SUDDENLY, everything's coming up Carlton.

For two months to start this season, games like Friday night's against Geelong had been going against the Blues. Adversity? Couldn't handle it. A nail-biting finish? Don't even ask. A good opponent? Why bother. A late goal? Of course it went the other way. Until, that is, the last three weeks.

BLUES v CATS Full match coverage and stats

Where normally, Jack Henry's frantic goal to put the Cats two points up with two minutes to go might have spelt the end of the Blues, this new-look side now appears to have a steeliness to it. Henry's goal wasn't met with doom nor gloom. This time, it provided a chance to show what's changed.

Carlton instead won the next clearance. It instead went deep inside-50. It instead found Patrick Cripps. He instead leapt high over a pack. And he instead snapped the immediate response, securing a third straight Blues victory via a dramatic 12.16 (88) to 12.12 (84) scoreline.

Of course, there was still controversy. While it was that intense Cripps goal with virtually the last kick of the game that might have won the match for Carlton, it was Ollie Dempsey's non-goal with virtually the first kick of the match that might have lost it for Geelong.

It was Ollie everywhere from the game's opening seconds, with Dempsey setting the tone – both good and bad – for what would follow. He had what looked like his first goal of the night bizarrely ruled out by an ARC non-call, before making amends himself through two quick majors on the bounce.

Both were quintessential Dempsey finishes, as was the one on the goal line that ricocheted off his shin only to be called a behind by the umpire without relying on ARC intervention. Play had already been restarted and couldn't be recalled by the time replays proved the decision was an incorrect one.

While it was frustrating for the Geelong faithful, it hadn't looked as though it would be a defining call given the side's early dominance. Jeremy Cameron added two more to Dempsey's early double and when the Henry brothers also hit the scoreboard it began to actually look rather ominous.

But the Blues under Josh Fraser had shown resolve when tested across the last fortnight, standing up under similar scrutiny again on Friday night. Despite falling 19 down at quarter time, and looking lethargic and error-prone, they rallied amid a second term fightback that was led by the kids.

Jagga Smith was prolific through the midfield, Flynn Young, Talor Byrne and Jack Ison were exciting in attack, with Harry Dean and Billy Wilson playing important roles defensively. Others chipped in where necessary, helping Carlton reduce the deficit from beyond 20 points to within a kick at half time.

Carlton needed to be steadfast again after half time. First, it claimed the lead. Then, it lost the lead. And when Shaun Mannagh added another for Geelong soon after, steering through a beauty from the boundary, it looked as though the Cats might have just rediscovered their magic.

Instead, though, the Blues continued to have the answers. Three consecutive goals against the run of play once again righted the ship, with only Cameron's third – delivered right on the stroke of three-quarter time – putting a pin in the party and setting up a barnstorming finish.

Big moments defined that last quarter, with Hayward's third and Cameron's fourth continuing the back and forth nature of the contest. Jack Henry's second and Cripps' mammoth mark continued it, with Carlton holding firm amid a tense final 70-odd seconds for a third straight win.

Dempsey denied goal by ARC error
It didn't take long for a moment of controversy at the MCG. In the game's opening seconds, Geelong's Ollie Dempsey appeared to palm the ball onto his own shin on the goal line – a clear goal – though it wasn't picked up. David Rodan, the goal umpire, had been knocked to the floor during the scramble on the line but didn't opt to send the decision to the ARC. Carlton's Nic Newman took the kick-in quickly and the play restarted without any intervention from upstairs. By the time anyone realised, the ball had shifted up onto the wing and it was too late to call it back.

Walsh typifies Blues' battle
Sam Walsh is toughness personified. He was already having a prolific game when he was dumped in a Bailey Smith tackle late in the third quarter. He walked away from the contest gritting his teeth and holding his right shoulder in pain, but waved away the doctors to soldier on. Moments later, he laid a big tackle on the stroke of the siren and was again left grimacing. But nothing was going to stop Carlton's next captain from finishing this one, something he did while ending the match as the side's best player.

CARLTON      1.3     5.9     9.11     12.16 (88)
GEELONG      4.4     6.8     9.10     12.12 (84)
 
GOALS
Carlton: Hayward 3, Young 2, Kemp 2, Ison, Cerra, Hewett, Byrne, Cripps
Geelong: Cameron 4, Dempsey 2, O.Henry 2, J.Henry 2, Mannagh, Dangerfield
 
BEST
Carlton: Walsh, Weitering, Smith, Hayward, Cripps, Dean
Geelong: Smith, Cameron, Humphries, Holmes, Dempsey, Guthrie
 
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Geelong: Humphries (leg)
 
Crowd: 61,081 at the MCG