The Blues, who beat the Magpies by seven points at Queen Elizabeth Oval, had another eight players play their first competitive matches of the year, with another four likely to have their first hitouts in Carlton's last NAB Challenge game against Geelong.

It's in stark contrast to the under-prepared list Carlton took in 2014, a big factor in the Blues' tardy and costly start to the season.

"If we can get a good selection of 28 or 29 for that first game and the first two or three games … this time last year, we were probably picking 15 and topping up with players with no pre-season," Malthouse said.

The debutants against the Pies included the likes of Chris Judd, Bryce Gibbs, Andrew Carrazzo, Lachie Henderson, Michael Jamison and Andrejs Everitt, most of who had good games. Skipper Marc Murphy and Dale Thomas, meanwhile, are likely to line up against the Cats.

Indeed, Judd's form was ominous, and Malthouse agreed that he was in as good a nick as he'd seen over the last few seasons for this time of year.

"Physically he is, there's no doubt about that," he said. "He always seems to have had something holding him back at this time of year, but today …"

The dual Brownlow medallist finished with 23 disposals and 10 clearances, and was the driver behind Carlton's flying start, which saw it build a 33-point lead early before Collingwood came back.

Carlton's only injury concern was an apparent shoulder injury to ruckman Robbie Warnock, who left the field clutching his left shoulder early in the third quarter. But Malthouse said Warnock was OK. "You just don't take chances in these games," he said.

Collingwood, similarly, had a concern with a ruckman, Brodie Grundy sore down the left side by half-time and failing to return after the long break, subbed out for Travis Varcoe.

But Magpie coach Nathan Buckley said Grundy would have left the ground at half-time anyway, to allow big American experiment Mason Cox some game time. The 211-centimetre beanpole acquitted himself well, winning 16 hitouts after half-time.

Senior recruits Levin Greenwood and Jack Crisp also contributed, though Buckley said his team didn't really have a four-quarter player.

"Everyone had their moments. But we didn't play consistently enough as individuals or have enough of that connection as a team which we enjoyed two weeks ago [against Hawthorn] and which we've just got to keep working towards," Buckley said.

"We didn't play anywhere near as well [as against Hawthorn] and I think that probably says a couple of things to us. One is that we're still a work in progress, and we've got to continue to develop efficiency in the way we play against all opponents at all times in all scenarios.

"And it's not about the names, it's not about who's there. It's about the how, and we didn't do the how anywhere near as well this week as we did against Hawthorn and we have to continue to work on that."

Collingwood's last NAB Challenge game is against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.