> Watch Steele Sidebottom speak to CTV in the Lexus Centre after the loss to Carlton> Watch Mick Malthouse address the media after the lossAN UNDERMANNED Collingwood side has suffered a 51-point defeat at the hands of traditional rivals Carlton at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues led from the word go and ran out 16.8 (104) to 7.11 (53) winners as the Magpies battled to kick goals for the second week running.
The match was played in front of a crowd of 82,834, which was the biggest attendance at a Collingwood-Carlton clash since round one, 1995. However, the match quickly slid into a lop-sided contest.
The loss of Paul Medhurst before the bounce didn't help the Pies' situation, as they were already without injured goal-kickers Travis Cloke, Anthony Rocca, Alan Didak and Dale Thomas.
Medhurst was a late withdrawal with the ankle injury he picked up in round six and was replaced by Alan Toovey, while Dane Swan played despite being under a fitness cloud.
Swan was one of the most prolific Pies with 30 possessions, while Scott Pendlebury had 30 and six clearances, Marty Clarke provided some grunt with six tackles and Simon Prestigiacomo was solid against Brendan Fevola (eight touches, no goals).
However, the absence of so many forwards mortally wounded the Magpies, which showed as early as the first term when they struggled to capitalise on their inside 50s.
The Blues, headed by Chris Judd (best on ground with 32 influential touches) and Bryce Gibbs (25 disposals), won nine clearances to five for the quarter and made use of their attacking thrusts with 5.1 from 11 inside 50s.
In comparison, the Pies were left goalless after failing to make use of their 12 ventures into their forward arc, and consequently trailed by 27 points at the first change.
Carlton got the first goal of the second through Matthew Kreuzer three minutes in, while the Pies continued to struggle to find avenue through the big sticks.
It took 14 minutes before the black and white army had an opportunity to cheer when Ben Reid sailed a set shot through the goals, but the Blues' stunning start and an increase in the effectiveness of Jarrad Waite meant the Magpies remained 27 points in arrears.
Carlton's Chris Yarran pushed through the only other major for the congested half when he goaled 24 minutes in.
Trailing by 32 points at the main break, the last thing the Pies needed was for the Blues to get an early break in the third. However, that's exactly what happened with Shaun Hampson goaling within three minutes, and then Judd converting after taking a terrific contested mark five minutes later.
Tarkyn Lockyer and Leon Davis gave their side a glimmer of hope when back to back goals to cut the margin to 32 points, but that was it for the term for Collingwood with the Blues kicking another two to take a 45-point lead into the final stanza.
It became the Eddie Betts show in the opening five minutes of the last term as he kicked two straight and put his side 57 points clear. Lockyer pegged one back, but it was superficial as the Blues put the foot down again to snare another two through Marc Murphy and Mitch Robinson.
Dayne Beams and Jack Anthony goaled as the game wore down and Betts nailed another at the 20-minute mark. The game then ended with Lockyer sinking his third as the siren rang.
The two sides will meet again in round 17, which will give the Magpies another chance to triumph over the Blues for the first time since round 18, 2007.
Collingwood will now travel to Perth to face West Coast at Subiaco on Saturday evening while Carlton plays Adelaide at AAMI Stadium that afternoon.
Collingwood 0.4 1.7 3.9 7.11 (53)
Carlton 5.1 7.3 11.6 16.8 (104)
GOALS
Collingwood: Lockyer 2, Anthony 2, Reid, Davis, Beams
Carlton: Betts 4, Waite 3, Murphy 2, Austin, Kreuzer, Yarran, Hampson, Judd, Stevens, Robinson
BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Clarke, Prestigiacomo, Swan, Lockyer
Carlton: Judd, Gibbs, Waite, Murphy, Betts, Thornton, Simpson
INJURIES
Collingwood: Medhurst (ankle) out, replaced in selected side by Toovey
Carlton: Wiggins (hamstring tightness) out, replaced in selected side by Browne, Scotland (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: James, Grun, Ryan
Official crowd: 82,834 at the MCG
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
