‘Twenty games to go’: Key Blue not down in the dumps over Carlton’s 0-4 start

The story, unfortunately, will be Carlton given that they entered this season with premiership – and certainly finals – aspirations and are 0-4. The scores tonight were highly flattering to the Blues, who were really nowhere near Collingwood in terms of organisation, decision-making or pressure. The Magpies profligacy – botching many chances – kept the scores to under three goals when the margin should have been six to eight goals. The game was flat, with relatively few highlights, and flatter still for those of navy blue hue. They will need a turnaround as dramatic as Hawthorn’s last season or their own in mid-2023 to play finals. On personnel and underlying capability, this doesn’t seem likely, to put it mildly,

Two armed men have been arrested inside the MCG after bypassing security and carrying loaded firearms into the Thursday night’s blockbuster between Collingwood and Carlton.

The loaded guns were found hidden down the men’s pants in a major breach of the stadium’s security as more than 82,000 fans watched Carlton’s round four defeat.

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Carlton defender Jacob Weitering maintained there were no excuses for the Blues after a brutal 0-4 start to the season, but the veteran campaigner pointed out the club’s season was still in its embryonic stage.

“No excuses [about tonight]. This is going to be a really good time for us to re-set,” Weitering told Channel Seven after the costly loss to Collingwood.

Carlton’s next match is nine days away – against West Coast at Adelaide Oval as part of the AFL’s Gather Round.

“Travel as a well so a good time to get a bit closer as a group, have some really honest and transparent conversations,” Weitering said.

Magpie Jamie Elliott evades a tackle by Jacob Weitering.Credit: Getty Images

“Vossy’s [coach Michael Voss] excellent in terms of how calculated and articulate he is with the way he coaches, and he gets us up and about.

“Again, there’s still 20 games to go. There’s a long time in this season.

“We’ve done it before [saved our season]. We know we’ve got the group to do it. We’ve just to pull the majority with us, and I’m sure we can do it.”

Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury was rapt to come away with another four points as the Magpies continued to improve their season with tonight’s win against Carlton after they went missing in an opening round loss to Greater Western Sydney.

“It was a really hard slog. Conditions were wet, windy as,” Pendlebury told Channel Seven immediately after the match.

“I felt we didn’t kick very straight when we had a bit of dominance in play.

“But it was a great contest as always against Carlton. It was really good to get that win.

“We put a good block of work in now, coming off a bye we trained really well and prepared ourselves for a really fierce contest tonight and that’s what we got, and the boys stood up.”

All smiles: Scott Pendlebury.Credit: via Getty Images

The complexion of the match changed noticeably after half-time when Collingwood completely starved Carlton of scoring chances.

“It was a really big focus after half-time. We felt they were moving the ball too easily through the middle of the ground, and shifting us,” Pendlebury said.

“We really wanted to be able to contain that. We still knew they were trying to try and through there, but there would be turnover opportunities if we were able to defend properly.

“We felt we were able to do that, and we were able to get enough gap in the game to hold on.”

Boom Collingwood recruit Dan Houston doesn’t seem too fazed about the ramifications of his high bump on Carlton’s Lachie Fogarty in the first half.

The former Port Adelaide player missed five matches for his bump on Adelaide’s Izak Rankine late last year.

“I thought I had a fair play on the ball, and I’ve gone to protect myself. And those things happen,” Houston said after the match.

Collingwood’s Dan Houston and the incident in question. CREDIT: Channel Seven.Credit: Seven

He was quizzed by Channel Seven’s Mitch Cleary on the field after the final siren.

“I didn’t actually realise it happened until you mentioned it. I was fully focused on the team,” Houston said.

“I think it’s such a hard game to play, especially behind the ball. You’ve got to make split-second decisions when you see the ball coming at you.

“He was in front of me.”

31 - Sam Walsh, Josh Daicos
30 - Scott Pendlebury, Blake Acres
29 - George Hewett

The story, unfortunately, will be Carlton given that they entered this season with premiership – and certainly finals – aspirations and are 0-4. The scores tonight were highly flattering to the Blues, who were really nowhere near Collingwood in terms of organisation, decision-making or pressure. The Magpies profligacy – botching many chances – kept the scores to under three goals when the margin should have been six to eight goals. The game was flat, with relatively few highlights, and flatter still for those of navy blue hue. They will need a turnaround as dramatic as Hawthorn’s last season or their own in mid-2023 to play finals. On personnel and underlying capability, this doesn’t seem likely, to put it mildly,

Carlton’s season is quickly slipping out of control after they again failed to fire a shot after half-time against Collingwood to remain winless after four rounds.

The Blues took a slender lead into the long break in wet conditions – their fourth half-time lead this season – but when the Magpies lifted the pressure they destroyed Carlton.

Finals look a long way off for Carlton as Michael Voss’s fourth season veers off track, while Collingwood are vying for another appearance in September.

The eventual margin was 17 points, but it could have been bigger. The only blight on the night for the Magpies was a head-high bump by defender Dan Houston on Carlton’s Lachie Fogarty that puts him in doubt for their game against Sydney in Gather Round.

The game swung in the opening minutes of the third quarter when Collingwood lifted the pressure rating to above 200, had the first six clearances and the first seven inside 50s.

Collingwood hit the scoreboard, too, with goals to Jordan De Goey, Lachie Schultz, Tim Membrey before Schultz – who was best on ground – kicked another goal to stretch the lead beyond four goals at the final break.

Collingwood could have been further in front if not for their inaccuracy, while the Blues were starved of options. They could not move the ball from their back half as they had been doing in the first half. They did not adapt to the wet conditions or respond to the disciplined manner Collingwood set up.

Instead of just taking what the Magpies gave them, they continued to attempt to attack through the corridor and change the angles. All they did was walk into the web Collingwood had created with Mitch McGovern, Ollie Hollands and Zac Williams coughing up the ball too easily.

By contrast the Magpies made the most of their ascendancy at centre clearance, holding field position and dominating inside 50s. Darcy Moore and Schultz are back in form and Darcy Cameron, who is on about the average wage, beat a gallant Tom De Koning, who is being courted by St Kilda.

The loss means Carlton have won just two of their past 13 matches. Their only wins in that time have come against North Melbourne and West Coast. They are the Blues’ opponents in the next two weeks, and a win against the Eagles in Gather Round is vital for them to build confidence.

Collingwood have won their past seven matches at the MCG, while the Blues have lost their past five at the same venue.