WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Saturday 1 October, 2.30pm
HEAD TO HEAD: Collingwood 126 wins, Geelong 94 wins, one draw
LAST TIME: Geelong 22.17 (149) d Collingwood 8.5 (53), round 24, 2011 at the MCG
TV, RADIO AND BETTING: Click here for broadcast guide and odds
A full replay will be available on afl.com.au 12 hours after the completion of the match
FORM: Collingwood: WLWBW Geelong: LWWBW
SUMMARY
It's the Grand Final most footy purists had hoped for since midway through the season. Although there's an injury cloud or two hanging over the combatants, the best two teams all season will line up at the MCG on Saturday.
Geelong and Collingwood have won the past two flags and suffered only five losses between them all season. The fascinating match-ups start in the coaches' box. Mick Malthouse will oversee his last game in charge after 28 seasons, while at the other end of the scale, Chris Scott will coach in a Grand Final in his debut campaign.
Injuries will play a big part in the build-up, with Geelong sweating on the availability of mercurial half-forward Steve Johnson (knee) and Collingwood waiting on ruckman Darren Jolly (groin) and All-Australian defender Ben Reid (hamstring).
They've played twice this season, with Geelong winning the round eight clash in a controversial nail-biter (remember Scott Pendlebury's no-goal after playing on?) and demolishing the premiers just a month ago in round 24.
QUESTION MARKS
Can the Magpies get the ball inside 50 enough to give themselves a chance? In their two meetings this season, the Cats have suffocated the usually free-flowing Magpies, winning the inside 50 count by a staggering 62-42 (round eight) and 68-35 (round 24). Unless Collingwood find a way to get the ball forward more often to give Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes some opportunities, they could be in for a long afternoon.
Will Geelong play a defensive half-forward on Leon Davis? It's not in the Cats' nature to be too defensive, but through Paul Puopolo last week, Hawthorn showed the laser-like skills of Davis can be ruffled under pressure. The All-Australian sets up a lot of Collingwood's attack from the back half with his pin-point passing, and stifling that could help the Cats go a long way towards winning.
HEAD TO HEAD: Collingwood 126 wins, Geelong 94 wins, one draw
LAST TIME: Geelong 22.17 (149) d Collingwood 8.5 (53), round 24, 2011 at the MCG
TV, RADIO AND BETTING: Click here for broadcast guide and odds
A full replay will be available on afl.com.au 12 hours after the completion of the match
FORM: Collingwood: WLWBW Geelong: LWWBW
SUMMARY
It's the Grand Final most footy purists had hoped for since midway through the season. Although there's an injury cloud or two hanging over the combatants, the best two teams all season will line up at the MCG on Saturday.
Geelong and Collingwood have won the past two flags and suffered only five losses between them all season. The fascinating match-ups start in the coaches' box. Mick Malthouse will oversee his last game in charge after 28 seasons, while at the other end of the scale, Chris Scott will coach in a Grand Final in his debut campaign.
Injuries will play a big part in the build-up, with Geelong sweating on the availability of mercurial half-forward Steve Johnson (knee) and Collingwood waiting on ruckman Darren Jolly (groin) and All-Australian defender Ben Reid (hamstring).
They've played twice this season, with Geelong winning the round eight clash in a controversial nail-biter (remember Scott Pendlebury's no-goal after playing on?) and demolishing the premiers just a month ago in round 24.
QUESTION MARKS
Can the Magpies get the ball inside 50 enough to give themselves a chance? In their two meetings this season, the Cats have suffocated the usually free-flowing Magpies, winning the inside 50 count by a staggering 62-42 (round eight) and 68-35 (round 24). Unless Collingwood find a way to get the ball forward more often to give Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes some opportunities, they could be in for a long afternoon.
Will Geelong play a defensive half-forward on Leon Davis? It's not in the Cats' nature to be too defensive, but through Paul Puopolo last week, Hawthorn showed the laser-like skills of Davis can be ruffled under pressure. The All-Australian sets up a lot of Collingwood's attack from the back half with his pin-point passing, and stifling that could help the Cats go a long way towards winning.
Dane Swan Collects Brownlow Medal
Collingwood's Dane Swan made up for last year's disappointment by winning the 2011 Brownlow Medal at a gala function in Melbourne.
Swan had been favourite to win the AFL's best and fairest award in 2010, only to lose out to Carlton captain Chris Judd, but he polled a record 34 votes across this year's home-and-away season to collect the medal for the first time.
