Carlton has broken into the top eight after staging another stirring second-half revival to down bitter rival Collingwood by 30 points in a dour struggle at the MCG on Sunday.

Led by eight goals from star spearhead Brendan Fevola, the Blues came back from a four-goal deficit midway through the third term to defeat the Magpies 17.17 (119) to 12.17 (89) in front of more than 80,000 fans.

They booted 14 goals in the second half to Collingwood's three and fittingly it was Fevola who applied the finishing touches to the win when he goaled after the final siren.

Not since 2001, when coach Brett Ratten was a player, has Carlton, which is giving every indication it has emerged from the darkest days in a proud history, been in the eight this deep into a season.

For the second time in seven days the Blues showed tremendous maturity in an environment which they would have buckled many times earlier this decade under Denis Pagan.

After Fevola's case of the yips saw Carlton's first-quarter dominance wasted, the Magpies pounced and for much of the second and third quarters appeared the better side.

Gone was the Blues' ferocity from the first quarter and along with it their appetite to win possession.

It was not until Fevola, who comprehensively outplayed Nathan Brown and Harry O'Brien, was given more space in the third quarter that the Blues fought their way back into the contest.

While Fevola kicked six of his eight goals in the second half, it was not a one-man exhibition from the Blues.

Manfully shadowed by Rhyce Shaw, Judd was down by his exemplary standards, reduced to the role of a hack horse, but the likes of Mark Murphy, Andrew Carrazzo and Heath Scotland filled the breach in the middle.

Carrazzo shut down Alan Didak and Dale Thomas, the pair managing just one goal between them, while Cameron Cloke again justified his value to the Blues in the ruck.

The Magpies had few clear winners. Quiet early, Dane Swan provided the spark for his side in the middle two quarters, his hard running shaking off the close tag of Shaun Grigg and yielding 27 touches and two goals.

Rhyce Shaw had the better of Judd for much of the game but the Carlton superstar still finished with 25 touches and was instrumental in the Blues' second-half surge.

Paul Medhurst threatened to tear the game away from the Blues with two goals in the third term