Collingwood have made converts of many of us who have long resented them | Graham Cornes

The Magpies have just made converts out of a public that’s long resented the privileged Victorian powerhouse, writes Graham Cornes.

Football justice has been served. The best team of the year has won the premiership.

Not only that, it has converted many of us who resented the privilege and the entitlement of the AFL’s Magpies.

The team has too many advantages with venues, timeslots and appeal. It is so much easier for Collingwood to attract recruits that can strengthen their list. Nine of today’s premiership team were recruited from other clubs.

But that is an argument for another day.

We have been converted by their new-age coach, Craig McRae, whose optimistic, open approach has changed both the way the coach interacts with his players and communicates with the football public.

Aside from McRae’s charisma, it is Collingwood’s game plan that has been the difference.

Jordan De Goey celebrates with Magpies coach Craig McRae. Picture: Darrian Traynor

Whereas the past decade of AFL football has been built on a foundation of team defences which strangles the opposition and generates congestion, Collingwood celebrates attack.

There is a free-flowing appeal and a genuine attraction to watch the Magpies play.

Some of their rabid supporters can still be hard work but their coach and their team has brought football into a new era.

The pre-game images gave great insight to the connection the McRae has with his players. The contrast in the locker-rooms could not have been more graphic.

McRae was acting as cheerleader as the Collingwood players sang along with Mike Brady’s iconic Up There Cazaly, while the Brisbane room was much more serious.

There was too much frivolity in the Collingwood rooms. You’re not supposed to be so loose before these big occasions.

You certainly can’t laugh or joke.

The old-school coaches would have frowned but you can’t help but love this Collingwood team and their coach.

A young fan gets the moment of the lifetime with KISS legend Paul Stanley. Picture: David Caird

Then there was KISS. They may have been the last band standing when it came to this year’s pre-match entertainment but they wowed the crowd.

There is something slightly disturbing about senior citizens in fancy dress and make-up belting out old rock classics, but no one complained.

The hundreds of kids in KISS costume and make-up who appeared from nowhere and disappeared just as quickly, would be the envy of all of their friends – particularly the young fella on stage playing air-guitar along with Paul Stanley.

Last minute the band may have been, but KISS was as good as any grand final entertainment.

Then came the players entering the ground.

Collingwood players were upbeat, laughing and relaxed, but one could not help but wonder if that was all a facade designed to mask the nerves and anxiety.

The moment of truth always comes with the first bounce and the first contest.

An atrocious opening bounce which needed to be recalled by experienced umpire Simon Meredith spoiled the moment but Collingwood started better, won the first clearance, kicked the first goal, then the second.

There’s much to be said for a relaxed, happy pre-match preparation.

But Brisbane has too much talent and is too well coached to be intimidated by early goals and responded with the next three.

Thus ensued a high-class game of momentum swings.

The two best teams of the season were playing out a classic contest, defined by everything the game is famous for.

A first half of quick, open football, exquisite skills performed under high pressure, spectacular marks and desperate tackling with six lead-changes set the foundation for one of the great grand finals.

But the run and the free scoring dried up in the third quarter and the game became an arm-wrestle – until the time on-period when rapid-fire goals brought the crowd to its feet.

Poor conversion has hurt too many teams this season and it seemed it would be Collingwood’s downfall in the most important game of the season.

Gallery: Adelaide fans out in force for AFL thriller

VIEW GALLERY

And there was one moment in the third quarter when the bastardry of the “stand” rule and the 50m penalty threatened to spoil what was a classic game.

Oleg Markov was moving backwards off the mark after he had conceded a free kick. The umpire quickly called “stand” then immediately imposed the 50m penalty.

It could have been a game-changing decision.

Fortunately it wasn’t, but the ridiculous “stand” rule has to go and the 50m penalty has to be reduced to 25m, as we have in the SANFL.

A four-point margin at three-quarter-time did not seem enough for Collingwood’s dominance but inaccuracy kept the Lions in touch.

It was a classic last quarter of desperation and low scoring which reached a crescendo when Brisbane hit the front at the 19-minute mark.

Then came Jordan De Goey.

He has been a dominant player for Collingwood in this finals campaign, but Saturday was quieter.

However, he is a rare player of destiny and his moment came when he goaled from a centre clearance to put Collingwood back in front at the 20-minute mark.

A further goal from Steele Sidebottom seemed to have sealed it for Collingwood but Brisbane answered through Joe Daniher, who had been solid but not brilliant.

Brisbane’s Joe Daniher kept the Lions’ hopes alive until the very end. Picture: Robert Cianflone

Collingwood then played out the remaining three minutes flirting with possession football. They held on for a deserved victory, then the floodgates of emotion opened.

The glamorous superstars of football have always been the tall forwards but grand finals are won at ground level. So it was today.

Collingwood sacrificed the full forward position by playing Billy Frampton as a defensive forward on Brisbane’s intercept-marking fullback Harris Andrews.

Frampton touched the ball only twice but Andrews had no influence on the game whatsoever.

I was critical of Adelaide for letting Frampton go but it has given him his finest moment in football. He has a premiership medallion.

The midfield battle was even but the game was won in Collingwood’s forward line by their small forwards.

Bobby Hill won the Norm Smith Medal and deservedly so.

He kicked four goals, always looked dangerous and took the best mark of the game.

He had ground-level support from Beau McCreery, Jack Ginnivan and Jamie Elliot.

It was almost the complete team game.

Tom Mitchell in the midfield would have been a worthy winner of the Norm Smith Medal, the Daicos boys were always dangerous with their elite ball use, and Jack Crisp must surely be one of the most underrated players outside of the Collingwood Football Club.

We sit down on the last Saturday in September hoping to witness a classic. We got one today.

Let’s hope the other 16 coaches were watching.

Originally published as Collingwood have made converts of many of us who have long resented them | Graham Cornes