Floreat Pica Society: Round 14, Collingwood v Carlton

Round 14, Collingwood v’s Carlton

MCG

24th June, 2018

 

The prelude.

 

Well, it’s the traditional grudge match which typical occurs twice a year.

 

Pies v’s Blues.

 

It’s been an interesting mixture of emotions for me over the last couple of seasons. The Blues – the most hated club by a long stretch for Pie supporters. Let’s stop kidding ourselves – Melbourne, Essendon, the Brians, or absolutely any other side in the comp – they just don’t cut it when it comes to the level of sheer, naked hate we have for the men in Blue.

 

Now, as mentioned earlier, I have had mixed emotions when it comes to the Blues recently. Like most fair-thinking, average Aussie blokes, I have a natural leaning, and sympathy for, the underdog. Having lived through quite a few seasons of “re-building” – the mid 70’s, mid ‘80’s, mid ‘90’s (really terrible), mid ‘00’s, and again – you guessed it – mid ‘10’s (there’s a pattern here) I can really take onboard another club’s rebuilding phase. I can empathise if you like. The Sydney Swans, the Crows, Melbourne and St Kilda’s frantic, failed efforts, North this year, even the Cats.

 

Footscray.

 

You can understand and empathise and even celebrate their success, cheer them on, even while remaining a deeply committed Collingwood person. As we journey onward in our own, “rebuilding phase”.

 

Now, I will confess, that I have had similar thoughts about our foe today…. what do I make of this? That is the core question. I mean – this is Carlton for God’s sake!

 

I have to search deep, deep into my soul, eke out all of the emotions and reasoning’s, and come up with an answer. One I can comfortably hang my hat on.

 

I can vividly remember in September 1990 a good old friend of mine – a Carlton supporter (yes, I DO have friends who barrack for the Blues) – confided to me, very, very much in private, that he hoped that we would win the Premiership that year! Now I must admit I was shocked.

 

Really, really shocked.

 

Still am.

 

Hence my dilemma. Do I have a similar response when the boot is on the other foot, so-to-speak? Can I show a similar regard for the hated foe?

 

I have to dig deep.

 

For the record, Collingwood have played Carlton 6 times in Grand Finals – 1910, ’15, ’38, ’70, ’79 and 1981 for one win – in 1910, the first. We have played them 255 times for 124 wins, 127 losses and 4 draws. Currently there is only one other AFL club that can boast beating Collingwood more that we have beaten them and that is a relative newcomer – Port Adelaide. 15 v’s 14. But really, they honestly just don’t count. Carlton, well, THAT is another matter.

 

Carlton, the silvertails, the club of self-interest. The club that has used the full letter of the rules and the law to get its way. The club which has used its corporate connections and mussel to get what it wants. The club of George Harris, John Elliot, Richard Pratt…..

 

This goes back a long way, bending the rules that is. In 1915 Collingwood had a couple of stars, Paddy Rowan and Mal (Doc) Seddon who had enlisted and were just finishing their basic training at Berwick before being sent overseas. They had leave to play in the Granny, however, unusually, their Sergeant sent their company on a 10-mile route march – with full packs – that Saturday morning. Before afternoon leave to catch a train to the ground arriving 5 minutes before the game. We were 5 points down at ¾ time and got run over in the last to lose by 33 points – 11.12, 78 to 6.9, 45.

 

Ran out of legs, we got done.

 

Why?

 

The sergeant was a Carlton supporter.

 

The enmity runs deep. You can see it goes a long way back. I can’t speak for 1938, however I will never forget 1970, ’79 and ’81. Particularly ’79 with that out-of-bounds Wayne Harmes event. The goal umpire who should have called it out, was the father of my neighbour’s best friend and, you guessed it, a Carlton supporter…..

 

I could go on, but I won’t. Don’t need to, you get the picture.

 

Those gloating, silvertail mongrels.

 

So…. it’s been 22 years so far – 1996 being their last premiership – and after the thrashing they received last week by Freo – they really ARE struggling. 22 years without a glimmer really.

 

Bottom dwellers.

 

I can remember in 2002 we really gave them a thrashing – 108points – and I was spewing. Still am. Spewing because with 5 minutes to go we were leading by 120 and THAT was the greatest losing margin Carlton had against ANY side and I wanted it. I really, really wanted it. I still want it. A couple of late gimme goals and it slipped from our fingers…. A couple of weeks later and North handed them another thrashing and beat them by 119 points and North holds the record.

 

I want that record.

 

Nope, the blue sullen lot can rot in their dour-coloured socks and I want a thrashing today.

 

A record one.

 

3:20 finds Doug and I along with Baz, one of my mates from the West, his daughter, Tessa (ballet in Melbourne), her boyfriend Nick (North supporter) and son, Dave (nearly15yo and hopeful AFL rookie) down in front of the Punt Rd scoreboard. Just two days after the winter solstice it is cold and feels darker than it really is. Although nearly 54,000 turn up, it looks and feels like no more than 30,000 with the stands half full.

