Carlton have ended Collingwood’s season at VFL level with a 68–100 elimination final win at Victoria Park on Sunday.
In spring-like conditions, the Blues were the dominant side throughout, with a bumper crowd heading out to watch the archrivals meet in the big clash.
The Blues opened up a buffer early with the first four goals of the game and would never look back from that opening barrage, holding the home side at arm’s length throughout the remainder of the clash.
Returning to the state league after last week’s thriller between both senior sides, Will Setterfield (two goals, 38 disposals), Liam Stocker (22 disposals) and Jesse Motlop (one goal, nine disposals) all made an impact for the winners.
Jesse Motlop kicks a ripper on the half time siren 💪
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They were helped by the likes of Paddy Dow 33 (disposals), Ned Cahill (two goals, 18 disposals), Ben Crocker (three goals) and Brodie Kemp (two goals) who will all have a big say in this side’s premiership hopes.
In defeat, Collingwood’s focus shifts to which players put their hands up for senior selection as they embark on a September campaign.
Like the Blues, the Magpies had players return from AFL duties last Sunday, with Fin Macrae (28 disposals) and Ollie Henry dropping down.
While Macrae looked a level above, Henry would be disappointed after injuring his hand early in the piece and failing to make a big impact on the game with just one goal and 12 disposals.
On top of those coming back from senior football, the Magpies were buoyed by Nathan Kreuger’s return who featured for the first time since injuring his shoulder in the Round 6 AFL clash against Essendon.
The 23-year-old would’ve been happy to get through the game unscathed but would have liked to have done more than his one-goal, six-disposal performance in hopes of earning a spot in the Magpies’ AFL finals side.
Mid-season draftee Josh Carmichael was probably the player who most found some form with 23 disposals and nine tackles and he’d expect to enter the frame for senior selection discussion, while Callum Brown (one goal, 25 disposals), Trent Bianco (one goal, 21 disposals) and Will Kelly (14 disposals, eight marks) were solid.
Carlton faces Brisbane in a semi-final matchup in Queensland next weekend but look set to be without David Handley (hamstring) and Zavier Maher (shoulder) who went down with injury.
Collingwood’s focus now shifts entirely on their AFL finals campaign.
FULL SCORE
Collingwood: 1.0, 5.2, 7.4, 10.8 (68)
Carlton: 5.4, 8.6, 11.8, 15.10 (100)
GOALS
Collingwood: Glover 2, Lane 2, Bianco, Hustwaite, Kreuger, Madgen, Henry, Brown
Carlton: Crocker 3, Kemp 2, Setterfield 2, Cahill 2, Handley 2, Motlop, Maher, North, Moschetti
BEST
Collingwood: Josh Carmichael, Fin Macrae, Trent Bianco, Will Kelly
Carlton: Will Setterfield, Paddy Dow, Ned Cahill, Liam Stocker, Ben Crocker
INJURIES
Collingwood: Henry (hand)
Carlton: Maher (shoulder), Handley (hamstring)