Twin towers Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay have combined for nine goals to power Carlton to a thumping 56-point win over North Melbourne in the Kangaroos' marquee Good Friday match.
Coleman medallists McKay (five goals) and Curnow (four) monstered the undersized Kangaroos defence in a powerful performance in front of 47,565 fans at Marvel Stadium.
Curnow left the ground midway through the final quarter with a slight hobble and stayed on the bench, but that appeared to be only as a precaution.
North gave their supporters periods to be excited about but were still blown away and never looked like causing an upset, with the Blues leading at every change to win 21.11 (137) to 12.9 (81).
Unlike previous Good Friday games when they were embarrassed by the Western Bulldogs in 2021 and 2022, North kept fighting and attacking the scoreboard.
The Kangaroos also showed some serious aggression at times, with star forward Nick Larkey (three goals) giving away a 50m penalty late in the third quarter for slamming Mitch McGovern to the ground.
Already undersized in defence, North suffered another major blow when key tall Callum Coleman-Jones went down with a suspected ruptured achilles tendon in the second quarter.
The former Richmond player was taken from the field on a medical cart and given immediate pain relief, replaced by sub Eddie Ford.
It was North's second serious achilles injury in three weeks after Josh Goater's season came to an abrupt end in the round one defeat to GWS.
Carlton didn't come out of the match unscathed, either, after defender Caleb Marchbank was concussed in a heavy collision with teammate Jordan Boyd in the final term.
Preliminary finalists last season, Carlton extended their undefeated start to 3-0, while the Kangaroos remain winless.
In an encouraging sign, star defender Jacob Weitering made an impressive return from injury, while former Gold Coast utility Elijah Hollands improved as the game progressed in his first appearance for the club.
The Blues have an opportunity to go 4-0 for the first time since 1995 - the year of their last premiership - when they face Fremantle in Gather Round next Saturday.
North will play grand finalists Brisbane Lions, smarting off a disappointing 0-3 start to their season, next Friday at Norwood Oval.
Australian Associated Press
