Collingwood versus Carlton.
No football rivalry comes close to this titanic clash. Since the inception of football, these two clubs have showcased fierce contests that shaped the course of the entire competition.
In 2022, the stakes could not have been higher. Round 23, Collingwood vs Carlton.
A win for the Pies would secure top-four placement, while a win for the Blues would solidify a spot in the eight. By a margin of one point, the Pies came from the clouds as they did so many times last season and pulled off a miracle victory. Elation for the black and white, heartbreak for the boys in navy blue.
These two sides have already met once in 2023, with the Pies cruising to a 28-point victory at the MCG in Round 10. However, these are two completely different sides to what they were 10 weeks ago. The Pies have taken their game to another level, moving the ball quicker and more efficiently than they did to start the season. The same can be said for Michael Voss' Blues. Fast ball movement and a defensive wall are what make up this burgeoning side.
Both teams are coming off a five-game win streak. Carlton has won its last five by a minimum of 50 points, while the Pies are coming off a red-hot victory over Port Adelaide in a Friday night thriller at Adelaide Oval.
Expect the Blues to come out firing hoping for some revenge for earlier this season and perhaps even for the final round of 2022. Carlton will be glad to welcome back Patrick Cripps and Adam Cerra, both missing one week due to a cork and hamstring tightness respectively. Along with the midfield duo are the confirmed returns of Jack Martin and Marc Pittonet. The latter returned through the VFL last week, tallying 16 disposals and 18 hit outs in an effective performance.
Pies livewire small-forward Bobby Hill will miss through illness. Utility winger Will Hoskin-Elliot will return as the substitute for the Pies, with Oleg Markov keeping his spot in the side on the wing.
With Harry McKay set for an extended stint on the sidelines, the Collingwood defence will be sure to do everything they can to keep Charlie Curnow quiet. Curnow has just about secured the Coleman Medal, his second triumph in as many years. Most recently, Curnow is coming off a 10-goal haul against the West Coast Eagles. He became the first Blue to record 10 goals in a game since Stephen Kernahan in 1995 … we all know what happened that year.
The matchup in Round 10 was Darcy Moore versus Charlie Curnow. Expect the exact same in Round 20, although with the loss of Harry McKay, the Pies may be able to send another defender over to assist if needed. With the inclusion of Pittonet in the side, it seems likely that Tom De Koning will also go forward for the Blues, rucking as needed. Where that leaves Jack Silvagni is up for debate.
It'll be a midfield battle for both sides. Craig McRae's men have taken their inside game to another level in 2023 thanks namely to the addition of ex-Hawk Tom Mitchell. Moving Nick Daicos into the midfield has revealed an entirely different player to the half-back he was early in the season. Bulls such as Taylor Adams and Jordan De Goey provide the grunt whilst veterans Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury add some class in traffic.
Carlton's midfield is absolutely stacked, also. With the inclusion of Cripps and Cerra, expect a heated contest. After the defensive efforts that Willem Drew put on Nick Daicos last week, George Hewett may be the one to run with the younger Daicos. The only hole in the Carlton side regarding their midfield as well as outside speed is superstar Sam Walsh, a player they'll greatly miss. However, the talent that the Blues have can most definitely be enough to get on top of this game.
The last time these two teams met, Darcy Moore had an absolute day out, recording a record-tying 10 intercept marks. Carlton will have surely learned from that and would be smart to have someone run with Moore to take away his intercept game. Keeping a body on him would limit his preferred game, along with lowering the eyes when going inside 50. Port Adelaide did it very effectively against the Pies; a chaotic ball can be the undoing of this impressive Collingwood outfit.
No doubt that there will be spot fires all over the ground. Despite it seeming as though there's a fair disparity between the two teams, tensions will be rising from the moment the ball bounces to begin the game. The competitive nature of both sides simply won't allow for a single quiet moment; rather the opposite. Brayden Maynard and Patrick Cripps love the spotlight, especially in such a heavyweight contest.
With the Pies seeming likely to take home the minor premiership, there isn't much for them to lose in theory. Against the Blues, however, that couldn't be further from the truth. This rivalry has been formed for over a hundred years and won't go away any time soon. Pride is on the line here. With a fairly mixed run home, a win against the flag favourites for the Blues will put them right in finals contention.
This is shaping up to be an absolute classic on Friday night at the MCG.