Carlton supporters have been filmed voting with their feet in angry scenes after their club coughed up a 43-point lead to lose to Melbourne in a shocking AFL turnaround on Sunday.
Kysaiah Pickett led the charge and Bayley Fritsch booted four vital second-half goals as the Demons stormed home to record the fifth-biggest comeback in club history, defeating Carlton by 23 points.
The Demons were down by 43 early in the second quarter before surging after halftime to claim a 15.10 (100) to 11.11 (77) win at the MCG on Sunday.
That led to fans streaming out of the MCG in droves long before the match was done.
Blues legend Brendan Fevola said his confidence in his former club was so low that he actually predicted the loss even when the team led by 43 points.
The former full forward called the club ‘hopeless’ and admitted he was one of the supporters that walked out early.
The Demons produced the fifth-largest comeback in club history to defeat Carlton 15.10 (100) to 11.11 (77) in a stunning boilover at MCG (pictured, Blues stars after the loss)
Carlton fans streamed out in droves (pictured) as Melbourne completed an amazing comeback after trailing by 43 points in the second quarter
Blues legend Brendan Fevola (pictured) predicted the loss despite the huge lead and labelled Carlton’s performance ‘hopeless’
‘They mustn’t be fit enough. I was sitting with my daughter Lulu, and it was 44 to 1, and I go, ‘We will lose, you watch, we’ll lose,’ he said on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick radio show.
‘I think every Carlton supporter felt the same. When Kozzie Pickett kicked the goal with five minutes to go in the last quarter, I grabbed the kids and I left.
‘I said, “I’m out of here”. I walked outside and there was 50,000 Carlton supporters that had already left.’
‘How, Fev? Can you explain why you can’t play a second half of footy?’ co-host Fifi Box asked.
‘I was going to swear, but I thought, I better not. They’re no good,’ Fevola replied.
‘They have got one game plan – go out there, have fun, and play. The other team goes, “Okay, this is what they’re doing” and put things in place.’
Box then asked if head coach Michael Voss should be sacked.
‘It’s been three years … you don’t want to blame the coach and drive the bus over Vossy,’ Fevola said.
Coach Michael Voss said the team must take responsibility after making a habit of losing matches after running out to a strong lead
‘When the players are out there, the players play. The coach has some say when the game goes on but it’s up to the players.
‘It’s up to Patty Cripps, he’s the captain, to go, “Let’s lock it down for a couple of minutes and set up our systems”, but they just don’t know how to do it.
‘Whether it’s the coach or the coaching staff – they’ve got coaching staff and I don’t know how good they go … I’m trying not to whack too hard.’
A host of fans and former players took to social media to vent their spleen over the shocking loss, including former Collingwood star and media personality Dane Swan.
‘I can’t believe it’s happening again. More suspicious people than me would think the AFL is scripted,’ he posted.
‘I’m not sure whoever is responsible for the Carlton players at half time should have a job. It’s literally every [week].’
The horror second-half display by Carlton leaves them with a 1-2 record, and they also lost Zac Williams (ribs) and impressive young defender Harry Dean (side/hip) to injuries.
Injuries to Zac Williams and Harry Dean compounded Carlton’s defeat as season record slipped to one win from three matches
Dean was taken to hospital for further assessment after a heavy fall in the last quarter.
Sam Walsh (31 disposals), Jagga Smith (25) and key defender Jacob Weitering held their heads high, while Mitch McGovern kicked three goals and Cripps (21 disposals) was influential early before Steele put the clamps on.
The Blues have lost all six quarters in the second half of matches this season in a trend that has left Voss seething.
‘I’m pretty filthy. We’re putting ourselves in great positions and handing it back,’ Voss said after the match.
‘That sounds like I’m taking something away from Melbourne, because you’ve also got to be able to go at the game and challenge the opposition and turn the momentum your way, but we’re also not helping ourselves.
‘We have to own it. That’s the first thing we have to do.’
