CTV > Rnd4 Post Match With: Pendlebury
CTV > Mick Malthouse's post-match press conference

COLLINGWOOD has fallen victim to a determined Carlton outfit to suffer a 23-point loss at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.

On what was a dirty afternoon for the Magpies, the Blues had far more winners, while the Pies couldn't shift out of first gear. With a seven-goal bag from spearhead Brendan Fevola, the navy side was simply too hard to stop as they charged to a 17.9 (111) to 13.10 (88) victory.

The Blues were harder, more determined, and had plenty to play for, with another loss meaning the club would achieve its worst-ever losing streak of 15 consecutive defeats.

They also put together their first win under the guidance of rookie coach Brett Ratten and the captaincy of Chris Judd, and were joined on the field after the game by president Richard Pratt as the Pies dejectedly headed for the rooms.

The upset result will be a bitter pill for Collingwood supporters to swallow, as Carlton not only levelled the black and white's win-loss ledger for season 2008, but it used the Magpies' much-loved big stage of the MCG to record its first win since round 11 last year.

In front of 77,873 spectators, the Blues led from the middle of the first term until the final siren.

Alan Didak stepped up in the final term and tried valiantly to lift his side, while Rhyce Shaw did well to restrict Brownlow medallist Judd to 12 possessions before three-quarter time. The former Eagles' skipper bounced back to have 14 telling touches in the final stanza.   

Dane Swan was busy after shrugging off early opponent Andrew Carrazzo and Tarkyn Lockyer and Heath Shaw saw plenty of the ball, but the Pies lacked a consistent goal-kicker and could only stand by while the Fevola show swung into action.

Before the game, Carlton’s banner tore from its post before the players even entered the arena. But that was where the Blues' bad luck – and their much-publicised streak of losses – effectively ended.

Fevola won out over defender Harry O'Brien, who was opted to man the spearhead in favour of young gun Nathan Brown. The Pies started Brown at full-forward, and left the emerging defender in attack for the majority of the game where he managed two goals.

Brad Fisher escaped the clutches of Nick Maxwell, while Shane Wakelin found it hard at times to catch Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin. Former No.1 draft selection Bryce Gibbs played perhaps his best senior game so far after starting alongside fellow young star Dale Thomas.

The Magpies were undisciplined in the first quarter, with three 50m penalties and a melee that was sparked by a heavy hit on Marc Murphy by Maxwell.

After drawing first blood when a Gibbs turnover at fullback resulted in a Brown goal, the Magpies found themselves under siege as the Blues stepped up their intensity and tackle rate.

Fevola out-marked O'Brien at the 15-minute mark and goaled from 55m out, which claimed the lead the Blues would not surrender for the rest of the afternoon.

After half time, the Blues managed to maintain their lead of 20 points and the Pies, who struggled to reach a higher level of intensity for longer than a brief period at the start of the last term, could not halt the charge.

The Magpies must now rebound against North Melbourne next Saturday night at the MCG.

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