A CALF scare for star forward Charlie Curnow has overshadowed Carlton's 34-point win against West Coast at Optus Stadium, with the Blues cruising to victory on Sunday night but assessing the potential cost.  

The Eagles will also face a nervous wait on their co-captain Oscar Allen's fitness after the key forward went down innocuously behind play in the final quarter and had to be helped from the ground by trainers with an apparent left leg issue.

EAGLES v BLUES Full match details and stats

Carlton set up Sunday night's win with a dominant first quarter, kicking seven of their 12 goals before quarter-time and then keeping West Coast at arm's length to win 12.14 (86) to 7.10 (52).  

The Blues were fierce with their pressure and clinical with their handball chains early but lost a lot of the flow from their game for the final two-and-a-half quarters as the Eagles kicked six of the last eight goals of the game to add a little respectability to the scoreboard.

Curnow was substituted at half-time after coming to the bench during the second quarter for assessment, with the gun goalkicker declaring post-match that it was "a bit of awareness" and he expected to be available next week. 

The visitors also lost Hudson O'Keeffe to a hamstring injury, while West Coast key defender Harry Edwards finished his 50th game with ice on his hamstring having earlier nursed an arm injury. 

With Curnow sidelined after two first-half goals, tall forward Mitch McGovern stood up to boot three goals, while Lachie Fogarty also added three. Midfielder George Hewett was central to the early charge and motored on to finish with a game-high 35 disposals and seven clearances. 

Adam Cerra (30 and nine marks) and star ruck Tom De Koning (21, five clearances and six inside 50s) were also prominent, with the Blues doing all of their hard work early and then slowing the game down when injuries stifled them.  

There were alarms going off everywhere for West Coast early as it succumbed to the Blues' fierce pressure, with Allen forced to move behind the ball after four straight goals from the Blues to open the game. 

Some stern words from coach Andrew McQualter drew a response, and the team lifted to a more competitive standard, with young star Harley Reid (28 disposals and five clearances) leading the charge in a combative performance. 

Forward/ruck Bailey Williams was dangerous with a team-high three goals, benefiting from the Eagles' increased intensity and ability to turn the ball over and counter-attack. 

Mid-season recruit Tom McCarthy was outstanding, finishing with a club-record 31 disposals on debut, with half-back/wingman Tyrell Dewar (27 and seven rebounds) also prominent.  

Nervous wait on fitness of tall duo 
The Blues are no certainties to have either of their Coleman medallists available for next Saturday's clash against North Melbourne, with Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay both now under injury clouds. Curnow was substituted at half-time with what the club declared was calf tightness, while McKay's lingering knee soreness needs "more investigation" after the key forward was left in Melbourne and failed to train as much this week as the club had hoped. Mitch McGovern stood up on Sunday night, booting three goals, but the Blues have their share of injury concerns. 

Eagles strike mid-season gold 
West Coast has done well in the AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, with past selections Jack Hutchinson and Ryan Maric now regular senior players. But Tom McCarthy has the ability to be the club's best find yet after setting a club record with 31 disposals on debut. The first pick from the mid-season pool was terrific across half-back, coming into the team after two WAFL games and just one main training session with the club. His composure with the ball stood out, taking calculated risks with his kicks and finishing with 571m gained. 

"Pathetic" in the contest 
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter was as direct as any coach could be when asked about the Eagles' opening quarter, telling broadcaster Fox Footy that the Eagles had been "pathetic in the contest". The numbers told part of the story, with West Coast wiped off the park in contested ball (53-33), overall disposals (123-71) and inside 50s (24-10). The ease with which Carlton was able to get its handball game going, however, was alarming, with the visitors racking up 49 handball receives to the Eagles' 21 as they sliced through the middle of Optus Stadium to kick seven goals to one. The stern words that would have been mirrored in the quarter-time huddle worked, with West Coast an improved outfit thereafter.

WEST COAST          1.1     3.4         5.7        7.10 (52)
CARLTON                7.4     10.8     11.11     12.14 (86)  

GOALS
West Coast: B.Williams 3, J.Williams, Hewett, Cripps, Brockman
Carlton: McGovern 3, Fogarty 3, Williams 2, Durdin, De Koning, Curnow, Cincotta

BEST
West Coast: McCarthy, Reid, B.Williams, Dewar, Ginbey, Graham
Carlton: Hewett, McGovern, De Koning, Cerra, Fogarty, Binns

INJURIES
West Coast: Allen (plantaris)
Carlton: Curnow (calf tightness), O'Keeffe (hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Clay Hall (replaced Jayden Hunt in the third quarter)
Carlton: Corey Durdin (replaced Charlie Curnow at half-time)

Crowd: 43,803 at Optus Stadium