Swan's victory saved the AFL a degree of embarrassment, with Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell having led the count with three rounds remaining, despite being ineligible to win the medal because of a tribunal sanction.
Mitchell was rubbed out after pleading guilty to head-high contact on Geelong's Steve Johnson in round five and receiving a reprimand from the match review panel. While he was not suspended, players found guilty of an offence carrying more than 100 demerit points are ineligible to win the Brownlow.
Mitchell claimed 30 votes, finishing ahead of official runner-up, St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo, who polled 28.
Western Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd and Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury finished equal third on 24.
"Clearly being the favourite doesn't help - last year and tonight," Swan said after his win, with this year's red-hot tip Judd equal fifth with 23 votes.
"Last year it took a little bit out of me, it was a little bit draining all the external pressure.
"Tonight I came along to hopefully enjoy it ... somehow I've managed to pinch a few votes off (the favourites) and here I stand."
Swan can cap off a huge week on Saturday when Collingwood play Geelong in the grand final at the MCG, the Magpies chasing back-to-back flags.
His 34 votes broke the previous mark of 32 under the current 3-2-1 system voted for collectively by umpires from each match.
The joint winners in 1940, Collingwood's Des Fothergill and South Melbourne's Herbie Matthews, polled 32 votes each, as did St Kilda's Robert Harvey in 1998.
Swan's victory was a resounding tick for his club's mid-season decision to send him to the United States to train at altitude and get over niggling injuries. He stormed home in the Brownlow Medal count with 21 of his votes gathered in the second half of the season after his return from Arizona. "Our sports science guys promised me I'd get the benefit in the last half of the season," Swan said of the decision to rest him for one match and send him overseas. "I decided that would be the best thing for me so I went over there ... it was just a great time to freshen up and get away from the fishbowl that is Melbourne and not have to worry too much about footy."
Swan secured the maximum three votes in seven rounds of the home-and-away season.
ABC/AAP
Swan had been favourite to win the AFL's best and fairest award in 2010, only to lose out to Carlton captain Chris Judd, but he polled a record 34 votes across this year's home-and-away season to collect the medal for the first time.
Swan's victory saved the AFL a degree of embarrassment, with Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell having led the count with three rounds remaining, despite being ineligible to win the medal because of a tribunal sanction.
Mitchell was rubbed out after pleading guilty to head-high contact on Geelong's Steve Johnson in round five and receiving a reprimand from the match review panel. While he was not suspended, players found guilty of an offence carrying more than 100 demerit points are ineligible to win the Brownlow.
Mitchell claimed 30 votes, finishing ahead of official runner-up, St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo, who polled 28.
Western Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd and Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury finished equal third on 24.
"Clearly being the favourite doesn't help - last year and tonight," Swan said after his win, with this year's red-hot tip Judd equal fifth with 23 votes.
"Last year it took a little bit out of me, it was a little bit draining all the external pressure.
"Tonight I came along to hopefully enjoy it ... somehow I've managed to pinch a few votes off (the favourites) and here I stand."
Swan can cap off a huge week on Saturday when Collingwood play Geelong in the grand final at the MCG, the Magpies chasing back-to-back flags.
His 34 votes broke the previous mark of 32 under the current 3-2-1 system voted for collectively by umpires from each match.
The joint winners in 1940, Collingwood's Des Fothergill and South Melbourne's Herbie Matthews, polled 32 votes each, as did St Kilda's Robert Harvey in 1998.
Swan's victory was a resounding tick for his club's mid-season decision to send him to the United States to train at altitude and get over niggling injuries. He stormed home in the Brownlow Medal count with 21 of his votes gathered in the second half of the season after his return from Arizona. "Our sports science guys promised me I'd get the benefit in the last half of the season," Swan said of the decision to rest him for one match and send him overseas. "I decided that would be the best thing for me so I went over there ... it was just a great time to freshen up and get away from the fishbowl that is Melbourne and not have to worry too much about footy."
Swan secured the maximum three votes in seven rounds of the home-and-away season.
ABC/AAP
Mick Malthouse Confirms He Will Not Coach Again
MICHAEL Malthouse is one game away from the end of an unbroken 40 years as an AFL player and coach, and one win short of immortality. A Collingwood win in Saturday's AFL dream Grand Final would give the Magpies and their veteran coach successive premierships and see him join Ron Barassi as the only coaches to take two clubs to two flags.
