CARLTON is undefeated after the first month of the season, comfortably accounting for Collingwood by 39 points, with Ruby Schleicher having scored all of the Pies' tally until the dying minutes of the game.
Collingwood was always an outside chance of securing a win over the fancied Blues, but it was a task made tougher by the late withdrawal of second-year Pie Ash Centra and winger Jemma Rigoni.
BLUES V MAGPIES Full match details and stats
Carlton was also without its own young star, with Sophie McKay (ankle) a last-minute out, but it had no bearing on the final 10.8 (68) to 4.5 (29) victory at IKON Park.
Collingwood's backline did well to stand up to the onslaught of ball entering its defensive 50, but the weight of numbers (near double inside 50s in the first half) meant the floodgates were going to open at some point.
Pies skipper Schleicher was the only genuine threat forward of centre for her side, kicking Collingwood's entire half-time score of 2.3 (15) as they trailed the Blues by 13 points, and until Georgia Knight's point at the 16-minute mark of the last term, Schleicher looked like recording her team's entire tally.
"We saw parts of our system come through, which was really exciting. We had some really good passages of play where we were able to overlap. Rubes looked really dangerous up there, and she's kicking herself, she could have kicked a few more. I think that's what we're after at the moment. We're under duress from a list point of view with injuries, and we need to just continue to address parts of our system and take that with us," Collingwood coach Sam Wright said.
"We've got to continue to find ways to score. First and foremost for us, that's how we move the ball - we saw last week we had 42 inside 50s. We just need those finishing players around."
Brit Bonnici battled hard alongside Airlie Runnalls, while Jordy Allen stood tall behind the footy and saved the Pies on numerous occasions, but the visitors were well and truly outplayed by the old enemy.
Ruby the sparkling gem
The Collingwood skipper was in fine form in attack, playing a lone hand in front of goal. It wasn't just her ability as the Pies' only tall forward inside 50 to crash packs and bring the ball to ground which was impressive but the style in which she played, with two of her majors – from different pockets – genuine goal of the week contenders. But just as impressive as Schleicher was, her exploits only highlighted Collingwood's limited options in its forward line. In the end, Schleicher kicked 3.4 (22) of the Pies' 4.5 (29).
Up next
Collingwood will be looking to open its account against Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon at People First Stadium, while Carlton has the biggest test of all, facing North Melbourne at Arden Street on Sunday.
CARLTON 1.2 4.4 9.6 10.8 (68)
COLLINGWOOD 1.1 2.3 3.4 4.5 (29)
GOALS
Carlton: Keck 3, Scholz 2, Fitzpatrick 2, Bohanna, Morris-Dalton, Goss
Collingwood: Schleicher 3, Carbone
BEST
Carlton: Hill, Whitfort, Cordner, Fitzpatrick, Good, Morris-Dalton
Collingwood: Bonnici, Allen, Schleicher, Runnalls
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Collingwood: Nil
LATE CHANGES
Carlton: Sophie McKay (ankle) replaced in selected side by Aisling Reidy
Collingwood: Ash Centra, Jemma Rigoni (both shin awareness) replaced in selected side by Georgia Knight, Zara Neuwirth
Crowd: cumulative figure of 3,892 for the double-header at IKON Park
