IT HAD always been a great rivalry, if not always a great game.

That's until Collingwood hired Craig McRae, and Carlton appointed Michael Voss.

Across the last three seasons, since the Pies and the Blues opted to go in a new direction with their coaching decisions, McRae and Voss have helped to reignite one of football's best and most enduring rivalries.

Collingwood undoubtedly holds an unmistakeable grip over Carlton during McRae and Voss' tenures, but the contests themselves suddenly have a fierceness – and a closeness – that had long eluded such games.

Four of the six Collingwood-Carlton games played with McRae and Voss at the helm have been decided by under a kick. Before that, you would have to go all the way back to 2005 to find the last Pies-Blues thriller that finished so close.

In fact, before each coach took over, four of the last 74 games had been decided by under a kick. It's a dismal record dating back to 1984, with 14 of those games instead decided by a huge margin of 50 points or more.

Such close games have won the crowds over, as well. Whereas the nine previous Collingwood-Carlton bouts played before the pandemic drew an average crowd of just 59,892, the last six have averaged 85,215.

So, ahead of what looms as another intriguing chapter in a rivalry that has been sparked up again, AFL.com.au takes a look back at the six fascinating Collingwood-Carlton encounters played under the watch of McRae and Voss.

R11, 2022: Collingwood 11.13 (79) defeated Carlton 11.9 (75)

This one had seemed over when Ollie Henry put Collingwood 23 points up as the match ticked into time-on. But all it did was spark a valiant fightback from Carlton. Charlie Curnow kicked successive goals to bring the margin back to five points with just over a minute remaining, only for Jack Silvagni's late snap to fly just wide of the target. There was more drama on the siren when Sam Walsh appeared to be tackled high, but play-on was called and the Pies held on. It would spark an 11-match winning run for Collingwood, with eight of those games decided by single-digit margins. Remarkably, more thrilling action was still to come between these sides later in the 2022 season.

R23, 2022: Collingwood 11.9 (75) defeated Carlton 10.14 (74)

It was virtually a final. Only a win would get Carlton into the top eight in the final match of the season, with Collingwood in possession of the chance to not only kill off its archrivals but also to book itself a top four spot while it was at it. What eventuated was one of the best home-and-away clashes in recent memory. An eight-goal-to-one third quarter had put the Blues in control of their destiny, leading by 25 points in the early stages of the final term. But, despite a host of glaring opportunities, they couldn't put the match to bed. As a nervous Carlton kicked 0.6 in the final quarter, Collingwood fought back. Four consecutive goals at the death had brought the margin back to five points, but the fifth was the best of the lot. Scott Pendlebury's clearing kick fell to Jamie Elliott and the Pies' ice man did the rest. He slotted beautifully on the run, handing Collingwood a match-winning lead with under two minutes left on the clock. Bedlam.

R10, 2023: Collingwood 13.7 (85) defeated Carlton 7.15 (57)

This is perhaps the only Collingwood-Carlton clash in recent memory to go by almost without incident. The Pies were in the middle of an eight-match winning run, while the Blues were down in the dumps and in the midst of a six-match losing streak. The contest therefore went as expected. On a Sunday afternoon, the Pies shot into an early 24-point lead at quarter time thanks to a five-goal-to-one opening term and maintained it throughout. The margin blew out to as much as 44 points in the second quarter, with the Blues unable to whittle it back beyond that. Tom Mitchell claimed the Brownlow votes with 26 disposals and eight clearances, while Brody Mihocek kicked four goals.

R20, 2023: Carlton 14.9 (93) defeated Collingwood 10.16 (76)

Carlton's fortunes had reversed by the next time it faced Collingwood. In the middle of a nine-match winning streak on their way to a preliminary final, the Blues accounted for the Pies for the first and only time under Voss so far. In an arm-wrestle of a match on a Friday night, Charlie Curnow proved the decisive factor. He kicked six goals, including five in the second half alone, as Carlton eventually overpowered its fierce foes. The Blues soared into a 36-point lead early in the final quarter, before the Pies responded with four of the game's final five goals to ensure a slightly nervous finish. But it wasn't enough. Both went on to make a September impact, with Collingwood winning the flag.

R8, 2024: Collingwood 12.13 (85) defeated Carlton 12.7 (79)

Nick Daicos, welcome to the rivalry. For the first time in a Collingwood-Carlton blockbuster, the Pies' father-son gun stamped his name on the contest. It won't be the last time it happens. With the scores tied and just a tick over 60 seconds left on the clock, a stoppage fell into the path of Daicos. He swooped on the ball and snapped through a brilliant finish from deep inside the pocket, securing Collingwood a six-point win after a seesawing contest. Daicos earned all three Brownlow votes for his scintillating performance, which also included 32 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles, a couple of crucial goals and the match-winning moment.

R21, 2024: Collingwood 12.12 (84) defeated Carlton 11.15 (81)

Mitch McGovern, look away now. Carlton had fallen 32 points behind early in the final quarter, before a remarkable comeback saw the Blues kick five unanswered goals from absolutely nowhere to work their way back into the clash. Now trailing by just three points, McGovern marked bravely with just under 20 seconds remaining. With the siren sounding, the Carlton defender had the chance to live out a childhood dream. However, he shanked his shot from 45m out. His effort sailed badly right of the target, ultimately floating all the way out on the full. It sparked wild scenes of Collingwood celebration, as the club saluted to recognise champion Scott Pendlebury's 400th game in style.