Round 17 – Carlton v Collingwood
Peter McKenna – Football’s First Rock Star
Old School Rivalries
In days of yore, before the AFL juggernaut dominated everything, the footballing landscape was a suburban war zone with the greatest of traditional rivals going bayonets drawn at each other in venues small by today’s standards, but mighty in atmosphere, with supporters in the terraces standing on top of the old tin beer cans just to get a better view.
Packed in like sardines, supporters called for the blood of the opposing team to be spilt on the hollow turf, at venues the barrackers called home.
To show no Vic-bias, the WAFL, the SANFL and the VFL all had true rivalry games that were bigger than the sport itself before the AFL.
Over the years, the stories about such rivalry games have developed their own mythology, steeped in tradition, and embellishing the stories told the longer time passes on.
Old-timers still regale and boast about the battles of years gone by, when men were men, concussion protocols didn’t exist, and serious injuries were fixed by the magic spray, or a mysterious jab.
The WAFL had East Fremantle v South Fremantle.
The SANFL had Port Adelaide v Norwood.
The VFL had Carlton v Collingwood, with players treated like rock stars, including one Collingwood player who was a true rock star releasing a single in 1971 called, It Takes Time. His name was and still is Peter McKenna. The song was abysmal, but it did establish McKenna as the first true Rock Star Footballer.
McKenna was so popular in the early 1970’s iconography he even co-hosted early episodes of ‘Hey Hey It’s Saturday alongside Daryl Somers.
Trivia question time, who replaced Peter McKenna as the co-host of Hey Hey in 1971?
Drum roll, the answer is: Ossie Ostrich – yep, that is right, Peter McKenna was replaced by a glove puppet.
It is fair to say the player in the prison bar jumper with number six on the back in the late 60’s and 70’s was a god in Victoria, and nothing could blemish his rock star McKenna’s image, or could it?
Carlton and Collingwood have been rivals since 1896 and they truly hate each other – a bitterness than continues to this day.
East Fremantle v South Fremantle, Port Adelaide v Norwood and Carlton v Collingwood to this day have rivalries bigger than any modern-day rivalry, especially the fabricated rivalries like the Q Clash or the Battle of the Bridge. Think the Geelong v Hawthorn rivalry on steroids and you are still not close to the divisions and hatreds which separate these great clubs born in the suburbs early last century.
Collingwood were once called ‘the filth’, while Carlton was referred to as ‘the bluebloods’ or ‘the baggers’, and their battleground was one not only divided by socio-economic lines, but also by place of birth (sometimes even adjudged by what side of the street one lived on), as well as religious beliefs, and/or fraternity alliances.
With Princess Park and Victoria Park being within walking distance of each other, the chasm between the two clubs was worlds apart.
It would be treachery, bordering on public a lynching for any player, Carlton or Collingwood, to request a transfer from one club to the other.
Pure bloody outrage.
Yet, in 1977, the darling of Victoria Park, rock star, and television celebrity Peter McKenna was traded to the Carlton after a financial dispute with Collingwood at the start of the season.
The magnitude of the McKenna trade is not comparable to any modern-day trade deal. There was pulpable disgust and very real anger expressed by the supporters of both clubs. These were days when there was no CCTV nor any portable video recording apparatus available which could be kept in your pocket, and just as well. If the technology was available back then, I would suggest quite a few people may have been given a little holiday in Her Majesties Prison, ‘Blue Stone College’, Pentridge.
Peter McKenna played 11 games for the Blue Baggers in the famous old dark blue, and he kicked 36 goals for his new club (impressive), but he succumbed to homesickness (a lot like young players drafted now) as his heart was always black and white. McKenna’s relationship with Carlton ended after 11 games with McKenna realising it was near on impossible for him to play against his former club.
For the record, McKenna ended his career with 874 goals from 191 games, averaging over four goals a game. I’ll repeat that, averaging over FOUR GOALS per game.
It needs to be stated for factual completeness, in 1975 Peter McKenna suffered a serious kidney injury playing in the reserves for the Pies which forced him into early retirement. The injury was that severe a part of kidney was removed. After managing his injury through 1976 McKenna wanted to continue his career at Victoria Park, but a financial dispute led to him playing being traded to the Blues in 1977.
In the end, McKenna realised the grass was not greener on the other side of Hoddle Street.
2025 – Round 17 Carlton v Collingwood – Traditional Rivals since 1896
It would be breaking the hearts of all at Princes Park that their precious Baggers are fielding a team at the MCG which has been ravaged by injury, and they are given all but no chance of winning. Well nobody, except the immediate family of the players would even suggest the Blue-Boys could pull off a miracle win over the new-look, we are no longer ‘the filth’, Pies.
