While Sunday’s game between Collingwood and Carlton did not match the classic battles between the two teams in the last century, there was plenty to recommend it as a tight battle between two uneven teams.
Carlton, who was stung by criticism of their goalless first half against Fremantle in their previous game, came out with something to prove.
Collingwood, on the other hand, were out to continue their winning run and prove themselves as worthy finals contenders.
Their fifth win in a row would see them climb into the top four for the first time this season.
In the end, the Magpies were successful by 20 points.
Young champions did abound on both sides, but it was the two oldest men on the field who showed that their talent and skills had not been diminished by time they reached new milestones.
Kade Simpson played his 299th game for Carlton and – as he has in many of those games – featured in the best players at the end of the day.
Although he turned 34-years-old earlier this season, there is nothing about his form that suggests he should not consider playing on in 2019.
Collingwood Captain Scott Pendlebury played his 264th game and drew level with Scott Burns as the fifth greatest game player at the Magpies, further enhancing his record as one of the greatest Collingwood players of all time.
(AAP Image/Mal Fairclough)
Nearly every week Pendlebury kicks a goal of high quality and on Sunday he was the only Collingwood top 100 goal scorer to score.
Carlton had only one top 100 goal scorer in the game (Kade Simpson) and he did not add to his total, but Matthew Kreuzer kicked one goal and is now on the brink of joining the top 100 goal kickers of all time at the Blues.
His 89th goal drew him level with Greg Williams and Simon Beaumont. His next goal will see him join Chris Yarran and Chris Judd for the 100th on the list.
Ed Curnow made it into the top 100 game players for Carlton – tying Percy Daykin, Adrian Hickmont and Alex Marcou for 98th position.
But it was his much younger brother, Charlie Curnow, and Patrick Cripps who warmed the hearts of Carlton’s fans with an outstanding display of football that almost enabled the Blues to cause the second upset of Round 14. Both players scored three goals in the game.
Collingwood also had players display great potential with both Will Hoskin-Elliott and first-year player Jaidyn Stephenson also scoring three goals.
In the end, it was the number of avenues to score that the Magpies could use that eventually sunk the Blues.
Collingwood appears to have up to ten players who could potentially join the list of the top 100 goal scorers of all time at the club.
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