Those final five goals were scored by Ash Johnson (set shot),Mason Cox (set shot),Elliott (speccie and set shot straight in front),Beau McCreery and then Elliot for the decider,which fittingly came from a turnover in defence and involved their ever-poised skipper Scott Pendlebury,as Elliott burst into space and converted from 35 metres on the run.

McCreery’s goal was a long shot in both senses – from the boundary,on the edge of the 50-metre mark,to close the margin to what you might call “the Collingwood winning zone” – under a goal.

Once the Magpies had snatched the lead via Elliott,a sense of inevitability pervaded the huge crowd,as they went into lead-protection mode,forcing scrimmages,congestion and contests,finally forcing the footy forward when the siren sounded.

The narrow triumph for the transition style of Craig McRae over his teammate Michael Voss’ stronger contested and clearance method for scoring was underscored by the fact that the Pies scored three of their five final-quarter goals from defensive rebounds.

For the Blues,this was the cruellest result. Not only did it knock them out of the finals by 0.6 of a percentage point – securing that berth for the Bulldogs – but it contained innumerable what-ifs. Carlton had been wasteful in the final quarter,peppering the goal but missing,with a yield of just 0.6 – the worst being a miscue from Charlie Curnow,superb in that eight-goal third term,when he tried a hook shot that fell short and was marked by John Noble. Curnow booted a profligate 2.5.

More broadly,the Blues will rue that Sam Walsh,their midfield boy wonder,failed to come up for this mega-match due to a back ailment and they didn’t have George Hewett or Matt Kennedy in the midfield,either.

Patrick Cripps stood up in their absence,accumulating 27 contested balls and 12 clearances. Adam Cerra,too,was outstanding – booting two goals in that third quarter (as did Curnow and Jesse Motlop) – while Sam Docherty was sharp and constant from half-back.

For the Pies,Josh Daicos continued his rise as a player of substance. Otherwise,their best were behind the ball,in Darcy Moore,who won a great duel with Harry McKay and bull half-back Brayden Maynard,while Pendlebury’s composure was peerless. Jack Ginnivan booted three skilful goals from limited chances.

At the end,poise and experience bettered youthful verve,the transition game overcame the contested/clearance method,and,above all,the cardiac kids,Collingwood,finished their season on the note that defined them and consigned Carlton – a team of immense promise – to another seasonsans September footy.

COLLINGWOOD3.5 5.6 6.8 11.9 (75)
CARLTON0.3 2.5 10.8 10.14 (74)

GOALS
Collingwood: Ginnivan 3,Elliott 2,Johnson 2,Sidebottom,Cox,Crisp,McCreery.
Carlton: McKay 2,Curnow 2,Cerra 2,Motlop 2,Docherty,Owies.
BEST
Collingwood: Moore,Daicos,Pendlebury,Maynard.
Carlton: Cerra,Docherty,Cripps,Young.
INJURIES
Carlton: Sam Walsh (back soreness) replaced in selected side by Lochie O’Brien.
CROWD88,287 at the MCG.

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