A BRENDAN Fevola-inspired Carlton has won its first match of the season and its first under coach Brett Ratten, upstaging Collingwood by 23 points at a packed MCG on Sunday.

Facing the prospect of a 15th straight loss in home and away matches and thereby taking over the record for the club’s worst-ever losing streak, Carlton responded magnificently to beat the Magpies in convincing style, 17.9 (111) to 13.10 (88).

Fevola was superb for the Blues, booting seven goals for the match and three in a wonderful final term.

More importantly, his goals often came when his team needed them.

Collingwood threatened to come at Carlton throughout the second half, but on each occasion, the Blues were able to respond.

With his team leading by 27 points at the last change, Fevola kicked the first of the last quarter before the Magpies booted four of the next five to get within 17 points.

But Fevola again stamped his class, with his seventh all but ending the contest.

The Blues players’ lifted their arms in triumph at the sound of the final siren, with supporters rejoicing as their team song rang out for the first time since round 11 last year.

Carlton had plenty of winners, with Jarrad Waite superb in defence, and Marc Murphy, Heath Scotland and Bret Thornton all impressive.

Skipper Chris Judd was also superb in the hectic final term.

Collingwood was best served by Heath Shaw and Dane Swan, while Alan Didak proved as elusive as ever.

Earlier, the match was sparked by a fierce bump on Blues ballwinner Murphy.

Thirteen minutes into the game, Magpie defender Nick Maxwell crunched Murphy – sparking a melee – which added further feeling to a contest already packing plenty of heat between two of the AFL’s great rivals.

At that stage both sides had booted a goal, and whether or not it was Maxwell’s bump – which resulted in a free kick to Murphy – that fired the Blues, or just Ratten’s men settling into the game, Carlton lifted.

The Blues kicked the next five goals, with Fevola’s 400th career goal a highlight.

Bryce Gibbs was winning plenty of the footy across half-back while fellow young gun Matthew Kreuzer wasn’t taking a backward step against older opposition in the ruck.

Carlton, chasing greater defensive pressure across the field, got what it wanted in the opening term and led by 26 points late in the quarter before Didak capitalised on a 50-metre penalty.

When impressive young Magpie Nathan Brown, who switched roles this week and was playing in attack, booted his second of the opening term, the margin was cut to 14 at the first change.

Collingwood tried to come at the Blues in the second quarter, but each time they challenged, Carlton found a way to respond.

Scotland and Murphy’s quality touches often played their parts in Blues’ majors, while Magpie forward Anthony Rocca was struggling to get into the game at the other end.

The teams traded goals, but when Nick Stevens dribbled one through 25 minutes into the term, after his team had noticeably opted to play ‘tempo’ footy late in the quarter, Carlton had not only maintained its quarter-time advantage but built a handy 20-point buffer at half-time.

Just three goals were kicked in the third term, Fevola booting one inside the first 30 seconds and Richard Hadley another for Carlton eight minutes in.

Paul Medhurst, who had a quiet day for Collingwood, replied for his side midway through the term, and by the last change, the margin was back to 27 points.

The Pies would keep coming, but they never got close enough as the Blues’ full-forward would prove the difference.

The one sour note for the Blues was the report of Stevens, who was booked for striking Magpies forward Didak in the third quarter.

Next week, Carlton will try to make it two on the trot when it takes on Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, while Collingwood will try to bounce back when it meets North Melbourne on Saturday night.

Carlton            6.0   10.2   12.6   17.9  (111)
Collingwood    3.4   6.6       7.9   13.10  (88)

GOALS
Carlton: Fevola 7, Fisher 2, Gibbs, Stevens, O’hAilpin, Betts, Pfeiffer, Hadley, Grigg, Simpson
Collingwood: Brown 2, Davis 2, Thomas 2, Didak, Pendlebury, Cloke, Medhurst, Swan, Clarke, Rocca

BEST
Carlton: Fevola, Waite, Murphy, Bower, Jamison, Scotland, Thornton
Collingwood: H Shaw, Swan, Didak, Lockyer

INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Collingwood: S Burns (calf) replaced in selected side by D Stanley

Reports: N Stevens (Carlton) by field umpire S Jeffery for striking A Didak (Collingwood) in the third quarter

Umpires: McBurney, Sully, Jeffery

Official crowd: 77,873 at the MCG