Geelong has increased the pressure on besieged Carlton coach Mick Malthouse, the Cats winning their seventh straight match over the Blues by 77 points at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. 

The loss, which sees the one-win Blues slump to their worst start to a season since 2002 – the year they won three games and the wooden spoon – is their seventh for the year, and Carlton dropped to 0-14 all-time in games between the sides at Etihad Stadium.

The Cats won 22.8 (140) to 9.9 (63) despite a heated battle between Joel Selwood and Ed Curnow that saw their captain kept to just 16 disposals.

Losing Bryce Gibbs to a back injury in the third quarter compounded the late withdrawal of Andrew Carrazzo, who was replaced by Carlton ruckman Robbie Warnock.

It means the Blues went in with a tall structure, but Levi Casboult, Cameron Wood and Warnock took just five marks between them, and Liam Jones took seven but went goalless.

Malthouse, who after the game strongly emphasised he was "totally aligned" with the club's rebuilding position, said injuries hadn't helped the Blues' situation this week.

"Last Friday, my word was that Michael Jamison would probably get up this week, so he could play on [Tom] Hawkins," Malthouse said.

"By Monday, it wasn't the reality so we thought we'd play Lachie Henderson on him … by Tuesday that was out of the question.

"Then we'll play Matthew Kreuzer and play him back on [Mitch] Clark … we find out Wednesday Matthew can't play.

"That's the sort of situation we're in. We're trying to get the right list up, we keep hitting roadblocks."

The Blues could also be without Chris Judd next Friday night against the Sydney Swans, with Malthouse revealing the veteran was sore after two six-day turnarounds on the hard Etihad surface.

Judd had little impact with just 12 possessions, and was icing his right knee in the rooms after the game.

They had few winners against the Cats. Kade Simpson was best in a brave performance across half back where he consistently put his body on the line and took 10 marks – four contested.

For the Cats (4-4), it was their younger players who stood up most.

Jordan Murdoch was the most prolific goal-scorer with a career-high bag of four, while Josh Caddy had 23 disposals and three goals, and joined Cameron Guthrie and Mark Blicavs as the prime ball-winners at the stoppages.

The Cats kicked 20.3 on set shots, their 22.8 (140) return easily eclipsing their previous best this season of 16.9 (105) in a round three win over Gold Coast.

James Kelly was also solid in his first game back after surgery to repair a ruptured testicle in round five.

After coughing up six goals to two in the first quarter, the Blues burned some chances early in the second.

Troy Menzel and Jones both took marks within range and missed set shots, although Dale Thomas was able to orchestrate a goal from a clever snap after some early inaccuracy.

VIDEO: David Rhys-Jones and Shane McInnes give their post-match reaction

Thomas – who ended with 14 touches and two goals - had four shots in the first term but managed just one major and two behinds, while Menzel finished with four goals.

The Cats were also wasteful with chances at times, with Tom Hawkins burning two set shots in the second despite getting the better of opponent Simon White.

But 11 goals to four after half time, despite Dennis Armfield keeping Steven Motlop quiet and Hawkins kicking just one, saw the Cats fire up the blowtorch.

GEELONG 6.1 11.5 18.6 22.8 (140)
CARLTON 2.4 5.7 8.8 9.9 (63) 

GOALS
Geelong: Murdoch 4, Caddy 3, Clark 3, Selwood 2, Kersten 2, Hawkins, Guthrie, Johnson, Gregson, Lang, Kelly, Lonergan, Stanley
Carlton: Menzel 4, Thomas 2, Yarran, Tutt, Armfield

BEST
Geelong: Murdoch, Caddy, Guthrie, Thurlow, Blicavs, Stokes, Kelly
Carlton: Simpson, Curnow, Armfield, Menzel

INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Carlton: Andrew Carrazzo (calf) replaced in selected side by Robbie Warnock, Gibbs (back)

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Andrew Mackie replaced Darcy Lang in the third quarter
Carlton: Dylan Buckley replaced Bryce Gibbs in the third quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Dalgleish, Stevic, Mollison

Official crowd: 32,032 at Etihad Stadium