To the Zillennials: A Warning

[Magpiefan3]

[David]

1910 and 1960, too, Magpiefan3! Not that anyone would want to remember the latter one ...

[Piesnchess]

[Cakewalk 90]

Excellent (and unfortunately timely) subject Cam. Here's an old post I entered years ago that I feel bears repeating:

Why must we beat Carlton this year? Why do older Collingwood supporters hate Carlton with such real venom? Because Carlton beat Collingwood in the 1970, 1979 and 1981 Grand Finals - even the most impartial observer could argue that Collingwood could have won all three - let's recap:

1970 - Collingwood finish top of the ladder with 18 wins and 4 losses during the home and away season. "Many times in previous seasons a particular club had dominated to such an extent that their winning the premiership seemed inevitable. Such was the case with Collingwood in 1970. For 23 and three-quarter games they did everything befitting the year's titleholders. They went to the top after round 3 and stayed there for the remainder of the season. The grand final was probably the supreme disappointment for Collingwood and their supporters. An all-time record crowd for a VFL/AFL match of 121,696 assembled." Collingwood led by 44 points at half time then were overrun and lost by 10 points.

1979 - Collingwood finish third with 15 wins and 7 losses, Carlton finish top of the ladder with 19 wins and 3 losses - their heaviest loss was against Collingwood in round 21, by 19 points. "After the round 21 result, Collingwood refused to be overawed in the grand final. They had a handy lead midway through the second quarter, but the club that had looked as likely to be premiers as any club can, finally got on top and prevailed. The Magpies, however, gave Carlton an awful scare near the end." On a wet ground, Collingwood lost by 5 points, Carlton's only goal in the last term one that remains controversial to this day. Carlton's Wayne Harmes miskicks to the Carlton forward line, chases his own slewed kick on the right forward pocket, dives and thumps it to the goal square where Ken Sheldon goals to seal the win. To this day people argue that the ball was over the boundary line before Harmes thumped the ball goal wards. It remains a tough call. I wasn't there, but the Channel 7 camera lagged behind the play, making it difficult to gain the clearest view, and the ground was very muddy and streamers and paper were strewn along the boundary line making it difficult to discern. Most distasteful was Carlton President George Harris's comment afterwards, along the lines of "What's better than beating Collingwood by 10 goals? Beating them by 5 bloody points!"

1981 - Collingwood finish second to Carlton on the ladder, both clubs with 17 wins and 5 losses. Collingwood beat Carlton both times during the home-and-away season, memorably at Princes Park in round 6. "Both (clubs) had won their first five games, Carlton for the third year in a row - but Collingwood rocked the Blues and won by almost ten goals." "The grand final held special significance: if Collingwood could not bring home their fourteenth premiership they would pay for it by seeing a record the club had held outright since 1929 equalled" "...the game and the record seemed to be slipping away from them (Carlton) when Collingwood led by 21 points late in the third quarter. From this point on, however, the much fitter Blues finished all over their tiring opponents. In marked contrast to recent close situations, the Magpies could not find anything when it was most needed. So Carlton for the first time since 1915 shared the VFL/AFL Premiership record." Collingwood led by 9 points at three-quarter time, eventually lost by 20 points then imploded in 1982, losing nine of the first ten games, leading to the sacking of coach Tom Hafey.

1988 - Collingwood finish second on the ladder with 15 wins, 1 draw and 6 losses, beat Carlton both times in the home-and-away season then are beaten comfortably by Carlton in the Qualifying Final by 38 points.

1992 - Collingwood's Centenary Year since joining the VFL/AFL. Collingwood finished third on the ladder with 16 wins and 6 losses - equal with the top team. Collingwood's heaviest loss during the home-and-away season was 33 points against Carlton.

2000 - Collingwood, under new coach Mick Malthouse, win their first 5 games, including thrashing Carlton in round 3 by 73 points at the MCG, but won only 2 of the remaining 17 games including losing to Carlton in the return game at Princes Park by 111 points.

