What a comeback!
Collingwood has kicked five unanswered goals in the fourth quarter to complete a fightback win over a gallant North Melbourne by seven points in an MCG thriller, 13.10 (88) to 12.9 (81).
It had all the makings of one of the upsets of the season as the Kangaroos led for the majority of the contest including holding a 26-point advantage at the last change.
But the Pies came with a rush in the fourth quarter in a surge of momentum the Roos couldn’t contain as Craig McRae’s side marched onto its seventh-straight victory.
The win sees Collingwood climb into fifth position — if only momentarily and on equal wins to the third-placed Lions — while the Roos suffered their 14th-straight defeat.
QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT
There were no late changes for either side, with Tyler Brown (Collingwood) and Jack Mahony (North Melbourne) named the medical subs.
Todd Goldstein got the Roos off the perfect start, booting the first goal of the game after the opening clearance.
But the Pies instantly responded with back-to-back majors including Jack Ginnivan drawing a free kick from Jaidyn Stephenson deep inside 50.
Just as it seemed like Collingwood was settling, North came back with two more goals to have four in the first eight minutes of game time to get off to its best start in weeks.
It came as the Roos dominated the midfield battle early as the likes of Luke Davies-Uniacke and Hugh Greenwood racked up plenty of the footy.
Ginnivan booted another goal later in the term before getting into a scuffle with ex-Magpie Jaiydyn Stephenson to prompt several teammates to get involved as the Magpies took ascendancy late.
It was all tied up at quarter 4.2 (26) apiece.
The Kangaroos kicked the first three goals of the second quarter to put the Magpies on the backfoot in a stunning charge from David Noble’s side.
“There's a bit of energy about what the Kangaroos are doing today,” Roos great David King told Fox Footy.
It was a gridlock for the rest of the second quarter before Steele Sidebottom kicked a crucial goal for Collingwood to get his team some momentum back.
Todd Goldstein soon after drew a dubious free kick in the ruck at the other end of the ground before kicking truly in what’d been a strong display from the veteran ruckman.
The Roos took a 20-point lead into the main break, 8.4 (52) to 5.2 (32).
Nick Larkey took a crucial mark inside 50 in the third term and kicked truly to get the Roos off to an ideal start to the second half and extend the Roos’ lead to a game-high 27 points.
A massive friendly fire collision between Jeremy Howe and Nathan Murphy ended in another Larkey goal — his fourth for the day — but in a relief for Pies, who were already without Darcy Moore, both players got up after a few minutes and played on.
Ginnivan appeared to cop a high tackle deep inside 50 but wasn’t rewarded with a free kick in an incident that’s sure to be a talking point.
Larkey continued his dominance with another mark inside 50 for his fifth goal of the day as the Roos extended their lead to back out to 27 points.
The Roos led by 26 points at three-quarter time, 12.7 (79) to 8.5 (53).
The Pies found life in the fourth quarter, booting the opening three-goals including a spectacular Nick Daicos finish from close to the boundary to pile all the pressure back on North.
“It’s in the blood,” Kingd said of Daicos after the phenomenal goal.
The Pies had repeated inside 50s in the fourth quarter as they continued to push, but Ben McKay stood up with several huge marks time and time again.
“He’s been a rock down there today,” King said of McKay.
But Collingwood continued its surge, with Darcy Cameron taking a mark deep inside 50 and kicking the goal to even the scoreboard.
A hack kick from Josh Carmichael on the boundary somehow sailed all the way to goal and was just touched on the line, with the decision not to review it questioned by Fox Footy’s commentators.
The Pies’ push continued though, with Steele Sidebottom taking a mark from a turnover o the 50m arc and kicking truly frim distance to give his team its first lead since the opening term as fans erupted at the MCG.
It proved to be the final blow of the day as Craig McRae’s side escaped with a thrilling win.
“Collingwood, a wonderful win from nowhere. Heartbreak for the Kangaroos,” Howard exclaimed on the final siren.
THE 3-2-1 (co-written by David Zita and Catherine Healey)
3. PIES THE CLUTCH KINGS?
As David King put it during the last quarter, it was a side that doesn‘t know how to win against one that doesn’t know how to lose.
