PUT ON AN ANTI-MASTERCLASS (AND JOE DANIHER, TOO)
They weren't alone in kicking poorly by any stretch, but there's a special sort of soul-sucking feeling when your key forwards just can't find the goals. Casboult didn't even register a behind for the Blues. In one particularly memorable moment, former Bulldog Jones sent heads into hands among the Carlton faithful with his snap on goal that sailed out on the full. The number of players free had he squared it up may grow as the tale gets retold, but who can blame the fans? There was plenty of time for them to come up with a story. It was a long day. Essendon's key forward in Daniher didn't have a great day, either. He kicked just one goal and missed three others, although to be fair, he did come up with two-thirds of Essendon's second-quarter tally ...
Finally some quality football #AFLBluesDons pic.twitter.com/ItZpXg430V— Andrew Tate, editor (@SundayAgeSport) May 1, 2016
MATTHEW WRIGHT'S DRIBBLING MISS
In the race for the most disheartening moment, this one has a strong case for first place. Wright, in game 100, had the ball in the pocket. He took a couple of steps, but rather than run into the goal square and making it a certainty, the Blues forward sent the ball dribbling towards goal from a tight angle. He missed, of course.
Have we missed any moments? Let us know in the comments.
