CARLTON’S memorable 2025 AFL Women’s season rolled out with a dominant 46-point win over Gold Coast at Ikon Park on Saturday, with Blues coach Matthew Buck declaring it a “mature performance”. After leading by just one point at half-time and wasting some opportunities at 3.7 (25) to 4.0 (24), Buck’s Blues got to work booting the last seven goals of the game to run out 10.11 (71) to 4.1 (25) victors.

“I think we showed some maturity in our performance,” Buck said of the most pleasing aspect. “Tested in the first half, challenged your nerve around your inaccuracy and how that can hurt you in a game and we spoke about how it’s going to require some mature efforts around our groundball game and contest to make sure we get back in the game, so most pleased that we could turn it and get back into it that way and get the run off in the end.”

Carlton’s forward pressure was particularly noticeable in the win, laying a massive 16 tackles to seven inside 50 among a plus-seven tackle differential (60-53). It lead to repeat entries inside 50 and the Blues finishing with a plus-16 in that differential (47-31).

“We want to play a forward half game, I think that’s true of most sides in the competition,” Buck said. “I thought our defenders in particular managed to get us some repeat entries back inside. I think we had 26 repeat entries for the game which is a great number. Gave our forwards a great look at the game and we managed to take advantage in the end.”

The Blues also managed to largely break even against the Gold Coast around the ball, only having two less clearances and winning double the amount of hitouts (32-16) as the Suns. They also had 10 more uncontested possessions and only six less contested possessions. Despite missing Abbie McKay, Buck said the rest of the on-ball group stood up.

“Against a quality midfield in the Gold Coast who have some great midfielders and Lauren Bella in the ruck who we really rate as well. We’ve got Maddi Torpey in her second game, Maddy Guerin‘s first look at the midfield in a consistent way for us which was great to see, those two get in there, but I thought Lily Goss really stood up for us, and is such a strong contested player and managed to get it to the outside.

“Mimi Hill is Mimi Hill which we always enjoy seeing, and then of course Keeley Sherar with her speed is really telling around the contest. From a mid perspective, really proud of the way they cracked in.”

Buck also showed her was not afraid to pull the trigger on star utility Darcy Vescio who has played most of the season in defence, but was thrown forward to give the Blues a different look inside 50 and provide a “mature head” down there.

“Felt the ball was ping ponging up the ground a little bit so it was a real turnover game, and really open game,” Buck said. “Because of that our forwards were getting trapped high up the ground so we knew Darcy would be able to hold that structure for us, so put them up forward and give us some length and then provided us a good target and on the back of that we get some repeat entries so just that structural one that needed a mature head.”