Sweet six: The Josh Fraser juggernaut at Carlton just continues to roll

The despair from the first nine games of the season under Michael Voss has become a distant memory for the Blues, who made it six from six under their interim coach with a 53-point victory over West Coast on Saturday.

There was no harmonica in the team song, but the Blues faithful were in full voice in the aisles at Marvel Stadium after young gun Jagga Smith signed off on another four points with a goal right on the final siren.

The wildcard berth that seemed a pipedream just a few weeks ago is edging closer to reality for the Blues, who have the chance to square the ledger at 8-8 next week if they account for Richmond.

“It’s awesome,” Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps told Fox Footy. “How the year was going, to put ourselves back in a respectable position on the ladder to attack the back half of the season is huge.

“Winning’s fun.”

Carlton’s dynamic duo of Cripps and Sam Walsh donned the capes as the Blues’ midfield ran riot against the Eagles’ undermanned on-ball brigade.

Walsh will likely edge out his captain for the three Brownlow votes with his game-high 33 possessions, while Cripps was brutal in the clinches with nine clearances in an entertaining duel with Eagles boy wonder Harley Reid, who fought a lone hand with 23 disposals and a goal.

The Blues had winners all over the field. Harry McKay, revelling in his role as a forward and second ruck, booted three goals, as did young livewire Talor Byrne, who unselfishly gave away the chance for a fourth deep in the final term.

George Hewett and Smith were the ideal foils for Cripps and Walsh, the former kicking his two goals in the first term when the Blues set up the game.

Harry Dean claimed another major scalp in the Eagles’ All-Australian forward Jake Waterman, who was held goalless. Waterman, often double-teamed, did not register a shot at goal until the final term when the result was beyond doubt.

Smith and Willem Duursma remain the favourites for the Rising Star award, but Dean is closing fast, rising to the challenge of being the Blues’ No.1 key defender in Jacob Weitering’s absence.

“He’s a star,” McKay said of Dean.

“I can’t remember a first-year key position player come in and have the impact he’s had. I love playing with him. He’s only going to get better and better, which is scary.”

The Blues shook off another bogey by kicking their first triple-figure score since the penultimate round of last season.

Carlton controlled contest and clearance, their major strengths during the Voss era, but it was their crisp ball movement through the corridor that repeatedly opened up the Eagles defence.

They controlled the pace of the game with their preparedness to chip the ball, and once clear they attacked with speed, often through the corridor.

“The way we use the ball is really helping our defence,” Cripps said. “[We’re] controlling the ball more and getting better field position.”

Cripps hurt his left hand shortly before half-time, but he was able to play on as Carlton entered the long break with a 32-point lead.

The Blues tallied a whopping 244 possessions to 144 in the first half, while they had 13 marks inside 50 to none for West Coast.

Carlton kept the Eagles at bay in the second half, and the Blues will be aiming for their seventh win on the trot when they take on struggling Richmond next week.

With AAP