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| Venue: | MCG. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date: | Sunday May 21, 2023 (3.20 pm). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: | Lost by 28 points | ||||||||||||||||||
| Crowd: | 80,345 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: | C. Curnow 3.2, H. McKay 2.2, M. Owies 2.1, A. Cerra 0.2, M. Cottrell 0.1, E. Curnow 0.1, J. Silvagni 0.1, Rushed 0.5. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Umpires: | 23 - Robert Findlay, 16 – Brendan Hosking, 21 – Simon Meredith 4 – Justin Power | ||||||||||||||||||
| Injuries: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ladder: | 11th | ||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Carlton fall to ladder leaders Collingwood
The Blues fell by 28 points against the Pies in Sir Doug Nicholls Round. - By Rose Zarucky, Carlton MediaA 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.
Pie’s all-time AFL record in All-Aus message; ‘big difference’ shows how bad it is for Blues — 3-2-1 - Ben Cotton from Fox Sports.
Collingwood has consigned arch-rivals Carlton to its fifth loss in six games, keeping the Pies one game clear atop the AFL ladder and the Blues out of the top eight - 13.7 (85) to 7.15 (57). The Pies stormed out of the blocks with five goals to one in the opening quarter, with the Blues never able to truly cut into the margin from then on, with goalkicking inaccuracy marring their efforts. Collingwood will be heavy favourites against the 17th-placed North Melbourne in round 11, while Carlton has a must-win clash with Sydney at the SCG on Friday night.
1st Quarter
Bobby Hill got on the end of a nice chain from the Pies in the first two minutes of the game before celebrating directly at the Carlton cheersquad. Harry McKay responded at the other end through with a beautiful set shot to build some confidence after his wayward kicking has been an issue in recent weeks. It was a fiery start to the game with scuffles breaking out twice in the first 10 minutes including Josh Daicos getting his jumper ripped. The Magpies would kick the next three goals of the game, with Channel 7 caller Brian Taylor noting Craig McRae’s side looked “sharp.” Pies ruckman Darcy Cameron was having a huge impact in his return game, with Collingwood dominating clearances and the territory battle early. “This has got to be a real concern now already in the coaches box for Carlton,” Channel 7 commentator Tim Watson noted of Cameron’s influence. Jack Crisp made it four-straight Collingwood goals to continue his side’s red-hot start. “The alarms bells would be ringing everywhere (for Carlton),” former Demons skipper Nathan Jones said on Channel 7. “With the dominance around clearance, territory and scores from that area. Carlton need to rectify that issue.” Collingwood took a 24-point lead into quarter-time, 5.2 (32) to 1.2 (8).
2nd Quarter
The Blues had their best chain of the game early in the second term leading to a McKay set shot from a tight angle, but he couldn’t convert. In one of the highlights of the game, Ash Johnson took a huge hanger deep in the Pies’ forward line and kicked their first goal of the second term. “That's a big, big grab,” Channel 7 called James Brayshaw said. Taylor added “That’s sensational. He’s got so much confidence this guy,” while Jones called the mark “as pure as it gets.” After Charlie Curnow got one back for the Carlton, the Magpies continued their surge with the next three goals with several breathtaking plays. “Their amazing offence is built off brilliant defence ... when they win it back, the change the angle back into the corridor and create overlap and run,” Jones said. Brayshaw added: “It’s just a wave of Collingwood players coming at them.” Blues coach Michael Voss could be seen with animated discussion on the bench with some of his charges. A Mihocek goal put the margin out to 44 points, but the Blues kicked the next two via Curnow and Matthew Owies to settle somewhat. Curnow missed another opportunity for a major shortly after, however, with the Pies making no such mistake at the other end via Mihocek. Collingwood entered half-time with a 35-point lead.
3rd Quarter
There was a lull in scoring to open the second half, with Mason Cox registering the first score - a behind - at the seven-minute mark of the term, with both he and Owies missing regulation chances in front of goal for their respective sides. Curnow kicked the first goal of the second half, trimming the margin to 29 points. While the Blues continued to press, a costly turnover paved the way for Mihocek to snap through his fourth goal, this time from the top of the goalsquare. Carlton missed another regulation set shot, this time via Adam Cerra, hindering their hopes of a comeback despite outperforming the Pies in some areas of general play. The Pies led by 32 points at the final change.
4th Quarter
Yet again the Blues created opportunities and were unable to capitalise, which made Beau McCreery’s goal crucial for the Pies as they extended their lead to 37 points. McKay kicked a goal, but it was matched by Cox at the other end as the margin continued to hover around 30 points for the remainder of the contest.
THE 3-2-1 ...
