GEELONG has slipped further away from the finals race, Carlton having overcome the Cats by 18 points in a tough-fought affair at GMHBA Stadium.

The lead had hovered around 16 points in Carlton's favour for most of the game, but the Blues were just four points to the good at three-quarter time.

CATS V BLUES Full match details and stats

As the cool change rolled in during the final term and rain threatened, it was the ever-reliable Darcy Vescio who showed off every bit of their experience, pinning the ball to draftee defender Lexi Gregor's chest and winning a holding-the-ball.

The veteran converted their resultant set-shot, before setting up Lila Keck for another, securing the 7.13 (55) to 5.7 (37) win to push the Blues into the top four. 

Carlton had registered an astonishing 18 inside 50s in the first quarter, but blew a number of straightforward shots – including one in the goalsquare that 50-gamer Tara Bohanna would like back – to record 2.6 for the term.

For comparison's sake, North Melbourne set a new AFLW record for inside 50s on Saturday with 57 for the game.

The Cats' forward line struggled to hold its structure early, sucked too high up the field and relying on slingshot rebound from half-back and running into an open space to record a score.

By the final five minutes of the second, things had stabilised somewhat, with Jackie Parry and Aishling Moloney both getting on the scoreboard.

Carlton's ball movement was superb in the first, second and fourth quarters, flicking it round the park with ease, hitting targets, taking marks and always having an outlet by hand or foot if needed.

It was a win set up by the midfield, but the full team effort and structure – from Harriet Cordner at full-back, out to the wings and Vescio at full-forward – stretched Geelong out of sorts, the Cats once again fading out in the last quarter, a problematic trend this season.

Abbie McKay made a stunning return from three weeks off with a hamstring injury, recording 19 disposals and five clearances in the first half alone, and finishing with 31 and seven for the game.

Geelong ratcheted up the pressure in the third term, the ball living almost exclusively in its front half, Carlton defending grimly for most of the quarter until Moloney and Mikayla Bowen kicked two quick goals to cut the margin to four.

It was an 'almost' day for Sophie McKay, the developing Carlton star kicking five behinds.

Cats coach Dan Lowther tried a few different things throughout the game – wrecking ball Rachel Kerns played as a small stay-at-home forward, while Kate Surman had more time on the ball than in weeks gone by, but it wasn't enough to overcome the stubborn Blues.

The recalled Meg McDonald pulled off a crucial, goal-saving sprint to the line early in the fourth term, but hobbled to the bench and wasn't sighted for the rest of the game, with Lowther later confirming she had suffered cramp.

The battle of the Irish
Along with North Melbourne and Brisbane, Carlton and Geelong have arguably been the most prolific investors in Irish talent, given the sheer number that have rolled through their lists over the years. Such was the dominance of the Irish players, they accounted for five of the first nine goals kicked. No one could match Blue Erone Fitzpatrick's acceleration in the front half, Aishling Moloney starred with her unique interpretation of a key forward, Kearns attacked with fervour, while Dayna Finn and Kate Kenny found plenty of the footy on the wings.

Holding the ball hotter than ever
The tighter interpretation around holding the ball has gone through various waves this season, but appears to have ramped up over this round. Some players struggled to have a chance to take possession properly before being pinged, and Carlton recorded eight free kicks before the Cats had registered one, much to the chagrin of the home crowd.

Up next
Geelong has a third straight game at GMHBA Stadium, hosting Greater Western Sydney on Saturday afternoon of Pride Round. Carlton travels to face Sydney on Sunday, in what should be a big celebration of all things Pride at Henson Park.

GEELONG     1.0     3.3     5.6     5.7 (37)
CARLTON     2.6     4.8     5.10     7.13 (55)

GOALS
Geelong: Moloney 2, Kearns, Parry, Bowen
Carlton: Fitzpatrick 2, Hill, Harrington, Bohanna, Vescio, Keck

BEST
Geelong: McDonald, Moloney, Bowen, Prespakis, Kearns
Carlton: McKay, Fitzpatrick, Hill, Velardo, Vescio

INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Carlton: Nil

Crowd: 2,907 at GMHBA Stadium