Carlton has broken its duck with a four-point win over Freo at Domain Stadium on Sunday.
The Blues made fewer mistakes than the Fremantle Dockers to win 10.12 (72) to 9.14 (68) and hand Brendon Bolton his first victory as Carlton coach.
Superstar midfielder Nat Fyfe sat the entire second half on the bench with a lower leg injury.
The Brownlow medallist came off the ground during the second term after appearing to cop a knock to his lower left leg, the same leg he fractured in last year's preliminary final.
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He headed to the rooms five minutes before half-time and had the lower leg strapped for the start of the second half but came off two minutes into the third term and sat the remainder of the game on the bench with ice strapped to the leg. He was on crutches after the game.
"We're really concerned in relation to where he's got his plate in his broken leg," Ross Lyon said post-match.
The Blues' leaders stood tall late in the last quarter when the game was there to be won.
Marc Murphy kicked a pivotal goal late to go with 28 important disposals, Bryce Gibbs hammered home a dagger from outside 50 and Liam Jones, who went three quarters with just three possessions, kicked two last-quarter goals, including the match-winner.
Lachie Neale (35 disposals), Stephen Hill (23) and Danyle Pearce (23) were three of the Fremantle Dockers' four highest possession winners but all operated at less than 60 per cent efficiency.
Talking points from Sunday's match
Michael Walters and Hayden Crozier kicked two goals each and Brady Grey fought very hard in just his second AFL game with 16 disposals and 10 tackles.
Freo also have some other injury concerns on top of Fyfe's issue. Hayden Ballantyne (right thigh), Michael Johnson (right knee) and Neale (right leg) all battled late in the game.
MEDICAL ROOM
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe's lower leg injury is a huge concern. Hayden Ballantyne copped a heavy knock to the back of his left hamstring in the opening term. He came back and copped another knock above his right knee and really struggled to move freely thereafter. Lee Spurr suffered a cut above his right eye and Lachie Neale had a right calf problem. Michael Johnson picked up a right knee problem in the last quarter.
Carlton: Ciaran Byrne copped a heavy knock to the head in the last quarter and came off under the blood rule.
NEXT UP?
Freo face a huge test next Saturday afternoon when they travel to Adelaide Oval to meet the Crows. The Blues have a big clash with arch-rivals Essendon at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
FREMANTLE 2.5 4.8 6.12 9.14 (68)
CARLTON 2.5 4.9 6.10 10.12 (72)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 2, Crozier 2, Sutcliffe, Fyfe, Taberner, Griffin, Mayne
Carlton: Thomas 3, Jones 2, Wright, Lamb, C. Curnow, Murphy, Gibbs
BEST
Fremantle: Neale, Hill, Walters, Spurr, Grey
Carlton: Cripps, Kerridge, Murphy, Simpson, E Curnow, Thomas
INJURIES
Fremantle: Fyfe (left leg), Johnson (right knee), Ballantyne (right thigh)
Carlton: TBA
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Hay, Wallace
Official crowd: 34,796 at the Domain Stadium
