Brett Ratten’s last game ended in more heartache for Carlton, with St Kilda over-running them to win their AFL match by 15 points.
The Saints kicked the last five goals of a scrappy and spiteful clash to win 16.10 (106) to 12.19 (91) on Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
Carlton sacked Ratten as coach last week but he remained in charge for their last game of the season.
This was a dead rubber, with the two teams starting the last round two games outside the top eight.
David Armitage and Jason Gram were best for St Kilda, while Terry Milera kicked three goals.
Blues onballer Brock McLean was best afield and team-mate Jarrad Waite kicked five goals.
St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne and opponent Andrew Walker set the tone for the game before it had started.
Seconds before the first bounce, the pair were wrestling at the St Kilda goal line.
Within a minute of that flare-up, the Saints made the perfect start.
After Carlton rushed a behind for the first score of the game, Gram’s booming kickout found Milera in the middle of the ground and he was able to run deep into attack and goal.
After the Saints kicked another, the Blues rallied with three of their own to set up a tight duel.
Luke Mitchell, who made his AFL debut in this match along with team-mate Patrick McCarthy, kicked Carlton’s third with his first kick at senior level.
Carlton led by four points at quarter-time, but lost Jeff Garlett and then captain Chris Judd for the rest of the game when the pair left the field during the second quarter.
Milera kicked another two goals in the second term to put them 13 points ahead, but the Blues rallied to only trail by three points at the main break.
After a see-sawing third term, the spite and tension that punctuated the game nearly became an all-in brawl at the last change.
First Carlton’s Mitch Robinson and Tom Simpkin tangled, then Milne and Walker became involved.
There were plenty of angry words exchanged as the two teams slowly split to their huddles, with Milne contributing plenty to the dialogue.
A free up the ground was paid to Milne against Walker early in the last quarter as the umpires tried to settle things down.
The Blues kicked two goals to go 15 points ahead early in the last quarter, but they also continued to miss shots on goal.
After the Saints kicked two goals, Milne soccered the ball out of Ed Curnow’s hands to kick his first goal of the match.
It had to go to video review before the goal was confirmed, putting the Saints in front.
St Kilda kicked another two goals to seal the win.
