The game as it stands 

In the context of the season as well as the 30th anniversary of the Peter Mac Cup, it's safe to say the stakes are high when the two old enemies meet under Friday night lights.

With Carlton searching for its sixth win in a row against the ladder-leading Collingwood, nothing will come easily. 

Despite a few key outs, Carlton will be regaining skipper Patrick Cripps into the line-up, along with Adam Cerra, Caleb Marchbank, Jack Martin, Matthew Owies and Marc Pittonet.

Marchbank will play his first game of 2023 after putting together some strong VFL form in recent weeks, particularly on the back of a 29-disposal outing last weekend.

George Hewett will run out for his 150th game, having largely been a mainstay of Carlton's midfield since his arrival prior to the 2022 season after 120 games with Sydney.

It’s safe to say there’s a lot going on and all eyes will be firmly on the MCG on Friday night from 7:50pm (AEST). 

Key match up

The last time these two teams played, Darcy Moore was the best player on the ground with 10 intercept marks.

He's likely to spend considerable time on Charlie Curnow, who's coming off a bag of 10 goals and looking increasingly dangerous in front of goal.

With Moore ranked first in the competition for intercept marks and Curnow the same for contested marks, the battle of what could be the All-Australian full back and full forward will be an engrossing one.

In the absence of Harry McKay, the Moore-Curnow match-up will truly be a battle of the titans in Carlton's forward 50.

Player to watch 

Marc Pittonet had an outstanding return to football in the VFL last week, where the ruckman produced 16 disposals, eight clearances and eight tackles after managing a PCL strain.

In the absence of Jack Silvagni, Pittonet’s return couldn’t come at a better time – lining up with Tom De Koning, with the ruck partners reunited in Navy Blue once more. 

With De Koning fresh off a two-year contract extension and Pittonet always ready for a bash-and-crash affair, the big men will need to put their physicality on show against the Pies.

Goss from Voss

Speaking to the media on Thursday morning, AFL Senior Coach Michael Voss said he wasn’t concerned about a ‘shootout’ scenario taking place. 

“If we want to create a scoreboard threat, then that’s part of the challenge,” Voss said.  

“I’d like to think that is more the end outcome – if it works out that it’s high scoring or if it works out that we’re playing 45-45, then we’ll play that as well. 

“We’ve got some important parts of our game that we need to make sure that we get right and if the rewards are on the end of it, then so be it. But we have to make sure the other parts of our game hold up really strongly.” 

Things we love to see 

More than football, more than just a rivalry. 

The annual Peter Mac Cup - now into its 30th year - and subsequent Richard Pratt Medal is something that brings Carlton and Collingwood together, raising awareness for the Peter Mac Cancer Centre and cancer treatment as a whole. 

While all focus will be on the game come the first bounce, the Peter Mac Cup serves as a reminder about football being a vehicle for positive change.

HOW SWEET it is.

Carlton has recorded its sixth win in succession, accounting for old enemy Collingwood by 17 points in front of a packed home of football. 

With 86,785 in the house, the Blues overcame an early swoop from the Magpies to lead for the majority of the contest, taking home the Peter Mac Cup in the process. 

It was once again an all-round team showing for the Blues, with Nic Newman and Jacob Weitering brilliant in defence, Adam Cerra shining in the middle before being subbed out with a hamstring strain, and a six-goal haul from Charlie Curnow ending with the Richard Pratt Medal for best on ground.

Quarter one

Fresh off a two-year contract, Tom De Koning start in the centre bounce for the Blues, as did Sam Docherty. Collingwood’s start was ferocious, kicking the opening two goals inside the first 10 minutes before Carlton could fire a shot. It was a forward-turned-defender who fired that very shot, when Mitch McGovern launched truly from inside the centre square to get the Blues on the board. Brodie Kemp and Jacob Weitering were busy early, taking a pair of intercept marks as the Pies continued to press. It could’ve been an egregious start for the Blues, but unlike when these two sides met in Round 10, the team was able to respond, stemming the bleeding before getting momentum on their side. The wingmen in Ollie Hollands and Blake Acres were busy on both sides of the ball, before small forwards Jesse Motlop and Jack Martin kicked truly. A flurry of late behinds meant scores were level at the first change, with the Blues getting on top around the ball (+10 contested possessions) but the Pies more efficient in turning their forward forays to scoring opportunities. 

