Carlton speedster Chris Yarran produced a controversial goal of the year contender to kill off a Richmond comeback as the Blues put aside a sluggish summer to start their AFL season with a bang on Thursday night.

In front of an MCG crowd of 78,285, ruckman Matthew Kreuzer and Bryce Gibbs reminded the Blues what they missed in last year’s finals and Yarran showed his class as Carlton won 18.17 (125) to 12.9 (81).

Carlton showed their winless pre-season was no reason to doubt their top-four ambitions, as they notched their eighth straight victory over the Tigers.

While it was another deflating season-opening loss for Richmond, they at least put up a fight, charging back from a 32-point deficit in the third quarter to close to within six points early in the last.

But their fight evaporated when running defender Yarran delivered a piece of magic 10 minutes into the term.

Receiving a handball on the left-forward flank, he hugged the boundary line, while shrugging off attempted tackles from new Tigers Ivan Maric and Brandon Ellis, before threading through his running shot to create an 18-point buffer.

Replays suggesting the ball might have crossed the line did not detract from the goal’s brilliance.

Before Richmond scored again, Carlton added three more quick majors to destroy the contest.

Yarran finished with 22 touches and two goals, while Kade Simpson, Gibbs, Andrew Carrazzo, Marc Murphy and Chris Judd had a big hand in the Blues winning the midfield battle.

Big men Shaun Hampson (three goals) and Kreuzer, who both missed the last part of 2011 through injury, had a significant impact, while an undermanned Carlton defence held up well.

Hampson took two strong marks early in the third quarter to set up goals, before Kreuzer took a towering mark and goal to establish a 32-point buffer and send Carlton fans into raptures.

But the Tigers responded, two goals in two minutes to young midfield gun Trent Cotchin followed by a brilliant Jack Riewoldt snap to close the gap to 12 points at the last change.

Riewoldt (four goals) snapped another early in the final quarter as Richmond moved to within a kick, before Yarran eased the tension.

Cotchin (27 touches, seven clearances) was excellent for the Tigers, with defender Alex Rance also among their best.

One blight for the Blues was the first-term report of Jarrad Waite, for a bump on Dylan Grimes while the Tiger was bent over the ball.