Traditional rivals the Carlton Blues and Collingwood Magpies feature in this weeks’ Friday night AFL footy. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7.50pm (AEST).
The whole week has been about Mick Malthouse and his pending record breaking game. Will the Blues honour Mick’s coaching record with a win or will his old club, the Magpies, spoil their former coach’s grand occasion?
Malthouse breaks Jock McHale’s long standing record for the most games coached. This is a remarkable achievement and one that we will unlikely see replicated in our lifetime.
The AFL rostered this game against the Magpies, one of his former clubs, where he had the ultimate success. However, there is no sentiment in AFL footy and there is a game to be won and lost.
The Magpies have started the season well and won three out of four games, with their only loss to the Crows in Round 2. They have also defeated the Blues, in what is a traditional rivalry between two big Melbourne clubs, in their last four meetings.
Two of the leading lights so far for the Magpies have been Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan. Both have played with injuries but have looked like they are back to their grand form of previous seasons. They are getting plenty of disposals and are being helped with first use of the ball from young ruck Brodie Grundy. This combination is leading the way for the rest of the young side.
The Blues finally got their season under way with their first win last week in New Zealand. Bryce Gibbs will be important in stopping the Pendlebury-Swan influence and getting the ball propelling their way. The Blues welcome back champion Chris Judd into their midfield to help Gibbs but have lost Andrew Carrazzo to a leg injury. Meanwhile, the Magpies will miss Tim Broomhead who is ill.
Another player who has impressed this season is Carlton’s Andrejs Everitt. Since arriving at his third club he has established a role on the wing, alternating between defence and attack and took an incredible ten marks last week. He is one that opposition clubs need to start to pay more attention to.
Prediction: The Magpies by 11 points. A close encounter, but the Magpies will be more focused on getting the job done against their rival.
Will the Magpies hold up against the emotion surrounding the Blues and their coach or will the Blues ride this emotion to an important win over the arch enemy? Join The Roar at 7.50pm (AEST) for all the live score updates and debate in our live blog.
Macca
Guest
Col, I would say Buckleys turnovers are a sign of inexperience and a lack of options forward - the more he plays the better he will get.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
71,759 at the MCG tonight.
Col of Brissie
Guest
You cannot win games by playing 2 defensive forwards (Ellard and Armfield) especially when you have forwards like Jones and Henderson who do not put enough pressure on the opposition backline once the ball hits the ground. We lost our forward pressure with Betts and to some extent Garlett. I like Yarran running out of defence more so than Buckley. I would like to see Buckley given a chance down forward when Yarran comes back in. I think Buckley tends to get himself into too much trouble by overthinking what to do when he has the ball. I think he had 4 or 5 turnovers tonight. Perhaps that's just a sign of inexperience but it can be costly. We certainly need some crumbing forwards. I would like to see Walker playing forward as well.
Jack
Guest
I can't see malthouse coaching next Sunday I just can't see it
Macca
Guest
Col. - I agree with everything. One of the biggest issues I have with Malthouses coaching is that he plays too many defensive players - If you replace Ellard and Armfield with Menzel and Yarran as forwards suddenly we become dangerous. Tonight Carrazzo goes out and we bring in Whiley (who despite tonight's game I think will be handy) and play him as a target where the more aggressive move would have been to play Graham and let him win the ball.
Jack
Guest
+ 600 there is no benefit from playing ellard and armfield
Col from Brissie
Guest
Macca that was probably the most disappointing a performance I have seen from a Carlton team for a long time. There is no benefit in playing players like Ellard and Armfield as they are never going to win a game for you. As you said need to play the kids and let them have a large block of games to see if they are going to take the club forward.
Macca
Guest
You are always going to kick it to the opposition defend when you play your forwards on the wing. We did it against Richmond and again against Essendon - you would think Mick would have learnt by now.
Col from Brissie
Guest
Sorry Jack but when you have players like Ellard and Armfield in your team then the list is not strong.
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
Collingwood Magpies 18.12.120 defeated Carlton Blues 6.9.45 Major goal kickers Cloke , Elliott and Pendlebury 2...Blues ...Wood 2 Adam Oxley was my best player running off half back early when heat was in the game. Midfielders Pendlebury and Crisp were superb and Brodie Grundy controlled the rucks and stoppages around the ground. I couldn't find a good Blues player. Perhaps Sam Rowe did a reasonable job on Cloke. It was a good display in perfect conditions at the MCG. The Magpies disposal efficiency shone out and the only down point was a minor injury to Paul Seedsman. The Blues had too many players missing and certainly didn't lift for the Malthouse milestone. Lachie Henderson was subbed out with no disposals. There was no run and they continued to kick straight to the Magpies defence who would then rebound into attack. The Magpies kicked away in the second quarter and there was no pressure from this moment. The Magpies are now with 4 wins. They play the MCG as well as any team and are building a great game plan that is bearing results. The Blues are just not good enough and bottom four is where they will finish.
Macca
Guest
The blues have to play the youngsters from now on, Graham has to come in, they have to persists with Buckley and boekhorst even after Yarran and Menzel return and Casboult has to play every game. I'd even look at Viojo Rainbow if it meant we get some run and carry. But most of all the game plan has to change forwards need to stay forward and we need to stop just bombing it forward and kick to our forwards advantage.
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
FINAL SIREN. The Magpies by 75 points.
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
The Magpies playing it right out. This will be a memorable win over the arch enemy. BLUES 6.9.45 MAGPIES 18.12.120 Q4 1'
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
GOAL MAGPIES Grundy competes and scores a goal in the square...well done big man! BLUES 6.8.44 MAGPIES 18.12.120. Q4 4'
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
GOAL BLUES Ellard gets a lucky goal over the back.The Magpies by 70. BLUES 6.8.44 MAGPIES 17.12.114 Q4 4'
titch
Guest
If the Carlton players accept their match payment for tonight's game they could be charged with obtaining money under false pretences
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
GOAL MAGPIES Pendlebury gets his second. How far the Magpies. BLUES 5.7.37 MAGPIES 17.12.114 Q4 7'
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
GOAL MAGPIES Varcoe kicks one from stoppage. The recriminations will start soon .The Blues down by 71 BLUES 5.7.37 MAGPIES 16.12.108 Q4 8'
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
The Blues have no run they just kick it straight back to the Magpies defence. BLUES 5.7.37 MAGIES 15.12.102 Q4 12'
Jack
Guest
The list is fine. They look unfit and to be lacking Stragey