Quarter two

Ill discipline threatened to take the game away for the Blues early in the piece, with a series of downfield free kicks handing the Pies the lead back. However, just as the team did in the first term, Carlton was able to recalibrate and respond, troubling Collingwood with their aggression at the ball and man. It started at the source and there was no greater embodiment of that than Adam Cerra: the on-baller was brilliant in the second term, accumulating 10 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency as well as five clearances to get his side rolling. Despite Charlie Curnow getting plenty of attention from the excellent Darcy Moore, the Blues were finding different avenues to goal, as a passionate Matthew Owies got the Carlton faithful roaring. At the other end of the ground, Weitering continued to do what he’s done for the last two months, intercepting brilliantly on the last line, while Nic Newman’s contest and class was once again at the forefront. The final four goals of the term saw the Blues take a 17-point lead into the main break.

Quarter three

While the Blues had the running leading into the main break, there was never any doubt that the Pies would come, and that was shown with a Josh Daicos goal inside the opening minute of the half. Carlton’s task was about to get a bit more difficult, when Cerra - who was clearly best afield to the main break - was subbed out due to hamstring tightness. In his absence, the Blues needed to step up, and Curnow was the man to step up to the plate. Kicking two goals for the term, Carlton was able to keep Collingwood at arm’s length, with the Blues’ wingers doing plenty of work offensively and defensively: Hollands provided an assist for Jack Martin’s third after a spoil on the last line, while a desperate lunge from Acres in the goal square stopped a certain goal. It was the kind of desperation which typified the team all night, particularly by the small forwards, with the Blues posting 10 forward-50 tackles to four at the final change. Newman continued an exemplary night and individual season with some brilliant moments behind the ball, as Carlton’s defensive mix just about held on in a desperate final stanza to hold onto a 19-point lead.

Quarter four

Nobody in attendance nor those watching at home would’ve needed any reminders about what could happen in a last quarter when the Blues play the Pies. All eyes were on who could rip the game apart from either side, and the answer was - as it so often has been in the last 18 months - Charlie Curnow. The Pies had no answer for the key forward, who kicked three final-quarter goals - all from free kicks - to the delight of the Carlton faithful at a packed MCG. Of course, he wasn’t alone, with Patrick Cripps fighting for every possession and willing himself to every contest as he has so often done against the old enemy. While Jeremy Howe provided a nuisance up forward from a Carlton point of view, the Blues were able to keep the Pies at an arm’s length, prevailing by 17 points for their sixth win in a row — and their first over the old enemy since 2021.

Three things we learned

1. If there was a discussion about Charlie Curnow kicking goals against supposed lowly teams, Friday night debunked that theory — as unlikely as it seemed at half time. Curnow was on one goal and had been an unselfish focal point rather than dominant goalkicker in the opening two terms, but he ripped it apart in the third and fourth quarters. Finishing with six goals for the game, Curnow was electric in a Richard Pratt Medal-winning performance, and he was well supported by a clever Jack Martin (three goals), classy Jesse Motlop (two goals) and fiery Matt Owies (one goal).

2. It was an impressive rear-guard performance from the Blues, and a few leaders were at the forefront of that. Coming home with a bullet in terms of All-Australian selection, Jacob Weitering didn’t let Brody Mihocek get the better of him on this occasion, restricting him to just eight possessions. Then, there was Nic Newman, who was leading from the front when it came to the Blues getting in the face of the opposition. He finished with more disposals and contested possessions than any other Blue, while also accumulating seven tackles.

3. Carlton’s growth in the last six weeks was there for all to see under Friday night lights. Up against the clear benchmark of the competition, the Blues were tenacious in offence and defence in equal measure, sweating on the Pies’ every move as has been a hallmark of recent weeks. With 10 more clearances, 33 more contested possessions and 10 more tackles, the Blues weren’t going to die wondering: Cripps led the charge, with his 10 tackles comfortably the most of anyone on the night.

COLLINGWOOD      3.4     4.6     6.11       10.16 (76)
CARLTON                  3.4     7.5     10.6       14.9 (93)

GOALS
Carlton: Curnow 6, Martin 3, Motlop 2, Cincotta, McGovern, Owies

BESTS
Carlton: Newman, Curnow, Weitering, Acres, Martin, Cripps, Cerra