THE Northern Blues endured a 48-point defeat at the hands of Collingwood on Saturday.

After kicking the opening goal of the game, the Blues were outrun by the Pies at Marvel Stadium, who inflicted a 5.7 (37) to 12.13 (85) defeat.

Paddy Dow and Alex Fasolo battled manfully for the hosts, but it was ultimately a disappointing loss for Northern after last week's resounding win.

Q1 Breakdown:

Northern had the territory in the first term, but they couldn't impact the scoreboard to their advantage. The first score came at the 12-minute mark, with a true set shot from Jesse Palmer. Strong ruck work from Tom De Koning helped the Blues in the middle of the ground, while Jonothan O'Rourke's solid running providing a fast link from defence to attack. Alex Fasolo was integral in creating scoring opportunities in the attacking 50, presenting himself as a constant option and finishing off with strong marking.

Q2 Breakdown: 

The start of the second term was slow for the Blues, with a lot of time spent in the defensive 50: the Pies piled on four unanswered goals to open the term. Durable defensive work from Josh Hill and Harrison Macreadie kept the scoreboard damage to a minimum, while the VFL-listed trio of Sam Fisher, Frank Anderson and O’Rourke battled manfully to gain territory for the Blues. Fasolo continued to be a bright spark against his old side, providing class with the ball and leadership around the ground, while Paddy Dow was a handy addition in the middle of the ground. Two late goals to Jesse Palmer - assisted by Matthew Owies - put the Blues within striking distance.

Q3 Breakdown:

Turnovers once again proved costly for Northern at the beginning of the third term, as Collingwood pounced with two quick goals . Owies’ presence in the forward 50 created opportunities for the Blues, but Collingwood's space and speed gave them the territory and made them the more dangerous of the two sides. Fisher and Anderson continued to gather the most disposals for the Blues through the middle, with Palmer providing options and pressure across half forward. A quick surge from Dow to Owies looked promising, but a missed chance ultimately left the Blues goalless for the quarter.

Q4 Breakdown: 

Palmer opened the term kicking the Blues’ fourth goal, all of which had come from his boot. Quirk put his body on the line in the defensive 50, while a free kick awarded to Ben Silvagni after a huge tackle saw Northern get their fifth goal for the match and Silvagni's second for the season. After making a move to the defensive half, Liam Stocker showed positive signs in his attack on the contest. However, while the Blues managed to keep their forward territory in the last quarter, they couldn't impact the scoreboard and ultimately ended the game 48 points in arrears.