Essendon have staged a massive upset to beat Carlton by four points in a pulsating and controversial AFL clash at the MCG.

Continuing one of the game's great rivalries, the Bombers held on grimly in the last few minutes to win 17.14 (116) to 16.16 (112).

Bombers captain Matthew Lloyd returned to form with some outstanding marks and five goals, while team-mate Brent Stanton and Angus Monfries were best.

While Lloyd was brilliant, at the other end of the ground Blues key forward Brendan Fevola was wasteful, kicking 4.7 and one out of bou.

Lloyd ended his rare dry spell, kicking his first goals of the season and returning to top form.

Carlton captain Chris Judd and key defender Jarrad Waite were best for their side.

Young Carlton ruckman Sam Jacobs goalled at 27 minutes into the last term, but Essendon scored a point and then held on for the win.

The Blues were big favourites for this match after convincing wins in the first two rounds of the season.

But it has become common over the last decade for the underdog to win when these two sides clash.

Blues fans were livid late in the third term when Essendon were given a free kick after scoring a goal, turning it into a crucial 12-point play.

Essendon were trailing by seven points at 26 minutes into the third term when Lloyd was awarded a free in front of goal after a front-on challenge from Blues defender Bret Thornton.

As players jostled, it appeared one umpire reversed the free, but another gave Lloyd a 50m penalty.

Immediately after Lloyd goalled, Thornton bumped Essendon forward Alwyn Davey to the ground.

That meant a free to Davey without the ball returning to the centre and when he goalled, Essendon were suddenly five points ahead.

The Bombers had opened the third quarter with three goals to go 13 points ahead, but Carlton rallied and kicked the next four to lead by 13 themselves.

Essendon had their 12-point play a couple of minutes after Lloyd had taken a superb mark and goalled to break the Carlton run.

The Bombers extended their lead to two goals late in the quarter, before Simon Wiggins goalled on the run with two seconds left to reduce the margin at the final change to a goal.

Earlier, Essendon had produced a stunning second-term recovery to lead Carlton by two points at halftime.

The Bombers trailed by 27 points when Brendan Fevola kicked the first goal of the second quarter, but they put through seven of the next nine to snatch the lead.

Essendon ruckman David Hille will face video scrutiny for his bump on Richard Hadley in the third quarter.

Field umpire Chris Donlon reported Hille for head-high forceful contact on Hadley.

Carlton ruckman Matthew Kreuzer had good reason to feel aggrieved after an incident in the second term, went he was going for a ground ball after a ruck contest.

He was collected high and had to leave the ground with a cut head, but the umpire was blindsided badly and penalised Kreuzer for holding the ball.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights, who looked noticeably drained post-match said his young, developing team had relished the win.

"Matthew Lloyd probably summed it up best after the game, he said it's one of the .... prouder wins he's been involved in," Knights said.

"The resilience the players showed to stick to our game plan, I think after quarter-time physically we got ourselves back in the game.

"It was a big game for us to win and a great experience for our young players."

Knights had said repeatedly over the last fortnight that Lloyd would eventually regain form.

"His effort will be the same, week-in and week-out, so therefore he gives himself an opportunity," Knights said.

"His courage on a couple of occasions was absolutely superb and an inspiration to our team."

Knights also praised his players for their composure when Lloyd goalled in the third term and Davey won his free kick immediately after.

Knights admitted he was tempted to take young key defender Darcy Daniher off Fevola, given the Blues star beat him, but the Bombers coaching staff decided to persist with the matchup.

Blues coach Brett Ratten said even in the first quarter, when Carlton looked set to dominate, they did not seize their chances.

"When you have that many shots at goal and have a chance to put a fair gap in the game ... if you don't make the opposition pay, you get burnt the other way," he said.

"I just think we lost our way a little bit from our structures and things like that."

He also highlighted Carlton's lack of pressure when they were in attack, saying Essendon were able to rebound and score far too often.

Ratten said he did not see the incident where Davey gained the free-kick in the two-goal incident.

He also would not comment on Thornton's initial free against Lloyd, which happened as the two players made a genuine contest for the ball.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP