Carlton versus Collingwood: is there any greater rivalry in Australian sport than that shared by football’s most famous inner city clubs?
It’s a hatred that can be sourced as far back as 1910 – to the days of “Jock” McHale and “Pompey” Elliott, when the old dark Navy Blues lowered their colours but once to the men from the Carringbush in a Grand Final.
But as any self-respecting Carltonian will remind you, that happened on the first Saturday in October – not the last Saturday in September – and Carlton’s Grand Final triumphs over Collingwood in the Septembers of 1915, 1938, 1970, 1979 and 1981 have more than made up for that early blemish.
Nevertheless, expect old wounds to be reopened once more when former greats of both teams again run out, in a Carlton-Collingwood charity match for cancer research and awareness at Visy Park on Sunday 4 May.
The match will be in aid of Peter McCallum Cancer Foundation, a key charity of both clubs, and the Ted EJ Whitten Foundation for Prostate Cancer Awareness for Men’s Health.
Don’t miss the famous 1995 CFC Premiership duo Anthony Kouotofides and Ange Christou, and their team of top-line CFC players, take on Peter Daicos, Leigh Brown, Damien Monkhurst, Gavin Crosisca, Phil Carmen and many other Pies stars of the 1990’s and 2000’s
The organising committee members from the Spirit of Carlton including Col Kinnear, Dennis Munari, Ian Collins, John Warden, Geoff Southby, and David Rhys Jones, together with Collingwood Past Players Keith Burns, Murray Browne, Ronnie McKeown and Mark Orval, have joined forces to reunite in combat “old timers” of the 1980s, ’90s and ’00s.
In addition to Kouta & Ange, others from Carlton expecting to run out include: Alex Marcou, Setanta O’Hailpin, Glenn Manton, Brad Fisher and Ian Aitken. The Pies will also produce many of their other stars from the same era. Legendary coach David Parkin will head up the Navy Blues, while Mick Erwin will return to coach the Pies outfit.
Bookending the game are pre-match and post-match functions in the Carlton Cafe and surrounds, with AusKick Under 12 matches to be staged at halftime, along with other special halftime activities.
The pre-match function will be a special lunch at the Carlton Café, which holds about 150 people. It will feature interviews and footage of many past greats from both clubs, and an auction of the match players’ jumpers.
The contest, which organisers anticipate will draw as many as 15,000 people, is sure to fuel that passionate and intense rivalry which exists between Carlton and Collingwood supporters like no other.
What: Navy Blues v Pies legends games
Where: Visy Park
When: Sunday 4 May, 2.00pm
Cost: Entry to the match is $10 adults, kids under 15 free.
Ticket price for the lunch is $120.00 per person, or $1,200 per table of 10. Book your ticket by contacting Mandy Hunter at the Carlton Football Club on 03 9389 6256.
For Carlton past players and Auskick participation, contact Col Kinnear on 0412 315 178.
For lunch sponsorship and other information, contact Geoff Southby on 0411 440 543.