 

1st Quarter

 

It’s a SLOW start. 13 mins in and it’s Carlton 2 goals, The Pies 1 point and its a very ordinary start… 16 mins in and Stephenson takes a good grab in the goal square and it’s our 1st. Doug notes that Number 8 for them (Kreuzer) is playing all over Grundy at the moment and it’s apparent as they seem to be getting most of the clearances and centre drive. 20min mark and Number 9 for them (Cripps) marks and goals and it’s 1.2 us, 3.1 them. 23min and Stephenson marks and goals. 25 min mark and Brody Mihocek, recruited as a full back, goals and we are in front for the 1st time today. Siren sounds at 28 1/2 mins, and it’s all tied up at 3.2 apiece. We have the close one, as they say.

 

2nd Quarter

 

2 mins in and Stephenson gets too fancy and dibbles a point when he should have kicked a goal, a minute later and Big Mason nails a regulation goal. No fancy stuff just business-like. Stephenson take note!

 

9 minutes in, and play is held up while Number 20 for them (Lachie Plowman) is carried off with what looks like a serious knee injury poor bloke. Play resumes and at 13 mins Mihocek just misses after a great effort 45 m’s out and it’s 4.5 to 3.2. A low scoring, dour sort of a game really with few highlights, poor decision making and over finessing. Carlton are still winning most of the clearances. Kreuzer’s disappeared and in the meantime their crumbers are roving to Grundy very effectively. Our cause is not helped by the umpiring with a mystery free handing them a goal. And it’s 3 points in it at the 20 min mark…..

 

25 min mark and Mr Silky takes it by the scruff of the neck and kicks a typically polished captain’s goal. Another point and it’s 5.8 to 4.3. Looking better and starting to get on top.

 

30mins and 21 secs and it’s half time and there’s a bit of fun going on in the backline. Melee is what it’s called. Probably a few fines handed out in the post match wash-up… and more copy for the papers tomorrow….

 

3rd Quarter

 

6 mins in and after a couple shocking backline errors the Blues kick the 1st of the 2nd half. 5.9 to 5.4. Carlton still have the edge in the centre clearances…..

 

2 and a half minutes later and they hit the front – 6.4 to 5.9. A minute later and Treloar kicks his regulation trademark, full head of steam, take-them-on type, screaming down the centre, running goal. Back in front. Two minutes later Stephenson kicks a nice, tradesman-like goal after a comedy of errors – we pick out a Blues backman who promptly centres it nicely to Stephenson 35 -40 m’s out directly in front.

 

Sums up the game really….

 

Getting it inside 50 OK, but just failing to convert. A lot of finessing and skylarking and more points. Number 30 for them takes a nice grab and converts and its 8.12 to 7.4.

 

20 shots to 11 and it’s a 14 point game. Cripes! And that’s it for the quarter… and a scrappy game – the post Bye blues????

 

4th Quarter

 

Not much to say really. After a goal to De Goey and 2 well deserved goals to WHE and two to them it just sort of fizzed out in the end.

 

Not an inspiring match whatsoever – certainly not the thrashing I was hoping for – however a win is a win.

 

Good sides can win ugly, and we certainly won ugly today.

 

11.13 to 9.5…

 

 

The Votes

 

1 Grundy

 

He was beaten in the first quarter  but after Krueser went off in the second we saw his dominance. Shame the opposition often sharked his hitouts. There’s something (a lot) good about a 6 foot 8 player marking and playing on, wrong footing opponents or accepting a hand pass to kick to.position on the run – boy, is there ever something!!

 

2 Pendlebury

 

Pendles is truly an amazing player. Whatever he does is done seemingly in slow motion and precisely. Then the game returns to normal speed. His worth cannot be over emphasised especially when he goes head to head. Cripps was close to BOG but without our captain he would have been completely dominant.

 

3 Sidebottom

 

Love him for his both sidedness and the joyfulness in all his play. Another 30+ quality touches. This guy can do everything with a smile on his face. He seems to be a magnet for warm post match conversations with the opposition players. Deserves to be leading some of the awards.

 

Special mention to Jeremy Howe. Thanks again MFC. Couldn’t put a backman in because Charlie Curnow played too well and was possibly in the umpires’ votes.

 

Also mentions to WHE and Stephenson. Not voteworthy but their goals won it for us.

 

COLLINGWOOD        3.2       5.8       8.12      11.13 (79)
CARLTON                   3.2       4.3        7.4          9.5 (59)

 

BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Stephenson, Phillips, Grundy, Treloar, Hoskin-Elliott
Carlton: Cripps, C.Curnow, Simpson, Thomas, Kennedy, Dow

 

GOALS
Collingwood: Stephenson 3, Hoskin-Elliott 3, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Treloar, Cox, De Goey
Carlton: C.Curnow 3, Cripps 3, Rowe, Kreuzer, Mullett

 

INJURIES
Collingwood: Greenwood (concussion), Treloar (hamstring cramp)
Carlton: Casboult (finger) replaced in selected side by O’Shea, Plowman (knee), Kreuzer (ankle)

 

Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, Brown, Findlay

 

Crowd: 53,706 at the MCG

 

 

Floreat Pica

 

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