Collingwood has won their ninth game in a row with an after-the-siren Jamie Elliott goal securing the Magpies an 80-76 victory over Essendon on Sunday at the MCG.
Elliott’s goal came from a set shot 45 metres out up against the boundary line, with the small forward slotting the unlikely major to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The Magpies trailed by as much as 21 points halfway through the fourth term, with medi-sub Josh Carmichael and Elliott combining to kick the last four goals to will their side across the line.
Much will be made of the last minute of the clash, with Essendon’s Harrison Jones hitting the post from 40 metres out straight in front as the clock wound down, handing the ball back to Collingwood at the opposite end of the ground.
A quick transition would see Darcy Moore stream out of defence to hit Trent Bianco on the wing, with the youngster then putting it on Elliott’s chest within scoring range.
The rest is history as they say with Elliott dobbing the goal, securing Collingwood its 13th win of the season and most likely a finals finish with that.
UNBELIEVABLE 🤯
— AFL (@AFL) July 24, 2022
JAMIE ELLIOTT WINS IT AFTER THE SIREN!#AFLPiesDons pic.twitter.com/IjAIukwYWr
While the margin was close in the end, it didn’t appear that would be the case early as the Magpies started hot kicking six goals to zero in the opening term.
In the opening 30 minutes, Collingwood capitalised on the Bombers turning the ball over between the arcs, with the game starting to shift the other way once Ben Rutten’s side cleaned up their disposal.
That began after the first break, with the Dons kicking the first five goals of the second quarter as they began to dominate at the stoppage, seemingly winning every clearance as the Magpies struggled to get first use.
A mini resurgence from the Pies late in the second quarter gave them a 13-point leading heading into the main break but the story continued in the third as the Bombers controlled proceedings.
Kicking five goals to one in the third term, the Bombers were well and truly on top as Sam Draper began making his mark on the contest as a Brodie Grundy-less Collingwood couldn’t go with the ruckman in the air.
Things got even grimmer for the Pies in that term as defender Brayden Maynard went down into the rooms with a shoulder injury and he’d fail to re-emerge for the rest of the clash.
Just as the Magpies looked down and out though, they’d begin to get much of their run back out of defence, transitioning the footy with ease to give their forwards opportunities.
We all know how it ended, but the players behind that surge from Collingwood were Elliott, Carmichael, Trent Bianco (six Q4 disposals), Jack Crisp (eight Q4 disposals) and Nick Daicos (eight Q4 disposals).
While Collingwood walks away with the four points, they can’t say they were the better side throughout with Essendon looking dominant apart from a pair of horror patches to start and finish the game.
The Bombers were able to get themselves in a potentially winning position by dominating the clearance (41-26) and disposal (365-300) counts while also using the footy better than their opposition (74 per cent efficiency to 67 per cent).
Draper was huge for the Bombers in the ruck and around the ground with seven clearances, one goal and six marks, while Zach Merrett was as prolific as ever with 38 disposals and nine clearances.
While they’ll be thrilled to have nine straight victories to their name, the Magpies will be sweating on the fitness of Maynard, while Mason Redman was a casualty for Essendon with the defender being subbed out after falling heavily late in the second quarter.
Collingwood will gun for a tenth consecutive victory when they host Port Adelaide at the MCG next Saturday, while Essendon will look to get back on the winner’s list against North Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
FULL SCORE
Collingwood: 6.2, 7.4, 8.5, 12.8. (80)
Essendon: 0.1, 5.3, 10.7, 11.10 (76)
GOALS
Collingwood: Johnson 3, Elliott 2, Carmichael 2, Mihocek 2, Cameron, J Daicos, Pendlebury
Essendon: Wright 3, Guelfi 2, Langford, Jones, Stringer, Draper, Martin, Phillips
BEST
Collingwood: Jamie Eliott, Jack Crisp, Josh Daicos, Taylor Adams, Ash Johnson
Essendon: Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell, Sam Draper, Dylan Shiel, Matt Guelfi
INJURIES
Collingwood: Brayden Maynard (shoulder)
Essendon: Mason Redman (back)