COLLINGWOOD has eased the pressure on coach Nathan Buckley, turning a 10-goal burst either side of quarter-time into its first victory of the season at the MCG on Friday night.
The 16.4 (100) to 11.10 (76) win, owing plenty to dominant Steele Sidebottom and Brodie Grundy performances, consigned Carlton to an 0-3 start for the fifth time in six seasons.
Buckley's satisfaction at his side opening its winning account was tempered by losing the third and fourth quarters, after leading by as many as 41 points early in the second half.
STEELE'S NIGHT OUT: Full match coverage and stats
"We didn't play with much conviction in the second half, but our footy in the first half after a slow start was pretty good," Buckley told reporters.
"We got outhunted – we worked our way back into that first quarter slowly and kicked the last four goals of the quarter.
"The second quarter was really strong and that's the brand we want to see more of."
Ben Reid and Mason Cox were back from a hip injury and suspension respectively, but it was Buckley's surprise tactic to rotate his star foot soldiers through the forward line that ignited the Pies.
Travis Varcoe and Will Hoskin-Elliott combined twice to end the early rot after the Blues slotted the opening three goals and had the first six clearances and inside 50s.
The streak wasn't quite as dramatic as Carlton's five-goal first-quarter romp against reigning premier Richmond in round one, but both scoring binges ended as swiftly as the other.
Once Collingwood found its mojo, the goals came like a flood – and a Reid set-shot goal was his first of three and snatched the lead from the winless Blues for good.
WATCH: Mobile Magpies attack hammers the Blues
Sidebottom was on Tom Mitchell pace with 16 of his 35 disposals by quarter-time and became one of the linchpins in the Pies' new avenue to goal.
He joined onballers Adam Treloar and Taylor Adams in spending time in attack on Carlton's chief defensive interceptor Liam Jones with devastating effect, while Josh Thomas booted five majors.
Sidebottom added three goals to his possession blitz, with two of them brilliant, including a wonderful dribbling goal in the final term sending the crowd into raptures.
WATCH: Sidebottom dribbles a beauty
Hoskin-Elliott also added three goals, all three from Varcoe assists.
But Sidebottom's tackle on Zac Fisher, which saw the dazed young Blue leave the field in the final term, is likely to get a long look from match review officer Michael Christian.
Fisher looked shaken but was able to play out the game.
WATCH: Is Sidebottom in trouble for this tackle?
Treloar (26 disposals), who started on the bench, was electric with his trademark run and carry and helped put Carlton to the sword with a fine finish early in the second term.
Collingwood's impotence up forward is always listed among the Magpies' chief problems in recent seasons, but Reid and even Cox played their part in the night's fortunes.
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Whether Buckley's midfield solution for his team's scoring woes is the long-term answer remains to be seen.
The best big man on the field was undoubtedly Grundy, who quelled Matthew Kreuzer, won 25 disposals and reversed the Blues' early clearance dominance with seven of his own.
There was little for Carlton to shout about after its early fireworks, and the final scoreboard flattered it.
Levi Casboult played a lone hand in attack with four goals and usual suspects Patrick Cripps (26 possessions) in the middle and up forward, Marc Murphy (29) and Ed Curnow (25) toiled away all night.
Charlie Curnow was not quite as good as he was in the first two rounds, but still finished with 20 touches and a pair of goals.
WATCH: Levi slots his fourth
The Blues' top pick in last year's draft, Paddy Dow, continues to show promising signs but some scratchy ball use again let him down.
But it was the second term, when Collingwood kicked five goals to none in a match-winning period, that most deflated Carlton coach Brendon Bolton.
"That quarter was really disappointing," Bolton said.
"I think there's a level of cohesion we try and get with this group and there were just too many basic, fundamental errors.
"They got us on the outside and hit the scoreboard pretty quickly and that hurt us."
MEDICAL ROOM
Carlton: Caleb Marchbank hurt his right ankle midway through the first term and emerged from the rooms with a brace on it. He returned briefly in the second quarter despite still looking proppy and was done for the night before half-time. Matthew Kreuzer, back after a week out with a groin issue, had more work on that area in the final term. He returned to the field with strapping and will again be monitored.
Collingwood: The Pies' have one of the worst injury lists in the competition, but appeared to get through unscathed in another positive to their night.
NEXT UP
Carlton will hope for fourth-time lucky when it travels south to Hobart's Blundstone Arena to take on North Melbourne on Saturday. Collingwood will have to perform well to win two on the trot, with a trip to Adelaide Oval on Friday night to face the Crows next on the agenda.
WATCH: Josh Thomas had a night out
CARLTON 3.2 3.4 7.8 11.10 (76)
COLLINGWOOD 4.0 9.4 13.4 16.4 (100)
GOALS
Carlton: Casboult 4, C.Curnow 2, Thomas, Garlett, Cripps, Kreuzer
Collingwood: Thomas 5, Hoskin-Elliott 3, Sidebottom 3, Reid 3, Treloar, Aish
BEST
Carlton: Casboult, Murphy, C.Curnow, Cripps, E.Curnow
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Grundy, Thomas, Crisp, Hoskin-Elliott, Treloar, Reid
INJURIES
Carlton: Marchbank (ankle)
Collingwood: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Foot, Margetts, Dalgleish
Official crowd: 68,548 at the MCG