On Saturday, North Melbourne was the former and Collingwood was the latter.
A sheer pressure onslaught from Collingwood in the final quarter saw a 26-point lead at the outset of the term whittled away, while North Melbourne simply couldn‘t keep up.
Beau McCreery had four tackles and a goal in the final term to lead the manic charge, but there were plenty of performers the Pies were buoyed by.
They simply ran out of petrol amid the Pies‘ charge, with players all across the ground seemingly cramping up as the margin continued to fall off.
It‘s a testament to the Pies they’re able to win when not playing their best, but many a Pies fan would love a win with no fuss.
Still, good teams find a way to win and that‘s exactly what Collingwood did to record a seventh straight win and consign North Melbourne to a 14th straight loss.
The Pies are now 6-1 in games decided by two goals of less this season... are they the clutch kings of the competition right now?
“That is the difference in a season ... that‘s the reason they’re there, they’ve won the close games,” Jonathan Brown said.
2.‘GINNIVAN RULE’ DEBATE RAGES ON
Jack Ginnivan had won 23 free kicks in just 13 games heading into the clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.
And while he chalked up two more free kicks against the Roos, it was one he gave away that created the most controversy.
Ginnivan had locked opponent Luke Davies-Uniacke’s arm over his left shoulder in an attempt to try and win a high tackle free kick.
Instead, Ginnivan was pinged for holding the ball.
Fox Footy’s David King explained that by ducking first, the umpire’s viewed it as Ginnivan’s prior opportunity.
“He challenges the umpire to make a call. So we can’t then question the umpire’s call,” he said.
“He draws the free kick by lowering his height. I think that’s a free kick personally. I think there’s some skill in that. But I’m happy that the umpire has seen it the other way.”
Teammate Scott Pendlebury tried the same trick in the final term, as he lowered himself in a tackle and failed to win a free kick.
“It’s the Ginnivan rule there - just dropped his body height there Pendlebury and the umpire called play on,” Fox Footy’s Jonathan Brown said.
“You are allowed to do that - you might not like it, but if it’s there, it’s a free kick,” King interrupted.
“I don’t think we should be encouraging it,” Brown said.
“It’s not so much not in the spirit of the game, I just don’t want players’ ducking their head.
“A lot of Collingwood players just lower their body height and it’s either a high free kick or play on.”
Collingwood ended up winning the free kick count 20-16.
1. PROMSING ROOS SHINE
It may not have ultimately been North Melbourne’s day in a heart-breaking seven-point loss, but sometimes footy is about little wins.
And there were several promising signs and performances across the board in the the Roos’ best performance in months.
None more so than Nick Larkey, who was the most dominant forward on the day with a game-high five goals.
Had the Roos got up in the end, Larkey would’ve largely been the difference between the two sides.
Geelong great and Fox Footy pundit Cameron Mooney has been coaching Larkey this season, and noted the 24-year old was due for a bag due to the hard work he’s been putting in.
“We talk about his work rate today, just how fantastic it’s been, but it’s been the last couple of months that he’s been doing this,” Mooney told Fox Footy.
“This is the reward you get from weeks of working your butt off, and this is what he does.
“This is the great thing about him, he works hard and now today he’s finally getting his reward.”
Arguably the most dominant player on the ground was on-baller Luke Davies-Uniacke, finishing with an equal game-high 33 disposals, 11 tackles, 16 contested possessions and 791 metres gained.
Davies-Uniacke’s grunt and dominance inside the contest in the first half helped the Roos get out to their lead as largely the architect for their ascendancy.
In the end the Roos won contested possessions +14 and clearances +9 in large thanks to the young bull.
“Making a late run at the best and fairest I would’ve thought,” Lions champion Jonathan Brown said of Davies-Uniacke.
“I love his explosiveness; he can start from any position in those centre bounces. He dominated early in those clearances, he was able to get the territory early for North Melbourne. Obviously they were able to hit the scoreboard off the back of that.”
Roos legend David King declared Davies-Uniacke has been the club’s “best player of the year”.
“He’s really improving week on week. He’s not just a clearance player anymore, he’s a metres gained man as well,” he said.
“The midfield needed to respond, they’ve been poor for about six weeks, so it was about time.”