Barassi is a dual premiership coach at Carlton and North Melbourne; Malthouse won two with West Coast and has one with the Pies. A fourth flag would elevate him to the level occupied by coaching legends Barassi, Kevin Sheedy, Allan Jeans, Tom Hafey, David Parkin, Leigh Matthews and Dick Reynolds, and behind only VFL giants Jock McHale, Norm Smith and Frank "Checker" Hughes.
Malthouse, 58, declared yesterday his coaching career would end next Saturday on 589 games, the third-highest figure in the game's history. His tears after Friday night's come-from-behind win over Hawthorn was a clear pointer to the imminent end, even though many suspected he would take a year off and resume in 2013.
Eddie McGuire's innovative yet contentious succession plan, announced in July 2009, means Malthouse will step aside for Nathan Buckley regardless of the Grand Final outcome and his brilliant record of recent years. His coaching opponent next Saturday will be first-year coach Chris Scott, 23 years his junior. It is a tantalising match-up, on and off the field.
Not only are Collingwood and Geelong the best two teams of the year - they lost just five games between them - their most recent Grand Final confrontation was in 1953, when 30-year-old Lou Richards was captain of Collingwood and Fred Flanagan led the Cats. Collingwood is chasing successive premierships for the first time since 1935-36, Geelong its third flag in five years. While the Magpies are favourites, Geelong won both their encounters during the season.
Collingwood was lucky to beat Hawthorn, while Geelong sailed through, far too accomplished - and fresh - for West Coast. The Pies, though, have an extra day to recover, which will give Darren Jolly and Ben Reid an invaluable extra 24 hours to overcome their fitness problems. Geelong's brilliant forward Steve Johnson, a Norm Smith medallist, faces a race against time to overcome a knee injury suffered on Saturday afternoon. He has been cleared of structural damage and is given a good chance of playing, which looked out of the question when he went down.
Like the Collingwood duo, he will be given to the last minute to prove his fitness.All three are critical to their teams' hopes in the most important game of the year.
Barassi is a dual premiership coach at Carlton and North Melbourne; Malthouse won two with West Coast and has one with the Pies. A fourth flag would elevate him to the level occupied by coaching legends Barassi, Kevin Sheedy, Allan Jeans, Tom Hafey, David Parkin, Leigh Matthews and Dick Reynolds, and behind only VFL giants Jock McHale, Norm Smith and Frank "Checker" Hughes.
Malthouse, 58, declared yesterday his coaching career would end next Saturday on 589 games, the third-highest figure in the game's history. His tears after Friday night's come-from-behind win over Hawthorn was a clear pointer to the imminent end, even though many suspected he would take a year off and resume in 2013.
Eddie McGuire's innovative yet contentious succession plan, announced in July 2009, means Malthouse will step aside for Nathan Buckley regardless of the Grand Final outcome and his brilliant record of recent years. His coaching opponent next Saturday will be first-year coach Chris Scott, 23 years his junior. It is a tantalising match-up, on and off the field.
Not only are Collingwood and Geelong the best two teams of the year - they lost just five games between them - their most recent Grand Final confrontation was in 1953, when 30-year-old Lou Richards was captain of Collingwood and Fred Flanagan led the Cats. Collingwood is chasing successive premierships for the first time since 1935-36, Geelong its third flag in five years. While the Magpies are favourites, Geelong won both their encounters during the season.
Collingwood was lucky to beat Hawthorn, while Geelong sailed through, far too accomplished - and fresh - for West Coast. The Pies, though, have an extra day to recover, which will give Darren Jolly and Ben Reid an invaluable extra 24 hours to overcome their fitness problems. Geelong's brilliant forward Steve Johnson, a Norm Smith medallist, faces a race against time to overcome a knee injury suffered on Saturday afternoon. He has been cleared of structural damage and is given a good chance of playing, which looked out of the question when he went down.
Like the Collingwood duo, he will be given to the last minute to prove his fitness.All three are critical to their teams' hopes in the most important game of the year.
Welcome
Hello, and welcome to my Collingwood football club website. I have to start by saying that this site has no official link to the Collingwood football club. I am a media and communications student, and one of my assignments was to design a website about something, preferably a business that I was passionate about, or wished to share with others. I chose the Collingwood football club.
I have been a Collingwood supporter for about forty years now (I am a mature age student), and in that time I have ridden every wave of emotion possible. I have witnessed the Pies draw two grand finals, lose many more, bury the 'colliwobbles' in 1990, and destroy the Saints in the replay of 2010. I was there the day Stan (the man) Magro flattened Jezza at Princess Park all those years ago, and I was lucky enough to witness what many considered the best final in twenty years. When my beloved Magpies came from behind to down Adelaide just a few years ago at the MCG.
