Pies pour pressure in premiership quarter surge as Blues’ horror second-half trend lives — 3-2-1
Carlton’s second half curse has rolled on, with the Blues blowing their fourth straight half time lead to suffer a fourth straight loss on Thursday night.
Collingwood outscored the Blues by 17 points in the second half, to run out 8.15 (63) to 6.10 (46) winners at a wet MCG.
In front of more than 82,000 fans, Carlton collapsed after quarter time as they managed just three goals.
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The only sour note for the Pies is the likely Match Review scrutiny for recruit Dan Houston.
Houston appeared to make contact with the head of Blue Lachie Fogarty in the second term in an incident that will no doubt be reviewed.
THE 3-2-1... (With Courtney Walsh)
3. COLLINGWOOD’S AWESOME DEFENCE PUT CARLTON TO THE SWORD
A cohesive defense from one goal square to the other is considered crucial to a side’s ability to win a flag and it proved critical in the Magpies’ stirring victory over Carlton.
After being held goalless in the second term, the Magpies elevated their pressure rating to beyond 200 in the “premiership quarter” and swiftly put the Blues to the sword.
There were some stirring moments in attack, with Lachie Schultz snaring a couple and Tim Membrey snapping another around the corner as Collingwood kicked four for the term.
But the opportunities stemmed from their disciplined attack on the ball and on Carlton, with the Blues backline bombarded by Collingwood’s relentless forays forward in a term they dominated.
Nick Daicos started to win the footy more regularly in the third term — after being held to 10 touches in the first half, he had nine in the third term — as the Magpies dictated terms.
At half-time Carlton, which enjoyed success with a run-and-gun style in the first half, led the possession count 220 to 168. By three-quarter time Collingwood had closed the deficit to 23.
The Blues led the stoppage count by one at the main break but by three quarter-time Collingwood had won the footy in the clinches 34 times to their rivals 26, while also winning 12 more contested possessions than their rivals.
Darcy Cameron took control in the ruck against hyped-Blues big man Tom de Koning, with former North Melbourne premiership defender David King branding it “a smashing”, while Steele Sidebottom was outstanding.
But as the Fox Footy analyst said, winning the footy and using the ball cleanly was only one aspect for what was a sustained assault on a rival down on form and confidence.
“We know what they can do with the ball, but … the coaching staff (and) Craig McRae would be absolutely thrilled with what (they are) seeing here given the organisation from the senior core,” King said.
“It was awesome from a defensive point of view. They (did) not give Carlton anything easy. They (were) under siege, this Carlton back six.”
Another crucial factor in Collingwood wresting the momentum was their ability to shut Carlton’s star midfielders Sam Walsh and Patrick Cripps out of the game.
The pair had been effective in the first half but Walsh, who had 17 touches at the main break, managed to gather only three touches in the third term, with three-time premiership Tiger Jack Riewoldt praising Collingwood’s team defence.
“When they haven’t had the ball, they have been able to put the pressure on,” he said.
The impact of Carlton’s best players being denied the use of the footy saw the Blues make mistake after mistake.
When Mitch McGovern charged out of defence, only to turn the footy over which led to Membrey’s fine snap, at the 14-minute mark, the Magpie army started chanting “Cooolllliiinnngggwoood”.
The margin at that stage was less than three goals, but it certainly felt like there would be only one winner. And so it proved, with Magpies small forward Lachie Schultz among those to revel in the wintry conditions.
“It is just obvious to see that when your best ball users don’t have the ball, you bleed,” King said.
2. CARLTON HUFF AND PUFF … UNTIL THE MAIN BREAK
It is the Achilles heel that has Carlton in crisis and sitting winless a month into the season.
No team in the land has a worse second half record than the Blues, who are in the doldrums leading into a trip to Adelaide for a clash against West Coast in Gather Round.
The Blues started the night in 18th position when it came to scoring after half-time this year, having kicked 8.19 (67) to their rivals’ 24.12 (156) in second halves in the first three matches.
It took only five minutes for their defence to fall apart at the seams once again in a half where Carlton was outscored 5.8 (38) to 2.5 (17), with the two goals kicked with the result beyond doubt.
“It is going to be hard for Michael Voss to deny the second half fadeouts,” King said.
“That is going to be the biggest talking point out of the night. Collingwood were dominant … and they may be just too experienced, but (it is a) talking point Michael Voss will really find difficult to ignore. Is it the personnel? Is it the system? Is it the confidence? What is it?”
After holding a four-point lead at half-time, the Blues let their lead slip when Jordan de Goey kicked his second goal for the match in the infancy of the third term. And it only got worse.
Collingwood outscored Carlton 4.6 (30) to just one point in the third term and when Ned Long, who was substituted in for de Goey, kicked a ripper to start the fourth, it was game over.
“It is just errors. It is as simple as that. They are working harder. They are well-connected,” King said.
“They are working in and out of space at the right time. Collingwood have put Carlton under that much pressure down back that they have almost thrown in the white towel.”
The Blues were praised for their willingness to move the ball swiftly and take risks in the first half when Walsh, in particular, was up and running and able to find space across the MCG.
Riewoldt liked the way Carlton changed angles in a bid to create an opportunity, while Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall noted coach Michael Voss wanted them to be bolder with their ball movement.
“We spoke to Michael Voss in the pre-game and he wants some boldness with the footy,” Dunstall said.
“He wants them to use the corridor when it is on. He wants those chains of handpasses. There is a different feel when they can move the ball.”
But it proved Fool’s Gold. Had Collingwood kicked accurately in the second term, Carlton would have been trailing at half-time.
And their inability to adapt in the third term when the rain hit and adjust to the pressure Collingwood applied proved costly, a point made by Fox Footy’s AFL 360 analyst Adam Simpson.
“It’s really clear what is happening — Collingwood are going into a mode where it’s kick-mark and getting numbers to the contest,” the former West Coast premiership coach said on SEN.
“Carlton haven’t changed anything. It’s chaos and turnover and do what we did in the first half. They haven’t reacted.”
1. SHARPENING UP IN ATTACK
The Magpies will be delighted to have trumped their long-time rivals and even happier the result will increase the spotlight on the Blues, whose finals hopes are almost dashed.
A third win in four games has them firmly ensconced in the top eight leading into a clash against the Swans at Adelaide Oval next Friday night and they look in good condition.
But they could be even better, with the Magpies accuracy when kicking for goal less than ideal to date this year.
While the Magpies kicked a stellar 21.10 (136) when smashing Port Adelaide by 91 points in Rd 1, it is the only match where they have come close to sitting on the right side of the goal-behind ledger.
Collingwood kicked 6-16 (52) against the Giants when beating by 52 points in Opening Round and 10.16 (76) when edging the Bulldogs by a goal last Friday.
Their second term malaise against Carlton, where they dominated the term but managed only five behinds before George Hewett snuck one for the Blues at the other end, continued the theme.
While the conditions were tricky given the gusty breeze and slippery conditions after half-time, the Magpies would like to kick straighter than 8.15 (63) they finished with.
“It has not been a strong suit for the Magpies this year. They are missing them from everywhere so far in the first four weeks,” King said.
Collingwood does have another concern, with recruit Dan Houston certain to draw the attention of the Match Review Officer for a heavy bump on Lachie Fogarty.
Fox Footy analyst Leigh Montagna believes Houston, who was suspended for five weeks at the end of his last year with Port Adelaide in 2024, will be banned for at least two weeks.
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