Presenting all you need to know about the Blues ahead of Sunday's game at the MCG
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The Blues started the season in blistering fashion, kicking the first goals of their round one match against the defending premier, Richmond. But it's no secret that things have gone south since then. Carlton's only win this season came back in round eight when it scored an upset win over Essendon at the MCG. Last weekend, the Blues failed to kick a goal in the first half against Fremantle while conceding 12 majors. The performance has promted a lot of soul-searching at the club this week, as key defender Jacob Weitering explained on carltonfc.com.au on Wednesday.
"It was obviously a disappointing weekend for the club," Weitering said. "It was certainly effort-based, which is even more disappointing. We had a very honest review [on Tuesday]. The boys have reset as individuals and as a team. We went out on the training track [on Wednesday] and had a really good session and we look forward to Collingwood now."
What they're saying
"We see this weekend’s game as a real challenge. The Pies have got a really good midfield. The last four or five weeks they’ve been one of the best midfields in the competition. We’re really looking forward to the challenge. We spoke about it early in the week in one of our line meetings and the boys are really excited for this week’s game." - Carlton assistant coach Tim Clarke
"The Pies are a pretty good team. They’re in really good form – in the top eight. They’ve got a pretty elite midfield in (Adam) Treloar, (Scott) Pendlebury, (Taylor) Adams and those sorts of blokes. I think the midfield battle will be not where it (game) is won and lost, but it will be a big part of it. I think just their spread away from the stoppage and their ball movement is very quick and makes for exciting football. They will be hard to stop but I think the boys will be up for it." - Carlton player Matthew Kennedy
Player to watch
Patrick Cripps has been a shining light for the Blues in what has been a tough season. Cripps is equal-13th in the AFL for disposals, averaging 28.3 per game.
Last time: Round 3, 2018 at the Etihad Stadium
Match report excerpt: Collingwood has eased the pressure on coach Nathan Buckley, turning a 10-goal burst either side of quarter-time into its first victory of the season at the MCG on Friday night.
The 16.4 (100) to 11.10 (76) win, owing plenty to dominant Steele Sidebottom and Brodie Grundy performances, consigned Carlton to an 0-3 start for the fifth time in six seasons.
Buckley's satisfaction at his side opening its winning account was tempered by losing the third and fourth quarters, after leading by as many as 41 points early in the second half.
"We didn't play with much conviction in the second half, but our footy in the first half after a slow start was pretty good," Buckley told reporters.
"We got outhunted – we worked our way back into that first quarter slowly and kicked the last four goals of the quarter.
"The second quarter was really strong and that's the brand we want to see more of."
CARLTON 3.2 3.4 7.8 11.10 (76)
COLLINGWOOD 4.0 9.4 13.4 16.4 (100)
GOALS
Carlton: Casboult 4, C.Curnow 2, Thomas, Garlett, Cripps, Kreuzer
Collingwood: Thomas 5, Hoskin-Elliott 3, Sidebottom 3, Reid 3, Treloar, Aish
BEST
Carlton: Casboult, Murphy, C.Curnow, Cripps, E.Curnow
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Grundy, Thomas, Crisp, Hoskin-Elliott, Treloar, Reid
INJURIES
Carlton: Marchbank (ankle)
Collingwood: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Foot, Margetts, Dalgleish
Official crowd: 68,548 at the MCG
