Magpie miracle! After a wild 54-point comeback, the champions rob the Roos of a late missed call.
Collingwood emerged victorious from a massive scare against North Melbourne, having trailed by more than 50 points, to move into the top four on Sunday.
In the final seconds, Zac Fisher had a chance to convert his snap and give the Roos the lead, but the Pies held on in a thrilling game.It happened shortly after two Magpies players infringed on the mark, and Bailey Scott was somehow denied a 50-meter penalty that would have moved him about 30 meters away from goal.
The Magpies were off from the opening bounce as the Kangaroos piled on an eight-goal opening term at Marvel Stadium.
But in typical Collingwood fashion, the Magpies clawed their way back into the contest as their six final quarter goals lifted them to a 18.11 (119) to 19.4 (118) win.
It was devastation for the Kangaroos who led for all but the final five minutes of the contest without star Jy Simpkin who was a late out with a hamstring complaint.
Bobby Hill proved the hero for the Pies, kicking five goals including the matchwinner, and taking two big contested grabs – including one likely to claim the Mark of the Year crown.
In one of the greatest comebacks in the AFL modern era, Collingwood have overthrown a valiant – but vastly inexperienced – North Melbourne, grasping four more points despite a 54-point deficit in the third quarter.
The win now shoots them up to third place on the ladder heading into their bye; an incredible turnaround given their 0-3 start to the season.
And unfortunately for Kangaroos fans, their side was on the wrong end of both poor umpiring decisions, and an inability to execute at a time Alastair Clarkson needed them to most – an ironic concept given their sharp-shooting score for 19 goals and four behinds.
The most controversial of the decisions came with just under 45 seconds to play, where Bailey Scott marked a ball on the wing; ready to re-enter inside North’s forward 50.
Instead of the opposition Collingwood players backing off the mark as per the AFL’s ruling, Steele Sidebottom and Beau McCreery charged towards Scott – almost as if he was unaware he had taken a mark.
In what should have absolutely been awarded as a 50 metre penalty for the Kangaroos – and most importantly a shot on goal – ended up in a rushed play from Scott that squandered a vital chance to score in the dying moments.
A controversial non-holding-the-ball was also not given against Nick Daicos of front of North’s goal with just under three minutes to go.
The Pies however, were still incredible in their ability to right their first half wrong during the comeback, with small forwards Bobby Hill (five goals) and Lachie Schultz (four) absolutely outstanding – kicking half their side’s goals by the final siren.
Roos defender Zac Fisher had the final shot on goal for the match with 10 seconds left, and while the trajectory of his kicked looked true to the naked eye, in reality it shifted slightly across the face to goal to leave Pies fans in hysterics and Roos fans sent into a state of disbelief.
“And it’s over, from 54 points down – if anyone could do it, it was Craig McRae and these magnificent Magpies – the amazing Magpies, they are never, ever, ever dead,” Anthony Hudson called on Fox Footy’s coverage after Fisher’s point.
The analysis from three-time Richmond premiership player and Melbourne great Gerard Healy was extremely accurate among the jarring scenes immediately after the final siren.
“We saw the best and worst of North Melbourne today unfortunately – they were scintillating in that first half,” Riewoldt said.
“I’m sure everyone will go over every decision or non-decision paid, but they had a couple of shots in that last 30-odd seconds that could’ve gone through,” Healy added.
“If you want to debate about Phillips coming off the ground and the tactical sub, but you just cannot deny the greatness of the Magpies – what a comeback.
“It’s going to hurt for the next period of time – they’re the ones that should be celebrating – but what the have found out about is themselves; if they apply themselves and work themselves like they did in the first two and a half quarters, they’re a pretty talented football side with a big up.
“They (North) lost their skipper, they’ve got to get some more run into the team – it was pretty clear that they ran out of legs halfway through the third (quarter) and didn’t have any replacements.”
Jy Simpkin was withdrawn from the clash an hour before the first bounce with a low-grade hamstring injury, and was replaced by Will Phillips – who tagged Pies superstar Nick Daicos for three quarters before being subbed off at three-quarter time.
It would be hard for North fans to comprehend what actually happened at Marvel Stadium this afternoon, but if you only watched the two-and-a-half quarters – you would be incredibly impressed.
George Wardlaw finished with a career-high 30 disposals in a magnificent performance through the midfield, with a particular emphasis on his first half.
By quarter time, Wardlaw has 12 disposals, five score involvements and a goal – and had racked up a whopping 22 touches by the half.