2002 - Carlton have a dismal season, winning their first wooden spoon and only winning 4 games - including beating Collingwood at night on a wet MCG.

2003 - Collingwood won against Carlton both times, thrashing Carlton in the second meeting. Just before half time a fight broke out where Carlton's Scott Camporeale may have broken Collingwood's Brodie Holland's nose; early in the third term Camporeale gains possession of the ball then is tackled magnificently by Nathan Buckley - Buckley pounces from nowhere and grinds him roughly but legally into the turf ensuring a ballup. We need to approach every game against Carlton with that concentrated white-hot hatred.

2004 - Collingwood have a dismal season, losing both games to Carlton despite leading handily in both games, particularly the first match. For me the worst loss of 2004 was that first loss to Carlton - Collingwood led by around 5 goals early in the last term, Buckley went off with a hamstring early in the game then watched helplessly as Carlton overran Collingwood in the last quarter and won by 9 points.

I despise Carlton's slow, prancing, arrogant theme song, particularly after they beat Collingwood, and the mocking words "We're the team that never let you down" resonate in my ears as I trudge despondently from the MCG.

Hate is a strong emotion. When I say I hate Carlton it's not with a smile or joining the bandwagon but with real fury and spittle foaming from my mouth, a hatred borne of (for me) a lifetime of crucial losses to them. So when you go to a Collingwood V Carlton game and you see older Collingwood supporters cheering and barracking with extra passion that's why.


Quoted passages from "Every Game Ever Played" (1998 Edition, Stephen Rogers, Ashley Browne)

[Lazza]

When the AFL had zones for clubs, Bendigo was Carlton's zone and just about every feral local dickbrain barracked for the scum. Even though I had several magpie mates, the local press, radio and tv station always favoured the scum. While my mates and I enjoyed giving it to the ferals each time Collingwood won, the opposite results were tough to handle. In the very early days, Robbo hated Collingwood even then and used to write anti Collingwood crap in the local rag. I used to argue with him quite often at the favourite watering hole we both frequented. He was a very strange dude actually.
The 1979 loss hurt because of the Harris words which came from an absolute bloody mongral. Filthy dirty bastard he was.
Thus my hatred of the scum still remains unabated. I wish them rotten luck.

[Sicks Bux]

@Cakewalk: lol. Peter Stegman.

[Sicks Bux]

The Couldabeen Champions just pointed out that Port Adelaide have 37 flags.

But 36 of them weren't AFL/VFL, so I don't think that counts.

[Piesnchess]

[Lazza]

Well said Piesnchess! Let us teach these newbies here that true Collingwood fans have no love whatsoever for the dirty rotten scum and their filthy fans🤬

[GeorgeQ]

Hi Cam. I have copied your post and sent it to my contracts (including supporters of other clubs) as community service. I hope you do not mind, should have asked first.

[Cam]

Np George.

[eddiesmith]

This is how I feel about Richmond, for my entire life they have been shit, suddenly 3 years ago all these arrogant tossers came out of the woodwork as lifelong Richmond fans celebrating and getting in everyone’s face.

The level of arrogance was astounding for people who’s team was shit for most of their lives, all are @&$!S and people I despise even more now.

If Carlton rises up it will be something that no one should have to deal with, although at least for them some of them have seen some success in their lives, but the harsh reality is Carlton right now have caught Collingwood and may very well overtake us this year. It’s a dark and troubling time when Richmond, Carlton and Essendon are up and about and we’re shit.

But only positive is Buckley could coach for another 20 years and still we’d be no1 for most wins we are that far in front!

[What'sinaname]

Carlton are probably now closer than us to a flag, and I expect the difference to grow over the next few years as Carlton have something like 16 Round 1 players on their list.

[Pies4shaw]

Doomsayers have been expressing that view for at least 20 years. It's no truer now than it's been at any other time this century.

[Jezza]