When, why and how did Collingwood become the pristine darling’s billboard club for the AFL amongst neutral supporters?
I digress.
Back to the woes of the Baggers. Often, when all hope is gone, a diamond or two in the rough appears and sets in motion a chain reaction for future redemption and that is the hope for Carlton. Collingwood should be aware of the maxim, nothing remains the same forever so be careful who you step on as you rise to the top, as you may well meet then on your way back down.
With Carlton at its lowest ebb in years, and the Pies at the peak of their powers, the genesis for Carlton’s future revenge and redemption begins at the MCG on a mild winter’s night on Friday, 4th July 2025.
The Game
With newly appointed Carlton CEO, Graham Wright, first job is looking over the shoulder of Michael Voss appraising every aspect of his stewardship.
I will leave it up to the supporters to argue the merits of Voss’ continued employment, but for the record, the Blues Board should stick fat with Voss, in a similar manner to which Richmond did in 2016 with Dimma, and the Cats did in 2006 with Bomber.
Enough talking, let the game begin.
Blues: 03:03:21 / 04:05:29 / 06:09:45 / 08:11:59 were defeated by the
Pies : 04:03:27 / 08:05:53 / 16:09:105 / 17:13:115
Goals:
Blues: Williams 3, Motlop 2, Fantasia 1, Moir 1, McGovern 1
Pies: Elliott 4, McStay 4, Mihocek 2, Membrey 2, N Daicos 1, Crisp 1, Hoskin-Elliott 1, Long 1, Sullivan 1
Best:
Blues: Williams, Hollands, Cowan, Pittonet, Weitering, McGovern, Lord
Pies: Elliott, Cameron, Maynard, McStay N Daicos, Quaynor, Crisp, Sullivan, Lipinski
The Difference Between the Carlton and Collingwood in Two Plays
Given the talent difference between the teams, this match went basically to script. The Blues offered some resistance in the first quarter, but the Pies extended their lead before the main break and then they came out and punished the Blues in the third quarter, before a snooze fest ensued in the final quarter as Collingwood closed up shop.
As much as this match was predictable, it doesn’t necessarily mean there weren’t some positives for the Blues as well as some warning signs for the Pies as they start their campaign for September from a very comfortable position – maybe too comfortable, it will be discussed later.
The difference between Carlton and Collingwood and where they are at clubs this year was highlighted by two separate passages of play, one in the first quarter and the other in the third quarter.
Play 1 – First Quarter – Setting the Standards
Zac Williams had busted his guts out midway through the first with two goals helping Carlton stay in touch after the Pies got to a flyer with goals to Will Hoskin-Elliot and Jamie Elliott.
Blake Acres had his chance to lead the young Blues by example when he marked 45 metres out and straight in front. Acres is a good kick, and he should have taken responsibility, gone back and slotted a leader’s goal, but instead he passed the ball to Cooper Lord who was in a far worse position, who in turn panicked, and gave a handball to McGovern running past and his kick failed to make the distance.
Opportunity lost.
I noted in the first five-minutes of the game some Carlton players seemed to be playing selfish football, with an eye on Blake Acres and Adam Cerra. Post match the statistics will show Cerra had 28 possessions and Acres 20; however, stats do lie and, in this game both players got plenty of the pill, but they butchered it more often than not.
I have watched for two years now Patrick Cripps crying for more support around him from senior players like Acres and Cerra, but when Acres had the chance to set the tone for the rest of the match he didn’t put the game on his boot.
A pinpoint moment in the first quarter will never decide the outcome of a match, but it can set the tone for the rest of the game, and players like Blake and Cerra should be front and centre in setting the standards.
George Hewett is a team-first player, and he has added value to the Blues in his time at the club, but he has a habit of going to ground too often. Twice in the first quarter when the Carlton had control of the play he slipped and while he got the ball away it definitely effected the rhythm of the play.
Play 2 – Third Quarter – the tone was set in the First Quarter
In the third quarter while Pies were running all over the Blues, however a couple of young Blues against the flow of the game put together a piece of play which nearly was, and then it went terribly pear shaped.
I stated in the preamble to this match that Carlton may discover a few diamonds in the rough in this game, and I believe they have.
Matthew Carroll gathered the ball on the wing, ran past a couple of Pies players and delivered a great pass to Ashton Moir who accepted the mark 40 metres out. Moir rushed his kick which was smothered off the mark, and in two kicks Carlton went from having a shot at goal to Daniel McStay punishing them at the other end of the ground.