Analysing the 20-year-old’s output at quarter time was Fox Footy host Sarah Jones and two-time Collingwood All-Australian Ruby Schleicher.
“It has been awesome at ground level watching George Wardlaw,” Jones commented at the first break.
“He’s been incredible, so much of their play has been generated through Wardlaw in that midfield – he gets forward, works hard… he’s an incredible player,” Schleicher added.
Luke Davies-Uniacke and Bailey Scott were also prominent through the middle of the ground while the Kangaroos were flying.
Nick Larkey was well held after quarter time, but kicked four of North’s eight goals in the opening term.
Tristan Xerri (15 disposals, 31 hitouts, two goals) kicked multiple goals from the pockets of Marvel Stadium.
The Kangaroos ended up beating the Pies across plenty of stat lines, including the disposal count (+68), marks (+45), inside 50’s (+3), contested possessions (+3), clearances (+2) and tackles (+1).
In one of the greatest marks this decade, 2023 Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill flew as high as any in the second quarter to take a genuine mark of the year contender.
With the Pies down by six goals at the time, Hill’s specky was extremely timely in a rare highlight for the stunned black and white.
Climbing up on top of two Kangaroos players as well as teammate Nathan Kreuger, Hill gave teammate Jamie Elliott’s mark from earlier a year a run for its money as the league’s best mark for 2024.
“Soaring, a marvellous creation from Bobby Hill – the ride of his life!” commentator Anthony Hudson said during the live call on Fox Footy.
“Don’t you love it when the crowd watches the replay – the thrills of this man.”
“He’s given us so many great moments Bobby Hill over the last two years as a Pie… but this is going to go right at the top of the heap – that’s a skyscraper!” Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy added.
Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones and Jack Riewoldt touched on the highlight at half-time when the Pies trailed by eight goals.
“The Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill took to the sky with a rare highlight for Collingwood… that was some mark!” Jones said at the main break.
“That was absolutely incredible, and you thought it was that moment that maybe starts to get the momentum going Collingwood’s way,” Riewoldt commented.
Hill ended with a career-high five goals that went a long way to stealing Collingwood a win over the Kangaroos, finishing with 10 disposals, seven marks and three inside 50’s.
NORTH MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD – AS IT HAPPENED
The Kangaroos were forced into a late change under the roof, with co-captain Jy Simpkin pulled out with a low-grade hamstring injury – replaced by Will Phillips.
Former Pie Jaidyn Stephenson (Kangaroos) and Reef McInnes (Magpies) were subs for the respective sides.
Speaking before the first bounce to Fox Footy, Alastair Clarkson made comment on Simpkin’s absence.
“He’s just tight in the hammy… he just didn’t really want to take a punt with him,” Clarkson said.
Late in Phillips was sent straight to superstar Nick Daicos at the first bounce, unsurprisingly given he tagged in the VFL last week.
And just over one minute into the match, Bobby Hill kicked the first goal for the game in just over a minute with a dead-eye set shot from the left forward pocket.
However, a rapid run from the Kangaroos saw Nick Larkey kick two of his side’s first three, with Paul Curtis also joining the party too.
Subsequently, Clarkson’s men took an early 13-point lead.
Larkey then kicked a third of his own, before young guns George Wardlaw and Harry Sheezel extended North’s lead to five goals with five and a half minutes to play.
A Harry Sheezel snap gave the royal blue and white their sixth goal for the quarter in an incredible run of form continuing from last week’s win over West Coast.
Paul Curtis joined Larkey on the list of players with multiple goals with a second goal that left Pies fans in disbelief.
Not to be outdone though, last year’s All-Australian kicked his fourth for the quarter and North’s eight in their highest first quarter start in four years.
A goal on the siren for Collingwood’s Lachie Schultz brought the margin back down to 35 points at quarter time, but the alarm bells were certainly ringing for Magpies coach Craig McRae.
At the first break, the scorecard read: North Melbourne 8.1 (49) to Collingwood 2.2 (14).
Luke Davies-Uniacke, Bailey Scott and Wardlaw had 12 disposals each in their massive first quarter efforts.
Jack Crisp and Will Hoskin-Elliott opened proceedings in the second quarter to bring the Pies’ deficit down to four goals as the black and white regained confidence.
Cam Zurhaar nailed a set shot to break a three-goal streak, and was swiftly hit with Schultz’ second for Collingwood.
Scott continued his impressive first half with his first goal for the match, before ruck Tristan Xerri threaded the needle from the boundary line to push the margin back to 36 points in their favour.
