If there was going to be a slip-up for Carlton in the run towards their first AFL finals appearance since 2001 then Sunday's match against Port Adelaide was it.

Coming down from the high of defeating Geelong, away from home, facing a team playing for their spot in the top eight and minus ruckman Shaun Hampson, the Blues were presented with the sort of scenario that could have made for an embarrassing pratfall.

They were twice challenged by the Power, in the first and third terms, but on both occasions regrouped to run out convincing winners, 18.13 (121) to 9.13 (67) in front of 27,221 spectators.

Victory took Carlton up to fifth spot and breathing down the necks of the top four with two minor-round matches remaining, and confirmed an emerging maturity among the Blues that should play well in September.

"I think we're building confidence," Blues coach Brett Ratten said.

"We're finding out about our group that sometimes you need to play a little bit different week to week.

"You can't always play pretty, beautiful, kick 100 goals-type scenarios.

"We've gone down the path the past six or seven weeks, we've played some different brands of football.

"We've had to just roll the sleeves up sometimes and play tough, hard football, one-on-one and things like that.

"That's a pleasing aspect, our group has matured a little bit."

The Power remain in mathematical contention for a finals berth, though on current form it would be optimistic in the extreme to judge them capable of anything more than a swift first-week exit.

Carlton's win was built on midfield dominance led by Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Carrazzo.

Brendan Fevola's six-goal haul allowed him some trademark late gestures of celebration.

Shaun Burgoyne, Kane Cornes and Warren Tredrea battled hard for Port, but all were swamped in a final term that saw Carlton ram through nine goals to one.

Port Adelaide had been seeking to again erase the sins of defeat by rebounding with victory, the major pattern of a bizarre season in which they have not won consecutive matches since rounds three and four.

The Blues had to withstand a decent Power effort in the early exchanges, Travis Boak prominent through the middle.

Port would have expected to go on from their eight-point lead, but the depth of Carlton's midfield, which Power coach Mark Williams had noted warily in the build-up, began to have an effect in the second.

Murphy, Carrazzo and the silky smooth Gibbs exerted an influence, presenting plenty of opportunities up forward.

Carlton held a 25-point break at the main break.

Kicking to the scoring end in the third, Port had to get close in order to have a chance, and a staunch term by Tredrea helped them to edge within seven points.

Carlton's response was a muscular final 30 minutes that saw Fevola take his chances when it mattered, either side of a remarkable finish from deep in the forward pocket by Carrazzo.

"For two quarters we looked okay and the other two quarters we were inept, there's no doubt about it," Williams said.

"We couldn't our hands on the ball outside of the centre square. Josh Carr getting injured early caused the rotations to be down."

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