AFL 2020: Collingwood defeats Carlton in a thriller

Collingwood has left Carlton’s season hanging by a thread after a second half clean sweep dramatically turned their clash on its head.

Collingwood punished Carlton in the second half.

Carlton has been left staring into the abyss after a second half shut out against the Magpies left their finals campaign hanging by a thread.

The Pies came back from nine-points down in the third quarter to secure a 10.12 (72) to 7.6 (48) victory that sees them jump up to sixth on the AFL ladder.

The Pies had no Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, Jordan De Goey or Jeremy Howe — but they had no worries in a second half blitz where they kept the Blues goalless.

The Blues didn’t kick a goal after Jack Newnes kicked the last goal of the first half at the 26-minute mark of the second term.

Collingwood kicked five goals to none in the second half and should have had more if not for some wayward kicking in front of the big sticks.

The result may be the end of the Blues’ season — adding a cherry on top of the win for the Magpies, who also levelled the record in the AFL’s oldest rivalry at 127 wins each.

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There was high drama in the fourth quarter when there was a massive collision between Carlton star Patrick Cripps and Chris Mayne.

Mayne was left unable to get back to his feet in the aftermath of the collision, but was eventually able to be helped off the ground without needing the stretcher that was brought out to him.

Chris Mayne has been helped off the field after this collision with Cripps. #AFLBluesPies pic.twitter.com/fJk9Hgwl1r

— AFL (@AFL) August 30, 2020

Mayne was clearly groggy after Cripps accidentally put his shoulder through Mayne’s face after collecting a loose ball just a brief moment before making contact with his opponent.

Cripps was himself forced down to the dressing rooms to be assessed after appearing to wear some heavy contact above his knee just a few minutes later.

The Pies jumped the Saints on the ladder.

He hobbled to the bench but returned a few minutes later after being treated in the room.

While he was off the ground, Collingwood kicked its third straight goal of the second half through Josh Daicos.

When Brody Mihocek kicked a long-range goal a couple minutes later, the Pies were out to a 19-point lead with seven minutes to play.

Josh Daicos. This skill is in his genes 🙌#AFLBluesPies pic.twitter.com/xTKvMtqcrL

— AFL (@AFL) August 30, 2020

The Blues never looked like challenging them in the final frantic minutes.

Earlier, the Blues kicked four of the last five goals of the first half to take an eight-point lead into the second half.

The Blues’ red-hot run to the half time siren included a second goal to star forward Eddie Betts.

“He’s as wily and crafty as ever,” St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt told Fox Footy.

“He doesn’t need many opportunities, does he, to have a really big impact on the scoreboard.”

Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett told 3AW: “This is about as dangerous as I have seen Eddie Betts for many, many, many weeks”.

Mason Cox kicked the only goal of the third term to cut the Blues’ lead to just two points heading into the fourth quarter.

After a series of near-misses, Collingwood star Jaidyn Stephenson kicked the first goal of the fourth quarter to give the Pies a seven-point lead mid-way through the term.

The Blues simply didn’t respond.