Scott Pendlebury’s fourth goal capped a best-afield display as Collingwood booted two majors in the closing two minutes to score a remarkable 12-point win over Geelong in their AFL grand final rematch on Friday night.
In a match played in front of 75,650 fans at the MCG, last year’s runners-up Collingwood led by 17 points at three-quarter time and slowed to almost a walk but held on to win 14.12 (96) to 11.18 (84).
Both sides kicked four goals in a tense final term.
With scores level and less than two minutes remaining, Collingwood’s Alex Fasolo marked on the wing and was handed a 50-metre penalty after he shaped to play on and was tackled by Josh Hunt.
Fasolo’s third goal sealed the victory for the Magpies and Pendlebury’s fourth goal from the next centre bounce added to Geelong’s misery.
Defending premiers Geelong are now on a 4-4 win-loss record while first-year coach Nathan Buckley has steered the Magpies to a 6-2 start.
Steele Sidebottom with a game-high 38 disposals was a star for the Magpies alongside Pendlebury, who had 30 touches.
Ben Reid did a brilliant job to keep Geelong big man Tom Hawkins to 2.4, after Hawkins had been a match-winner against Reid in last year’s grand final.
Defender Heath Shaw was also a good contributor for the Magpies.
Geelong centre half-back Harry Taylor had a big game on Travis Cloke (two goals).
Pendlebury kicked two of his side’s three goals in the opening term as the Magpies took an eight-point lead into the quarter-time break.
After a see-sawing second term in which the Cats drew within two points of the lead late in the quarter through some brilliant work from Jimmy Bartel, Pendlebury took two bounces and scored a fabulous goal on the run from 52 metres out shortly before halftime.
The Magpies steadied with 3.2 to Geelong’s 1.6 in the third term to lead by 17 points at three-quarter time.
Collingwood suffered a blow when when Dane Swan left the field clutching his right hamstring.
Geelong small forward Mathew Stokes’ third goal levelled the scores in the closing stages before Fasolo and Pendlebury allowed the Magpies to skip clear.
Matthew Scarlett (ankle) was a late withdrawal from Geelong’s selected side.
Western Bulldogs host Geelong at Etihad Stadium next Friday in round nine while Collingwood face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium the following night.
Buckley said he was proud of his players’ efforts in the final term with Reid (thigh strain) and Swan unable to return to the field.
“(Reid) has probably nicked his quaddy again and Swanny has a minor hamstring strain,” Buckley said.
It’s Reid’s second thigh complaint this season following a similar injury in last year’s finals.
“What we put in place between the last episode and now hasn’t been enough,” Buckley said of Collingwood’s attempts to manage Reid’s fitness.
Meanwhile Buckley said Pendlebury’s game had been exceptional.
Geelong coach Chris Scott said he felt the 50-metre penalty against Hunt was a fair decision.
“If a player plays on but the umpire hasn’t called play on, it’s not play on,” Scott said.
Scott said the Cats, who booted 11.18, had missed vital shots at goal which proved costly but a top-four finish was still mathematically possible.
“We don’t think we’re playing horrible football at all,” he said.
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Collingwood led by a point with minutes to go, Kyle Langford had the chance to be the hero with a set shot, however, he missed, and we saw the first draw of the season.
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