THE Carlton Reserves recorded a thrilling 10-point win over Collingwood in their curtain-raiser match on the MCG.

The result means that Carlton will play Collingwood again next week in an elimination final, taking place at Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon.

Will Hayes and Alex Cincotta both recorded 26 disposals while Ned Cahill was a livewire up forward, recording three goals.

Quarter one 

The Blues couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Josh Honey finding himself in behind the Magpies’ defence to mark and snap truly. Collingwood responded to hit the front, before a brilliant one-two between Brodie Kemp and Hayes finished with Kemp taking the lead back. Ned Cahill extended the margin before quarter time after a picture-perfect set shot from just inside 50 on a 45-degree angle. Hayes used his running power to full effect in the opening term, collecting nine disposals, three marks and a goal assist.

Quarter two 

It was tough going in the second stanza for the Blues, as Collingwood fired back with the first two goals of the quarter. Carlton’s only goal for the term came from the boot of Cahill after a 50-metre penalty took him right to the goal line and he made no mistake to register his second. Collingwood managed to find a late major and the scores were all tied up at halftime. The game couldn’t have been more evenly poised, with the Magpies leading the inside-50 count by just one and the Blues leading the tackle count by a single tackle.

Quarter three 

Both sides struggled to take control of the contest in this quarter, as the first major came 23 minutes into the term. It was Cahill again, superbly crumbing the pack and accelerating away to snap a goal that put the Blues back in front. However, it didn’t take long for a Magpie answer: they struck straight back to level the scores and that’s the way it would stay at the final change. One quarter of football remained to decide the Blues’ finals chances. Will Hayes’s game ended at three-quarter time, but he put in a brilliant performance until that point: he gathered 26 disposals and 12 marks, doing most of his work along the southern wing.

Quarter four 

It was make or break in this quarter for the Blues, and Kemp got his team off to the perfect start after he nailed his second to put Carlton a goal up. Ben Crocker then took his moment: he turned onto his right foot to snap his 33rd goal of the season, but more importantly, put the Blues 11 points ahead and one step closer to a finals berth. Some desperate defence in the closing stages held off Collingwood and Carlton booked its place in the VFL finals series.

Three things we learned:

1. The Blues are playing finals. It’s the first time that a Carlton-affiliated VFL side has made finals since 2011. Details for the Carlton Reserves’ clash with - fittingly - Collingwood will be announced soon.

2. The Blues will head into the finals series with a 4-1 record against top-eight teams after their 10-point win over the Pies. Their only loss came last week to ladder-leaders Casey.

3. The Bluebaggers made plenty of noise to will the Blues home in the last quarter at the MCG. With a huge crowd piling into the home of football for the AFL clash, there was plenty of noise in the final term, particularly when Carlton locked in its top-eight spot come the final siren.


CARLTON RESERVES        3.2     4.5     5.7      7.9 (51)
COLLINGWOOD VFL         1.3     4.5     5.7      5.11 (41)

GOALS
Carlton Reserves: Cahill 3, Kemp 2, Crocker, Honey

BEST
Carlton Reserves: Leiu, Hayes, Carroll, Plowman, Dow, Ramshaw, Cincotta, Lewis

Tarquin Oakley is a student at La Trobe University, undergoing his Bachelor of Media and Communications (Sports Journalism). He is currently undertaking an internship at the Carlton Football Club as part of its partnership with La Trobe University.