Levi Casboult of the Carlton Blues scores a goal during the round 7 AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Carlton Blues at the MCG in Melbourne, Saturday, May 7, 2016. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Instead of “The Journey”, the Blues should have called it “The Slingshot”.

What we thought was going to be one of footy’s toughest rebuilding jobs in recent history on Saturday gathered serious and somewhat unexpected pace, when the re-energised Blues posted their third-straight win of the season and first victory in three years over arch enemy Collingwood at the MCG.

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton may talk the 15-point win down, but there were some plain truths about this watershed performance, led magnificently by inspirational young bulldozer Patrick Cripps, tireless veteran Kade Simpson, three-goal star Bryce Gibbs and reinvigorated ruckman Matthew Kreuzer.

As former Pie Dale Thomas said after the match, the Blues’ play “has not been pretty”, but they are working “bloody hard”, and you can see the new-found resilience and ticker in a side that looked totally desolate at the same point last year.

Yet there was excitement too, as Cripps capitalised on a Jordan de Goey fumble at a critical moment in the third term, weaving around two Collingwood players to setup an Andrejs Everitt goal.

Levi Casboult celebrates one of his three goals. Picture: Wayne LudbeySource:News Corp Australia

Carlton was much hungrier in the contest, more systematic in its ball use, and worked harder to outrun Collingwood in the outside midfield stakes on Saturday.

They kicked their biggest score of the season, even with Levi Casboult butchering his usual handful of goal attempts, including two set shots in the third term.

But he pumped his fists when he hammered the nail in the Collingwood coffin from 50m out 20 minutes into the last term.

He was one of three Blues to bag three goals and took a career-best 11 marks, including seven contested grabs.

For all of his kicking flaws, when he is hot, he looks unstoppable in the air, floating across the packs with power and grace.

Really, the Blues should have won by more, leading from the start, despite coming off a six-day turnaround from Perth.

Collingwood is in a deep, dark hole, and is performing so far below expectations, after an encouraging preseason, that their dismal start to the year will surely test every part of the club’s faith in its coaching and playing stocks.

Yes, they have used 36 players, the most of any team, and three more than their 2010 premiership year. But they are easy to play against, the Pies.

They concede more marks in their back 50m than any other team and on Saturday history repeated, with the Blues reeling in 15 forward 50m marks to Collingwood’s five.

Bryce Gibbs was one of Carlton’s best. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

Collingwood’s defensive system, whatever you want to call it, was ripped apart, again.

Young forward Darcy Moore tried desperately to lift the Pies in the third term with a big grab and goal, and then, had a hand in Alex Fasolo’s fourth to lead a short-lived fightback before the last change.

Captain Scott Pendlebury was inspirational in the last term, gathering 10 possessions, and Steele Sidebottom continued last week’s outstanding performance with a sparkling first half, adding some much needed midfield polish.

But they were belted in the clearances, again, losing the count 40-29 and the inside-50s 57 to 46. The tackles favoured Carlton 73-68.

Collingwood had strong interest in Carlton ruckman Kreuzer last year and the big man was influential in handing the Blues a decisive edge in the early midfield battle on Saturday.

The Magpies have struggled to gain control of the ruck battle all season and Kreuzer took charge with a string of favourable palm-downs, including one to Everitt as he ran onto an open goal late in the second term.

Cripps and Ed Curnow dominated at ground level with 10 first-half clearances, again exposing the Magpies for hard ball in the engine room early.

Curnow was responsible for Adam Treloar, with Triple M commentator Danny Frawley criticising the Magpies’ recruit for being unaccountable to his opponent.

“I have been watching Adam Treloar, and gee, can he run forward of a contest,” Frawley said.

Casboult reeled in a spectacular overhead mark in front of Jeremy Howe immediately after Everitt’s crumbing goal to extend the Blues’ lead to 11 points at the half time break.

CARLTON 3.4 8.5 13.8 15.9 (99)

COLLINGWOOD 3.2 6.6 10.7 12.12 (84)

GOALS

Carlton: A Everitt 3 B Gibbs 3 L Casboult 3 D Thomas J Lamb L Jones L Sumner M Murphy S Kerridge.

Collingwood: A Fasolo 4 D Moore 3 J White 2 J Blair L Greenwood T Broomhead.

Umpires: Ben Ryan, Luke Farmer, Brendan Hosking.

Official Crowd: 60,222 at MCG.