I love being a Collingwood supporter, a feeling that only those that barrack for the Pies truly know. We love our team, not only when the going is good, as it is now, but also when times are tough. I don't get to many games anymore, as I live in Wollongong NSW, but I watch every game (my weekends are scheduled around when the Pies are on TV, which my better half very kindly allows), and troll the internet for any news on the Magpies.
So if you have found this site, once again welcome. Even though it was built for an assignment, I will try to keep the site updated, and there will be forums and polls for anyone wishing to be involved. So enjoy the site, and if you have any ideas to improve it, please use the contact form provided. Go Pies!
I have been a Collingwood supporter for about forty years now (I am a mature age student), and in that time I have ridden every wave of emotion possible. I have witnessed the Pies draw two grand finals, lose many more, bury the 'colliwobbles' in 1990, and destroy the Saints in the replay of 2010. I was there the day Stan (the man) Magro flattened Jezza at Princess Park all those years ago, and I was lucky enough to witness what many considered the best final in twenty years. When my beloved Magpies came from behind to down Adelaide just a few years ago at the MCG.
I love being a Collingwood supporter, a feeling that only those that barrack for the Pies truly know. We love our team, not only when the going is good, as it is now, but also when times are tough. I don't get to many games anymore, as I live in Wollongong NSW, but I watch every game (my weekends are scheduled around when the Pies are on TV, which my better half very kindly allows), and troll the internet for any news on the Magpies.
So if you have found this site, once again welcome. Even though it was built for an assignment, I will try to keep the site updated, and there will be forums and polls for anyone wishing to be involved. So enjoy the site, and if you have any ideas to improve it, please use the contact form provided. Go Pies!
Travis Cloke takes a huge contested mark
Collingwood book second consecutive Grand Final
COLLINGWOOD has pulled off a football heist with a gutsy three point win to book a Grand Final place next week. The disjointed Magpies looked down and out before staging a last quarter fightback to overrun Hawthorn at the MCG.
The Hawks seemed home when they took a 17 points lead into the final term. After three quarters of tough, relentless struggles to score, the contest blew open in the thrilling last quarter when both teams held the lead.
Collingwood seemed like to steal it when Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes both goalled from set shots. And then Leon Davis, thrown forward in a desperate move, snapped another. When Cloke goalled after a pack mark, the Magpies had hit the front for the first time with 10 minutes left.
But the Hawks refused to yield and Lance Franklin conjured an amazing goal from the boundary line as the ball slithered through to regain the lead. Still the Magpies came again and Luke Ball's long shot found the target to put them in front with 2.39 left on the clock.Exhausted players threw themselves in desperation at the "hot'' ball in those frantic final minutes, but the fresher Magpies were able to hold on.
It was a gut-wrenching loss for the gallant Hawks as much as a tribute to the Magpies never-quit spirit.
Hawthorn stunned Collingwood with the ferocious pressure to take an eight point lead into half-time. The Hawks revelled in their underdog status to unnerve the surprisingly hesitant Magpies.In a defence-dominated contest, Hawthorn looked dangerous on the burst with its high-possession style.
Key forwards Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes looked threatening on the few occasions Collingwood was able to bomb the ball forward. But those forays were rare with the Hawks' pressure on the ball-carrier forcing errors from normal sure-handling Pies like Scott Pendlebury and Leon Davis.
Hawks ace Lance Franklin, waging a stirring duel with Chris Tarrant, used his ground-level smarts to boot their only two goals in a tight second quarter. The attack on the ball and player in possession had the big crowd at fever-pitch and the question being asked at the main break was whether Hawthorn could maintain its admirable intensity through the second half. And the Hawks controlled the ball for large slabs of the game with a calm and calculated possessions game.
They launched attacks off half-back by switching play and then ran and carried to put the heat on the Magpies backline.Four Talking Points with Michael Horan
1. Noise cost Hawthorn its early lead when defender Brent Guerra couldn't hear a call to come back on the mark. A 50-metre penalty put Travis Cloke at point blank range for the Pies first goal.
2. Buddy Franklin's first telling touch turned to gold when a gather and handball set up a Paul Puopolo goal right on the quarter-time siren to give Hawks a one-point lead at the first change.
3. Dayne Beams had a nightmare game, going to the three quarter-time break with just two handballs and not a single kick to his name. He was duly subbed out, giving Alan Didak a long awaited run.
