Australian Football

Match Report

Collingwood overcame a sluggish start comprehensively thrash Carlton and establish a three-game buffer over the Blues in front of over 78,000 fans at the NCG on Friday night. The win lifted the Magpies to seventh on the ladder, a game clear of eighth-placed Port Adelaide and two games clear of the West Coast Eagles, whose win over Adelaide lifted them to ninth.

Having come into the match on the back of a poor performance against Port Adelaide, Collingwood appeared to be heading towards another disappointing loss as Carlton jumped out of the blocks and kicked the first three goals of the match through Jeff Garlett (two goals) and Brock McLean. Travis Cloke responded with Collingwood's first but the Blues then kicked five of the next six goals to set up a 28-ppint lead at the 27-minute mark.

At that point it appeared the Carlton were going to have a big night but the Magpies amazingly managed to kick three goals in the last five minutes of play before the quarter time siren and, although they went to the first break still trailing by nine points, they had all the momentum.

That momentum was carried through into the second term and Collingwood kicked the quarter's first two goals to grab the lead at the seven-minute mark. Eddie Betts responded with a goal to restore the lead to the Blues soon after but when Brent Macaffer kicked the next for Collingwood as the second quarter entered time on, such was the transformation that had come over the match that Carlton never again regained the lead.

Collingwood's performance from that moment was consummate. The Magpies led by 24 points at the long break and by 47 at three-quarter time, before easing down to win in a canter by 41 points.

For the Magpies, Dane Swan was magnificent, gathering more than 40 touches for the 12th time in his illustrious career, while Sam Reid, who kicked four goals after being shifted into attack after Blue Jarrad Waite was injured in the first quarter, also played an excellent game. Brock McLean and Chris Judd were amongst Carlton's best.

The loss left Carlton's finals chances hanging by a thread. The Blues are now in 11th place on he ladder, and two games plus percentage behind eighth-placed Port Adelaide. They take on St Kilda, who defeated them in round seven, at Docklands on Saturday night. The Magpies will have a chance to further cement their place in the top eight when they take on the Crows at the MCG this Friday night.

GOALS
Carlton: Garlett, Kreuzer 2; McLean, Casboult, Lucas, McInnes, Betts, Henderson, Cachia, Yarran
Collingwood: Cloke 5; Reid 4; Witts 2; Thomas, Pendlebury, Macaffer, Dwyer, Krakouer, Seedsman

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Carlton: Judd, McLean, Walker, Carrazzo
Collingwood: Reid, Swan, Cloke, Pendlebury, Shaw, Ball, Thomas

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Carlton: McLean, Carrazzo, Kreuzer, Judd, Lucas
Collingwood: Swan, Cloke, Reid, Pendlebury, Shaw, Ball, Sidebottom

COACHES' COMMENTS
Mick Malthouse (Carl): My biggest concern, outside of Collingwood - certainly no excuse whatsoever - was the rain up in Sydney and what it took out of the legs. But we were beaten by a better side. Three or four minutes before quarter time, we just allowed them too many easy goals which got them back in the game. They then destroyed us in the second quarter and partial third quarter.

Nathan Buckley (Coll): Excellent. We obviously didn't come out of the gates too well. The last five minutes of the first quarter showed that there was a response, there was a fight. We weren't very clean around the ball, we weren't good around the stoppages in the first 15 minutes. But once the game stabilised I thought we dominated it.

INJURIES
Carlton: Waite (left knee); Betts (left hip)
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Dennis Armfield replaced Jarrad Waite in the first quarter
Collingwood: Ben Kennedy replaced Clinton Young in the fourth quarter

UMPIRES: Nicholls, Chamberlain, Meredith