I have watched that passage of play over a few times now, and in a lot of aspects it reminded me of Blake Acres’ first quarter missed opportunity. Not one senior Carlton player went to Moir before his kick to ease his tension, and further, what were all the Carlton backs doing in the forward half of the ground when Moir was taking his shot?
There was no defensive wall if the play rebounded, which it did.
Maynard to McStay, bang, bang goal, basically unopposed, except for Weitering doing his best to halt the momentum of McStay.
Moir made an error, and his error was harshly punished, however, blame should be apportioned to the players following the ball rather than holding their positions and game structures. McStay doesn’t kick the goal if the Blues maintained their defensive wall.
The performances of Carroll and Moir, as well as Lord are three positives the Blues can take out this game as young players starting to come of age. Credit to Moir, he didn’t drop his head, and he was rewarded with a goal in the final quarter.
The Ruck Battle Cameron v TDK, Cameron v Pittonet
At the very least, Darcy Cameron should be named as one of the forty odd players considered for the All-Australian Team this year. Cameron is one of the most understated players in the competition, and while other players have more flair and style, he is in the engine room keeping everything running smoothly.
Cameron made short work of Tom De Koning, who to be fair was having an absolute Barry Crocker of a night which happens to all good players occasionally, and he had Marc Pittonet’s measure at halftime. Credit where credit is due, Marc Pittonet bounced back after halftime and reminded the football world he is still a class ruckman.
Praise will always go to the little sportscars like Nick Daicos and others for their performances, and rightly so, however they receive silver tray service from Cameron with his precise hit outs and handing the ball off after he had taken another defensive mark.
I don’t think I’d be far off the mark by stating Cameron is central to the Pies chances this year.
Collingwood’s Forward Line
If Jamie Elliott doesn’t get ya, then Dan McStay will, or Brody Mihocek, or Bobby Hill, or Tim Membrey, or a Daicos or two floating into the forward line will, or, or and or, and oh, before I forget, a player by the name of Jordan De Goey will hopefully be fully fit come September.
Jamie Elliott has evolved into class player of the Pies forward structure, while Bobby Hill (I am aware he didn’t play) is the excitement package, Dan McStay is the barometer, while Brody Mihocek is the heart and soul, Tim Membrey is the workhorse, and other players play cameos when they drift into the Pies forward fifty.
Luke Sullivan made his cameo appearance in the third quarter when he drifted forward and fed off the energy of the hungry forwards. He has a bright future.
It must be a nightmare for opposition coaches trying to match up on the Pies multi-pronged attack. They are like Whack-a-Mole, as soon as you knock one down another one bobs up.
Weitering, Cowan and McGovern were probably in the Blues’ best players, while the inexperienced Henry O’Farrell performed admirably, but the Collingwood forwards still kicked 12 of the Pies 17 goals for the match against them as a collective. It probably doesn’t help that about seventy percent of the match was played in the Pies forward half.
Isaac Quaynor, Jeremy Howe and Maynard the Bucking Bull
Isaac Quaynor is one of the game’s quiet achievers, and he has almost anonymously racked up over 120 games as well as a Premiership Medal in his time at Collingwood.
Quaynor’s performance against the Blues was probably his best game for the year.
Quaynor is a true blue collar worker who gets in there and gets the job done, avoiding the spotlight at all costs, but occasionally he reminds us were all he is still there, quietly going about his business.
Jeremy Howe is one of the over thirties (over 30’s sounds like a sleazy pick-up bar) in the Pies lineup who continues to get the job done. He was subbed out in the second half to give Will Parker a run, but prior to sitting on the pine he was he was his reliable old self. With players like Howe who are over 30, when they are subbed out it is to be hoped it is for ‘management’ reasons, and not something more nefarious. Players who have survived twelve to fifteen years of service deserve to go out on their own terms.
Brayden Maynard is one of the fiercest competitors in the game, and in his return tonight on a couple of occasions it looked like he was riding a ‘bucking bull’ as he brought the opposition players down. In some ways Maynard is a throwback to years past when brutish strength and endeavour were the hallmark of a true competitor – he certainly gives as good as he gets and then some.
Good to see him back.
Slotting back in
Speaking of being good to see someone back… Tom Mitchell has been close to the forgotten man in the AFL. The Brownlow Medallist has been battling injury all season, only to slot back into the Magpies team and pick up 26 touches and four clearances like he’d never left.
Mitchell is probably disrespected in AFL fandom circles, but when he gets his hands ont eh footy and brings others into the contest, he can be a damaging weapon. With nine score involvements in this one, he was precisely that against the Blues.
