‘Insane’: Collingwood rise from the dead in ‘miraculous’ AFL madness

Collingwood’s premiership defence appeared to be dead and buried against the Lions, until the unthinkable breathed life into their season.

How did they win that? Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Collingwood’s premiership defence is not over yet after the side pulled off a remarkable 11.13 (79) to 11.12 (78) win over the Brisbane Lions to keep their hopes alive.

Down by 17 with just under five minutes remaining, the Pies booted three goals in two minutes to take the lead with just under three minutes remaining.

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It was the first time Collingwood had hit the lead as Beau McCreery’s banana floated through the sticks after Brisbane raced out of the blocks with five of the first six goals of the game.

The Lions almost looked home when Charlie Cameron kicked a classic left foot dribbler from the pocket to extend their lead to 17 points in the final term but the Magpies found an incredible burst of energy to register their 10th win of the year.

Collingwood now sit on 44 points — level with the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Carlton who all play on Sunday with matches against the bottom three sides — and they need to beat Melbourne on Friday night and hope other results go their way to make the finals.

For the fifth-placed Lions, it is a costly blow to their top four hopes as a win would have put them in front of Port Adelaide and Geelong prior to their Saturday night matches.

If both the Power and Cats win, the Lions will have to settle for fifth and have to go the sudden death route if they want to go one better than last year.

“They just stay alive, they refused to concede anything,” Melbourne great Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy.

“This was miraculous and spectacular.

“Collingwood’s premiership defence is still alive.”

Craig McRae didn’t have any complaints this week. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Collingwood are on fire. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

As Pies fans went wild after the full-time siren, St Kilda champion Nick Dal Santo said it was like a “nightclub” at the MCG.

“It’s like a nightclub down here and Nick Daicos is the rock star,” he said.

Fans were stunned by the turnaround.

“This was insane,” one said.

Another commented: “This is an insane game!!! Best 4.35pm game ever???”

Early in the match, the Magpies did not appear up for the contest and times they were comical.

They missed tackles and Kai Lohmann marked and goaled at the top of the goalsquare among three Magpie defenders as they lacked the ferocity of the Lions in the first term.

At quarter time Brisbane led the Inside 50 count 17 to seven, the clearances 11 to five, contested possessions 39 to 23, uncontested possessions 54 to 35 and took seven marks Inside 50s.

It was a belting before goals to Will Hoskin-Elliott and former Lion Dan McStay either side of quarter time stemmed the bleeding.

Collingwood won the clearance battle in the second term by three with Steele Sidebottom playing a pivotal role in the Magpie turnaround.

The veteran collected 13 disposals, laid a game-high six tackles and had an equal game-high centre clearances to half time while going toe-to-toe with Lachie Neale who had 11 touches and five clearances of his own in the first half.

But it was the intervention of Nick Daicos which breathed life into the game.

Nick Daicos was on fire. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Daicos put himself into contention for Goal of the Year with a stunning goal on the run in his 12-disposal second quarter.

Streaming off half back, John Noble handballed to space beside the centre circle where Daicos gathered, broke clear of an attempted diving tackle from Dayne Zorko and then put his foot to the floor and charged towards goal.

He burst past Lachie Neale, took a bounce, slipped past Darragh Joyce and left him in his dust, took another bounce, steadied and slotted a drop punt from roughly 40m out at the Punt Road end.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae loved it as he celebrated on the bench with a big fist pump and a ‘c’mon’ to the four Magpies taking a breather.

Daicos took it upon himself to click Collingwood into gear as he kicked the next goal of the game from a forward 50 stoppage to reduce the margin to a kick after the Magpies trailed by four goals at quarter time.

The 21-year-old had the chance to make it a hat-trick minutes later but another running shot slid left as the Lions were unable to contain him despite Jaspa Fletcher trying his best to keep Daicos in check at stoppages.