Geelong defeat Collingwood in one of the best finals ever

Geelong have left the footy world speechless after winning one of the best finals the AFL has ever seen in the dying stages of the contest.

Geelong have just pulled off an absolute thriller against Collingwood in front of 91,525 fans at the MCG to secure a home preliminary final.

In what was arguably one of the best finals ever seen, the game was sealed by Geelong's Max Holmes' goal in the final minute to hand Geelong the 11.12 (78) to 10.12 (72) victory.

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Collingwood have been the kings of the clutch in 2022, but in the dying stages it was all Geelong who produced when it mattered most to put their nightmare finals record behind them.

"One of the best games of footy I've ever seen," Garry Lyon said after the game.

The Pies went into the final quarter holding a slender lead, but couldn't capitalise as the Cats surged and with a bit of luck they secured the win in front of a raucous crowd.

Gary Rohan had a paddock of space with Collingwood's Steele Sidebottom trying to close the gap, but as the kick came in Rohan completely missed it.

Thankfully the ball shot through his hands and went towards goal with Rohan sprinting to the ball before collecting and dishing off to an unmarked Holmes who sent the ball high into the stands to give the Cats the win.

Rohan entered the contest under a host of question marks after his finals performances were put in the spotlight. He answered in emphatic fashion, emerging as Geelong's most important player on Saturday.

Gary Rohan clunks it!#ImLovinIt | #AFLFinals | #AFLCatsPies pic.twitter.com/gGnY4zXXQY

— AFL (@AFL) September 3, 2022

Happy for Gary Rohan.
Wins the game, but just as significantly, wins some respect.
That mark and goal. #AFLFinals #AFLCatsPies

— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) September 3, 2022

Jordan de Goey did everything he could for Collingwood in a herculean fourth quarter, kicking the opening goal of the quarter to extend his team's lead and then kicking one late in the fourth to pinch the lead back from the Cats.

The win means the Cats will now face the winner of next weekend's semi-final between Melbourne and Brisbane. For Collingwood, they'll return to the MCG where they'll take on either Fremantle or the Western Bulldogs.