Back to Carlton – the Rough Diamonds
I mentioned them all earlier, Matthew Carroll, Ashton Moir, Henry O’Farrell and the slightly more experienced Ashton Lord, Jesse Motlop and Lachlan Cowan performances against the Pies must give hope to the Blues faithful that somewhere in the darkness the next generation of Bagger is coming through.
Where are the Leaders?
Patrick Cripps is still playing red hot footy, but his intensity is not at the same level as previous years when he attempted to carry the whole team on his shoulders. The comes a point when other players need to stand up (other than Sam Docherty who is all heart) and help him lead a successful team.
Cerra and Acres were lambasted earlier, so enough said already.
Zac Williams played the best game I have seen him play in a Carlton jumper, and if he gets some clear air without injury, and starts to play with the same energy and intensity as he did against the Pies, then he has valuable natural leadership qualities.
Nick Haynes has not been at the club long, but he has the presence and poise of a player who has played at successful club, and he is slowly starting to assist Weitering marshal the back six, but he is still finding his feet at his new home. By this time next year, it would be expected Haynes plays more of a senior role.
Curnow tries hard to lead, and while he had a bad night in a lot of aspects, he had still eighteen possessions, and he took eight marks as he roamed between deep forward to the wings trying to inspire his team in a roll reminiscent of the Richo man in his later years.
Graham Wright is currently scrutinising and analysing Michael Voss, but maybe some attention should be directed towards making the senior player more accountable for their on-field performances.
Francis Evans and Orazio Fantasia
Francis Evans is now at his third club, with well under 50 games under his belt, and he is now at an age where he should be established as a player, but he hasn’t quite made the grade yet. Maybe he is like Oleg Markov who has battled through the system to play 90 games over ten years.
Markov is now forever a Collingwood Premiership player and proof that hard work and turning up does have its own rewards.
Orazio Fantasia is now at his third club as well. Orazio has been in and out of teams for since 2014, accumulating around 120 games over the past 11 years.
Good luck to the pair of them, and I’m not criticising either one, but it is hard to figure out where they fit into the overall scheme of things. Carlton have honestly believed they were in a period of success since 2022, but they seemed to have sunk before they got anywhere. If Evans and Fantasia were recruited as back-ups for a team on the rise then their recruitment makes sense, but Carlton aren’t on the rise and if rebuilding has already started then the Blues need to pump fifty games into the ‘rough diamonds’ as quickly as possible. Possibly Evans and Fantasia could play a mentor role for the players coming through.
Collingwood’s Negative
At the same stage this time last year I reviewed a Sydney game which they won, but I noticed the cracks appearing and stated as much. The comments section ran red hot for a week.
So, without fear or regret I am going to state something which seem pretty obvious, but which is not being said.
Collingwood’s kryptonite this season is last quarters when they switch off and cruise.
I get it, the game is done and dusted so who cares?
Bad habits can be hard to break. Similar to what I said about Sydney last year, that they were winning games in 20 minutes patches each week and not playing games out, Collingwood is forming their own bad habit by being on the nod in last quarters.
Not bad, first-up
As if the Pies didn’t have enough to work with, they unearthed another talent with the debut of Roan Steele in this game. Despite a name like a spy, he was hardly travelling around the MCG icognito, as he picked up 19 disposals as he floated between the arcs.
At this stage of the season, that the Pies are still introducing young talent to their team indicates that they both have an eye on what is happening in the now, and an eye on what is to come in the years ahead. Winning culture is embedded in players early, and having the experience of playing with a team operating at close to its optimum will aid Steele, as well as played like Luke Sullivan, Ned Long, and Will Parker, who are all more advanced, in continuing the winning for years to come.
Finally
Collingwood are in a good position to launch another assault at the ultimate prize. Their list runs deep, and it is relatively healthy, and while their top end players are elite, Fly McRae has got players on the edges fighting hard for a chance to be a part of this side.
Carlton is where they have been for most of this century, absolutely stuck in Ground Hog Day. Yet again, the structures are being appraised, and there is uncertainty about the coach, the support staff, and the playing group. This movie has been on rerun for 25 years now, with each appraisal comes change and hope which diminishes by about Round Six of each season, to be followed by another F$%^ing appraisal.
Rinse and repeat Carlton, it is getting you nowhere.
Like Essendon supporters, I can understand the supporter’s angst after each loss, but sometimes a team just needs to stick fat and back itself in instead of succumbing to constant changes.
Ps: Nick and Josh Daicos are superstars, and we all love them, etc, etc, rah, rah, and they were both in the Pies best five players.
Next week Collingwood travel to Surfers to take on the Suns in a Friday night blockbuster, which should be a really good game, while the Blues will get mauled by the Lions at Marvel Stadium in the marquee, prime time, Thursday night game.
