A HEATED contest ended in defeat Carlton, falling by 28 points to Collingwood.

From the get go, the game was in Collingwood’s hands, bursting out of the blocks with fast ball movement to kick out to a 44-point lead midway through the second term.

The midfield group of Sam Docherty, Adam Cerra and Sam Walsh did everything in their power in the second half to get the Blues going, while Charlie Curnow slotted three goals, but 3.9 - plus too big of a deficit - saw the Blues fall to the old enemy.

Quarter one 

The first quarter was played all on Collingwood’s terms, with the away team forcing turnovers and moving the ball quickly back toward its goal. The Pies made the most of their 13 inside 50s, kicking five goals to the Blues’ one. Carlton’s singular goal came from Harry McKay, who kicked truly from 45 and got them on the board. From there, however, locking it in the 50 was a difficult task for the Blues, who were unable to get their hands on the ball. Adam Cerra played with composure around the middle while Sam Docherty also provided leadership and grit where it was needed, but the Blues carried a 24-point deficit into the quarter-time break. 

Quarter two 

Collingwood made the most of its fast handball game, kicking four goals from defensive chains and leaving Carlton chasing tail. Charlie Curnow found himself taking marks higher up the ground, as well as slotting two goals to keep the spark alive. A clever goal on the run from Matt Owies was the Blues’ third for the term - set up by some clean play out of the middle - but there was an immediate answer from the opposition. Darcy Moore's presence was troublesome for the Blues, who trailed by 35 points when the half-time siren rang.

Quarter three 

The Blues held their own in defence in the third term, holding the Pies to one goal as they began to get the game on their terms. Unfortunately for the Blues, they weren’t able to take their dominance into their offence, kicking one goal and four behinds. The catalyst for the upturn in form was the ability to hit targets when moving in transition, defending the corridor and getting handball chains going to advance the ball up the ground. On return, Jordan Boyd did well to halve contests, as the Blues looked to defend more aggressively after a slow start. However, their inability to convert in front of goal meant they trailed by 32 points at the final break.

Quarter four 

It was more of the same in the final quarter, as the Blues had their chances in front of goal but were unable to gain any major scoreboard momentum. Three behinds in a row was eventually met by a McKay goal in what proved to be a slog of a final term, played between the arcs.  Sam Walsh’s pressure was rampant as the Blues scrounged for every possession, while a late goal from Owies was personal reward for effort despite the 28-point defeat.

CARLTON                 1.2     4.6      5.10       7.15 (57)
COLLINGWOOD      5.2     10.2     11.6       13.7 (85)