Pies, Blues promote their grudge

Carlton coach Michael Malthouse will coach against Collingwood next week. Source: Getty Images

COLLINGWOOD and Carlton have joined forces to promote their dislike of each other less than a week out from one of the most eagerly awaited grudge matches of the season.

With new Blues coach Mick Malthouse set to take on the Magpies for the first time since an acrimonious split at the end of the 2011 season, the clubs have worked on a strategy for the Round 2 game that celebrates the rivals' famous enmity.

The two clubs have billed their clashes as "the ultimate rivalry" and had to win special AFL approval so they could run with the #lovetohateCarlton and #lovetohateCollingwood hashtags on Twitter.

Collingwood director of commercial operations Justin Reeves said the push to a national competition over the past 25 years had diluted some of the inner-suburban clashes, but insisted the Magpies-Blues rivalry was as strong as ever after more than 120 years.

"This is the biggest blockbuster in the AFL and it has been for well over 100 years," Reeves said this week. "We love to hate them and they love to hate us, and that's never going to change.

"We're happy to celebrate that fact because if you barrack for Collingwood, you don't like Carlton; and if you barrack for Carlton, you don't like Collingwood."

Collingwood met Carlton in its first game - in the VFA - in 1892 and the two sides have played in 245 matches since the start of the VFL-AFL competition in 1897.

The Blues lead the ledger with 125 wins; the Magpies have won 116 and there have been four draws.

The two clubs have started an "Ultimate Rivalry" campaign on their websites featuring comedians Peter Helliar and Dave Hughes, and Magpie and Blues fans will be able to purchase merchandise with the "lovetohate" slogans.

The plan is to also have #lovetohateCarlton and #lovetohateCollingwood signs hanging in the respective suburbs.

Magpie chief executive Gary Pert said neither club shied away from the fact that the rivalry had been heated at times.

"When we ask players and supporters why they hate Carlton, sometimes they don't know, but they just know that they have to."

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