The West Coast Eagles are the 2018 AFL premiers, defeating a Collingwood team who could not have done much more right.
The Pies laid 103 tackles, led for most of the day and kicked the first five goals of the game, but at the final siren, it was Adam Simpson’s men who got it done.
Here's everything you need to know!
The Moment: The game-winning play
"That whole passage will go down in folklore," Garry Lyon told SEN.
The Eagles were in front for only eight minutes of the game, and with 120 seconds left on the clock, they trailed by two.
Collingwood kicked inside 50 where Jeremy McGovern climbed high and took a hanger – a perfect play.
He hit Nathan Vardy on the chest on the wing – a perfect kick.
Vardy went down to half forward to a two on two where Liam Ryan takes a massive mark – the perfect grab for the moment.
Ryan played on and hit Dom Sheed inside 50 going back with the flight of the ball. Deep in the pocket, he slots the drop punt and puts West Coast four points up – the perfect finish.
They could run that passage another 100 times and it might work twice.
DOM SHEED PUT THE EAGLES IN FRONT!#AFLGF pic.twitter.com/uhTTxmV6eT
— AFL (@AFL) September 29, 2018
The Difference: Fourth quarter dominance once again
Scores were level at three quarter time and it was the Pies who got off to a flying start, kicking the first two goals within a minute.
From there, the game flipped and it was all West Coast. They kicked two of the next three, but followed that up with five consecutive behinds over the next 10 minutes.
They couldn’t take advantage of the situation and more importantly, couldn’t take the lead because of their inaccuracy.
It was Dom Sheed who kicked the hardest of their six shots at goal from the pocket with 105 seconds on the clock after Liam Ryan and Jeremy McGovern took incredible marks to set the play up.
It was a mirror of their Qualifying Final clash where the Pies had control, but West Coast wore them down all day before overrunning them in the final term.
Absolute class. 🙏#AFLGF pic.twitter.com/OZ1XUKH5Qj
— 7AFL (@7AFL) September 29, 2018
The Talking Point: Jack Darling from villain to hero
“Darling had to engage in some body earlier on Howe there. He just allowed Howe into his space. He’s playing like he’s a bit spooked. Get some grunt in your game!” Danny Frawley told SEN in the second quarter of the game.
Jack Darling had no impact on the game in the first half and the final jitters were brought up after his poor 2015 Grand Final performance.
He was a different man after half time and finished with four contested marks, seven in total and a goal.
“He’s absolutely exploded. This quarter he’s had five disposals for five marks. His work rate has been superb,” Lyon said in the third quarter.
JORDAN DE GOEY YOU FREAK!#AFLGF pic.twitter.com/NY2hg9PAS6
— AFL (@AFL) September 29, 2018
Full Score
West Coast: 2.2, 4.3, 8.7, 11.13. (79)
Collingwood: 5.1, 6.3, 8.7, 11.8. (74)
GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 3, Shuey, Yeo, Cripps, Hutchings, Rioli, Darling, Vardy, Sheed
Collingwood: De Goey 3, Stephenson 2, Cox 2, Adams, Hoskin-Elliott, Mihocek, Varcoe
BEST
West Coast: Shuey, Kennedy, Barrass, Sheed, Vardy, McGovern, Redden
Collingwood: De Goey, Langdon, Adams, Treloar, Crisp, Mayne
Reports: Nil
Official crowd: 100,022 at the MCG.