3) MOORE SETS INTERCEPT MARKING RECORD IN ENTHRALLING CURNOW BATLLE
Footy fans were treated to a ripping battle between arguably the best forward and best defender in the game in Charlie Curnow and Darcy Moore. Although Curnow finished with 3.2 and had some brilliant moments, Moore was probably the best player on the ground including setting an AFL record with 11 intercept marks. A human wall Carlton consistently couldn’t get past, Moore controlled the game in the defensive half by picking off seemingly every Blues kick that went near him. Seven-time All-Australian Nathan Buckley was full of praise for the Magpies skipper’s “huge” intercepting efforts. “It is what the best players ask of you – are you going to play your way? Or are you going to try and adapt to go around us?” Buckley posed on Fox Footy. “You can go around Moore if you like, but it’s easier said than done. He’s positioning himself really well and gets line of the ball. If Curnow gets too high, he drops off.” For Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton, it’s crucial for Carlton – and any team that comes up against Moore – to put itself in imposing areas to challenge the star defender. “You have to be dangerous so he thinks: ‘Do I or don’t I go with you?’ You’ve got to be so dangerous that you put it in his mind: ‘I can’t let him go, because he’s still within striking distance if he gets the ball’,” Brereton said on Fox Footy. “If you want to mark the ball on the wing, he’ll let you go and he’ll intercept the next possession.” Buckley support Brereton’s claim, noting how when Carlton and Curnow got on top late in the second term, it indeed forced Moore to think and play more defensive. “I’m pretty sure Darcy would’ve felt that … Charlie was getting up and about. It makes you get sticker as a defender,” Buckley said. “Curnow needs to keep going to ask Moore a question of whether he‘s going to position himself where he wants, or go and defend a bit harder.” It’s fair to ask whether Moore is the All-Australian captain favourite right now.
2) ‘BIG DIFFERENCE’ BETWEEN THE TEAMS
The kicking inside 50 efficiency was “the big difference” between the two clubs in the first half when Collingwood got separation in the game, according to Cats legend Cameron Mooney. Continuing what we’ve seen from the two clubs in the first nine rounds, the Magpies went into their attacking zones with more purpose and hit their targets, while the Blues failed to have that same connection. For Mooney, Carlton’s kicking inside 50 was “horrendous at times” as it consistently kicked the ball down Moore’s throat compared to the more precise Pies at the other end of the ground. This was very much reflected in the numbers in the first half when Collingwood surged ahead, with the Pies‘ inside 50 efficiency over 50 per cent compared to Carlton’s at sub 40 per cent. Outside of that, there wasn’t that much separating these two sides on the day, with contested possessions (+5 to Collingwood) and clearances (+9 to Carlton) both relatively even and both teams going inside 50 50 times each. Mooney lauded the Magpies’ outstanding kicking and decision making going inside 50 in what he believes put them a class above. “You really are seeing a team on the top of it’s game – an A-grade team vs a C-grade team – at the moment,” he told Fox Footy at half-time. “Then when (Collingwood) get it in there, it’s the way they can compete and mark the ball. “The spread you’re seeing here from Collingwood has been real dangerous as well. The way they’ve been able to get out and spread from those stoppages has just been fantastic. “And then the kicking going inside 50, that’s really been the big difference.”
1) ‘SENSATIONAL’: INDIGENOUS PIES’ HIGHLIGHT PLAYS
When they’re on, the Magpies are just about the most exciting team in the competition. They very much lived up to that against Carlton with several highlight plays, and fittingly, it was led by a pair of Indigenous Magpies in Ash Johnson and Bobby Hill in Sir Douglas Nicholls Round. There was perhaps no greater highlight than Johnson‘s monster mark of the year contender deep in the Collingwood forward line in the second term. “That's a big, big grab,” Channel 7 called James Brayshaw said of Johnson’s mark. Fellow Channel 7 caller Brian Taylor added: “That’s sensational. He’s got so much confidence, this guy,” while former Demons skipper Nathan Jones called the mark “as pure as it gets.” Hill provided some thrilling moments as well, two in particular. The small forward wasted no time to make his mark on the contest, kicking the first goal of the game before celebrating right in front of the Carlton cheer squad. Then in the second term, Hill made a lightning run down the wing, sold some candy and set up a Brody Mihocek goal. Indeed, these Pies were hot.
Team
| B: | 23 Jacob Weitering | 33 Lewis Young | 24 Nic Newman |
| HB: | 11 Mitch McGovern | 15 Sam Docherty | 42 Adam Saad |
| C: | 46 Matthew Cottrell | 9 Patrick Cripps (c) | 13 Blake Acres |
| HF: | 35 Ed Curnow | 3 Jesse Motlop | 1 Jack Silvagni |
| F: | 19 Corey Durdin | 30 Charlie Curnow | 10 Harry McKay |
| Ruck: | 27 Marc Pittonet | 7 Matthew Kennedy | 5 Adam Cerra |
| Interchange: | 14 Ollie Hollands | 18 Sam Walsh | 37 Jordan Boyd |
| 44 Matt Owies | |||
| Substitute: | 29 George Hewett | ||
| Coach: | Michael Voss | ||
| Emergencies: | 12 Tom De Koning | 25 Zac Fisher | 39 Alex Cincotta |
In: Jordan Boyd
Out: Alex Cincotta
Substitute: George Hewett (replaced Ollie Hollands at half-time).
Milestones
50 Games (AFL): Marc PittonetInteresting Facts
1. Adam Cerra had a career-high 29 uncontested possessions.AFLCA Votes
10 - Darcy Moore (COLL)8 - Josh Daicos (COLL)
6 - Brody Mihocek (COLL)
4 - Scott Pendlebury (COLL)
1 - Jordan De Goey (COLL)
1 - Steele Sidebottom (COLL)
Brownlow Votes
3 - Tom Mitchell (COLL)2 - Darcy Moore (COLL)
1 - Brody Mihocek (COLL)
Best and Fairest Votes
Video
Round 9 | Round 11