Round 8 – Carlton v Collingwood: The times they are a changing, or, the ultimate love/hate relationship (Floreat Pica Society)

 

Carlton v Collingwood

7:40pm, Friday May 3

MCG

 

 

Preamble

 

Well, I have reported on quite a number of Pie/Blues clashes over the last decade, and, true to the founding FPS document:

 

‘Every year we have a discussion about moving to a forum other than an email list (website, private Facebook page or similar) and every year we do nothing about it.  Email keeps it to people we know (or are introduced to) and means we can stay away from some of the ‘poison’ referred to by Gerard Whateley on many footy forum sites – personal attacks, sexism, racism, and homophobia.  As I say at that start of each season, reasonable abuse of opposition teams is OK if you wish to do so, with abuse of Carlton actively encouraged.’

 

In the past I have taken full liberty with this, as one of those deeply scarred, Pie supporters who lived through the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s can relate to.

 

Well, things have changed.

Times have changed.

(This year’s preseason FPS review of the Danny Roach Award re manner and style is a case in point.)

Not that long ago I wrote:

 

‘Which brings me to the business of the day – the Blues.

Well named.

For long, long-time Woods supporters like myself, and, I suspect, Carlton supporters over the last two and a half decades as their once-proud, smug and evil empire has crumbled to dust, their emblem has become their reality.

The Blues, yes I HATE Carlton. Only Hawthorn and West Coast have come near them in my unpopularity stakes. Like those old-fashioned Labor Party Haters of the ‘50s, I still hate them, even now, when they’re down. (One has to be careful though, as underdog status, I very nearly caught myself wishing them well during their recent game against West Coast. Bloody scary). This hate does not extend to the players strangely. Players like Jezza, Jackson, Southby, Doull, Ruce-Jones, Diesel, Kernahan, Bradley, The Dominator, Koutoufides, Betts, and some of their current crop of young guns, are or have been truly, truly great players – I just hate their club and most of their previously entitled and ugly supporters.

I never leave a game until the end, even if we a coping a hiding.

Except Carlton.

I just cannot tolerate their supporters. I’m sure, no – I know – that the feeling is mutual.’

 

 

Looking back into the recent past our record against the Blues have been impressive.

Although they have beaten us on a few occasions, these victories have been what we would say, comprehensive, and generally we were off the boil for whatever reason.

Without really getting into the record books, over the last decade we have won THE CLOSE ONES.

In previous decades, it was definitely the other way around.

They had the wood on us, much to our chagrin.

We have turned it around.

 

The last home-and-away in 2022 was the epitome of this. Despite being 26 points up five minutes into the last, we came back, and with a minute and a half on the clock kicked the last goal to win by one point.

The worm has turned and I’m lovin’ it!

As I mentioned earlier, times have changed.

 

Weirdly, I no longer hate them. (I know that I’m only speaking for myself and a couple of others.) Like a couple of Pie mates I even found myself quietly barracking for them last season…cripes!

Don’t get me wrong, I still hate losing to them, however I know that in the big games, the critical games, The Pies will prevail.

Their supporters know this as well. For confirmation you just had to look around the crowd when things got tight.

 

The game

 

First Quarter
Collingwood kicks the first goal, via Maynard. Well, it’s now quarter time and the score is, Blues 5.4 to Pies 3.2.
Four out of the five goals to the Blues were a direct result of turnovers – the last being an out-on-the-full at the 50m mark. Still reckon that it is pretty even – the Blues are blazing away, 9 shots to 5. They certainly deserve to be in front, we just need to up the tempo, Cameron hasn’t been playing smart with his ruck work and general marking around the ground.

 

Second Quarter
This quarter was a ripper. For the first ten minutes, the Blues attacked and attacked, and really looked as if they had the game under control, and we just held and held and held then we kicked the next five goals. McCreery went off and I thought, oh no…as he was really looking to have a good day out. Strangely our new bloke, Lachie Sullivan, came on and kicked a very, very good goal that looked as if he was a seasoned veteran. First kick in the big-time and a goal! A wonderful thing. The first of five in a row.

6.5 Blues, Pies 8.4

Looking forward to the second half, the Blues still very dangerous.

 

Third Quarter
From chocolates to boiled lollies. Did not kick a goal this quarter (from memory, the second time this season) and squandered chances. Six shots on goal for a return of four behinds and two out-on-the-full, all very gettable and all within range. Haven’t really got our mix right with the team changes. To their credit, the Blues kicked three goals and have come to play. There has been a few dodgy umpiring decisions, however (and unfortunately) that’s pretty normal.

Note that the Punt Road End has scored 13 goals to the City End’s four. Hopefully this trend continues…

9.7 Blues, Pies 8.8.
Close game, just five points in it.

 

Last Quarter
Collingwood kick the first two, and against the trend and general play, Carlton kick two inside a minute. Then the old timers combine – Sidebottom marks, passes to Mr Silky who has a careful shot kicking from about 45 and nails it. Things are tight. Three more behinds to us brings us six points up, however Carlton are not done yet and Cottrell goals going into time on.

79-apiece.

Lots of murmuring and consternation, ‘draw’, ‘draw’ is heard all around.

Anyway, Naicos and our never-say-die and deep belief asserts itself and with two and a half minutes on the clock and six points up, we shut it down and it’s almost a forgone conclusion.

Deja Blues, we win again.

Collingwood 12.13.85 to Carlton 12.7.79

 

Wash-up

 

Well, Laurie, a footy-head friend from interstate texted me prior to the game and asked me who would win. I replied that whoever kicked the straightest would. As it turned out, I was nearly right – I just hadn’t factored in how many shots on goal that either side had.
Carlton, 12.7 – 19 shots on goal.
Collingwood, 12.13 – 27 shots on goal when you include two out-on-the-full. Also two posters.

 

Telling statistics.
Despite Carlton’s perceived and real dominance around stoppages, we really owned the forward entries. Carlton really made us pay in turnovers, as noted earlier – four out of five goals in Carlton’s first quarter were a result of defensive and/or unforced errors. We reversed that trend later.

 

To Carlton’s credit, they never chucked it in and took every chance. Their general marking around the ground and stoppage play were a highlight and would’ve beaten most sides. I hate to say this I was impressed by their never-say-die attitude, however we simply just have more self belief than they do. Texed a Carlton friend commenting that two or three of their players would be very welcome in the Black and White…
I noted also that, unlike in the past, Blues supporters around me did not attack their players and blame them for all of their woes.

Times HAVE changed.

 

The Horsbough

Well, how do you divide the six points into four players?

 

2 votes Nick Daicos. What a champion.

2 votes Mr Silky, Scott Pendlebury. Truly a living LEGEND.

1 vote John Noble. Brilliant link player who kept us in it when under siege, deserved more votes.

1 vote Darcy Moore. Bloody good game, again.

 

Apologies in no particular order: Crisp, Maynard, Howe, Cameron (despite his opening term), Cox, Josh Daicos

 

GO PIES!

Floreat Pica

Frank

 

 

 

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