Here’s yet another reason to get along to the MCG on Sunday and help the mighty Pies overcome their fiercest rival.

After trailing Carlton on the head-to-head win-loss record since 1981, Collingwood is now within striking distance of taking the lead.

Going into this weekend’s game, the record in games played between the clubs since the VFL's first season in 1897 looks like this: 

Collingwood 124
Carlton 127
Draws 4

So a win on Sunday would move the Magpies within two victories of drawing level and three of taking the lead.

Steele Sidebottom was dominant when Collingwood posted its 123rd win over Carlton earlier this season (AFL Photos)

Collingwood last hit the front in the head-to-head battle when it defeated Carlton by one point at Victoria Park in round 16, 1981.

At that stage, Collingwood had 89 wins to Carlton’s 88.

The result in the 1981 Grand Final evened the ledger to 89-89, then the Blues took the lead with a 34-point win at Victoria Park in round three, 1982.

Carlton has remained in front since then.

The Blues’ largest lead in recent times was 14 after they defeated Collingwood by 20 points in round three, 2002.

At that point, the record looked like this:

Collingwood 103
Carlton 117
Draws 4

The gap narrowed, then grew again to 12 after Carlton won three in a row between round four, 2008 and round eight, 2009.

But the Pies have slowly whittled away the difference to the point where the lead is finally in sight.