Richmond showed plenty of spirit in going down by 31 points, 18.16 (124) to 14.9 (93), but the fact remains that the Tigers were simply outplayed in the first half and playing catch-up football thereafter.
The defeat was Richmond's fifth loss in a row and its ninth of the season.
Richmond's Joel Bowden was the leading ball-winner on the night, with 32 disposals, while teammate Kane Johnson was next best with 26 touches.
Kayne Pettifer played one of his best matches for the club and youngster Chris Hyde was busy throughout the match. Greg Stafford and Brad Ottens dominated the hitouts, while Andrew Krakouer and Matthew Richardson led the Tigers goalkicking with three each.
Aside from a three-game winning streak from round six to eight, the Tigers only other win of the season came in the opening round of the season against Collingwood.
In a best-on-ground display, Carlton forward Brendan Fevola proved the difference as he booted eight goals from 13 shots.
The match was marred with several dubious free kicks for both sides. A staggering 55 free kicks were awarded, with the Tigers gaining 35 in their favour.
Richmond coach Danny Frawley said he was pleased his side showed 'a bit of grit' in the second half.
"At half time we thought we'd better stand up and play some decent football and we did that in the second half, but it was probably too late," Frawley said.
"We had some really good efforts out there as individuals, but we can't really talk about those because it's a team performance and it was a game we really dearly wanted to win against the arch enemy in Carlton."
"We got ourselves into a winnable position in the last quarter, but that lead probably was insurmountable in the end and their start to the game - that's where the game is won and lost."
Carlton started the match strongly booting four goals to two in the opening term to lead by 18 points at quarter-time.
The Tigers entered the second term without gun midfielder/forward Nathan Brown, who left the quarter-time huddle and headed straight for the rooms after he suffered a knock and cut above the eye during the first quarter.
Brown, who was playing his 150th AFL game, was forced from the field in the second term, as Carlton took control.
Fevola led the charge with five goals during the second term - which included his 50th goal for the season - as the Blues took a 46-point lead into the half-time break, after booting seven goals to three.
Carlton opened with six in a row to make it eight unanswered goals which gave the Blues a 55-point lead at the 20-minute mark.
Richmond finally notched up its first goal at the 22-minute mark when Stafford kicked truly, which was the start of three in succession for the Tigers.
The home side brought the margin back to 40 points, but Fevola chimed in with his fifth major just before the half-time siren.
Carlton's Simon Wiggins, playing his 50th AFL game, left the ground with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
With the second half shaping as a non-event, Richmond fought back brilliantly with eight goals to four in the third quarter to set-up a genuine contest final term.
Although Whitnall opened the third quarter with his second major and gave the Blues a 52-point lead, the Tigers hit back with three in a row to reduce the margin back to 34 points.
But when Fevola answered with his seventh and Whitnall kicked his third, the Blues were back out to a 46-point lead and it seemed the Tigers were simply flirting with the idea of a comeback.
But the Tigers made the move and slammed on five of the remaining six goals for the quarter to peg the deficit back to just 23 points at the last interval.
Richardson got the Tiger army roaring when he added his third for the night after the three quarter-time siren.
With goals flowing at a regular rate throughout the match, an arm wrestle developed in the final hit-out, with the first goal of the term coming at the 19-minute mark after Krakouer kicked his third for the night, which brought the margin back to 21 points.
But two in two minutes - including Fevola's eighth - in time-on sealed Richmond fate.
Richmond: 2.2 5.3 13.5 14.9 (93)
Carlton: 5.2 12.7 16.10 18.16 (124)
Goals: Richmond: Krakouer 3, Richardson 3, Ottens 2, Blumfield, Bowden, Chaffey, Gaspar, Newman, Stafford
Carlton: Fevola 8, Whitnall 3, Koutoufides 2, Camporeale, Johnson, Lappin, Prendergast, Scotland
Best: Richmond: Bowden, Johnson, Stafford, Krakouer, Hyde, Richardson
Carlton: Fevola, Whitnall, Prendergast, Lappin, Stevens, Scotland, Houlihan
Injuries: Richmond: Brown (cut head)
Carlton: Wiggins (shoulder)
Changes: Richmond Moore (ill) replaced in selected side by Fletcher.
Umpires: Ellis, Nicholls, Margetts
Crowd: 46,618 at Telstra Dome