4. Leon Davis, after three quarters and 20 possessions at half-back, ignited the Pies' crowd when a long left-footed snap made it two goals in a minutes to whittle the margin to four points, only six minutes into the last term.
Votes - Mark Robinson
5. Dane Swan. Thirty-two touches, kept Magpies alive in middle two quarters, and had a game-high 18 contested possessions.
4. Jordan Lewis. Harder than a goat's head, his reputation is enhanced this September.
3. Travis Cloke. Outnumbered, he was not outplayed. Eight inside 50s as good as his 11 marks and three goals. Enormous in final quarter.
2. Sam Mitchell. Quick hands and quick brain kept Hawks moving for three quarters.
1. Luke Ball. Harder than a cat's head. Won some huge contests and did not waste it.
Bruce Matthews From: Herald Sun September 24, 2011
The Hawks seemed home when they took a 17 points lead into the final term. After three quarters of tough, relentless struggles to score, the contest blew open in the thrilling last quarter when both teams held the lead.
Collingwood seemed like to steal it when Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes both goalled from set shots. And then Leon Davis, thrown forward in a desperate move, snapped another. When Cloke goalled after a pack mark, the Magpies had hit the front for the first time with 10 minutes left.
But the Hawks refused to yield and Lance Franklin conjured an amazing goal from the boundary line as the ball slithered through to regain the lead. Still the Magpies came again and Luke Ball's long shot found the target to put them in front with 2.39 left on the clock.Exhausted players threw themselves in desperation at the "hot'' ball in those frantic final minutes, but the fresher Magpies were able to hold on.
It was a gut-wrenching loss for the gallant Hawks as much as a tribute to the Magpies never-quit spirit.
Hawthorn stunned Collingwood with the ferocious pressure to take an eight point lead into half-time. The Hawks revelled in their underdog status to unnerve the surprisingly hesitant Magpies.In a defence-dominated contest, Hawthorn looked dangerous on the burst with its high-possession style.
Key forwards Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes looked threatening on the few occasions Collingwood was able to bomb the ball forward. But those forays were rare with the Hawks' pressure on the ball-carrier forcing errors from normal sure-handling Pies like Scott Pendlebury and Leon Davis.
Hawks ace Lance Franklin, waging a stirring duel with Chris Tarrant, used his ground-level smarts to boot their only two goals in a tight second quarter. The attack on the ball and player in possession had the big crowd at fever-pitch and the question being asked at the main break was whether Hawthorn could maintain its admirable intensity through the second half. And the Hawks controlled the ball for large slabs of the game with a calm and calculated possessions game.
They launched attacks off half-back by switching play and then ran and carried to put the heat on the Magpies backline.Four Talking Points with Michael Horan
1. Noise cost Hawthorn its early lead when defender Brent Guerra couldn't hear a call to come back on the mark. A 50-metre penalty put Travis Cloke at point blank range for the Pies first goal.
2. Buddy Franklin's first telling touch turned to gold when a gather and handball set up a Paul Puopolo goal right on the quarter-time siren to give Hawks a one-point lead at the first change.
3. Dayne Beams had a nightmare game, going to the three quarter-time break with just two handballs and not a single kick to his name. He was duly subbed out, giving Alan Didak a long awaited run.
4. Leon Davis, after three quarters and 20 possessions at half-back, ignited the Pies' crowd when a long left-footed snap made it two goals in a minutes to whittle the margin to four points, only six minutes into the last term.
Votes - Mark Robinson
5. Dane Swan. Thirty-two touches, kept Magpies alive in middle two quarters, and had a game-high 18 contested possessions.
4. Jordan Lewis. Harder than a goat's head, his reputation is enhanced this September.
3. Travis Cloke. Outnumbered, he was not outplayed. Eight inside 50s as good as his 11 marks and three goals. Enormous in final quarter.
2. Sam Mitchell. Quick hands and quick brain kept Hawks moving for three quarters.
1. Luke Ball. Harder than a cat's head. Won some huge contests and did not waste it.
Bruce Matthews From: Herald Sun September 24, 2011
Late Rally Launches magpies into Grand Final
Collingwood have produced a remarkable escape to keep their
premiership defence alive, storming over the top of a gallant Hawthorn
to win an epic match by three points.
The Pies looked dead and buried when they trailed by 17 points heading in to the final quarter having managed just five goals for the match to that point. But powered by their brilliant midfield, they doubled that contribution in the final term, kicking five goals to two to win 10.8 (68) to 9.11 (65).
It was a result that took its toll on Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse. Sensing just how close it came to being his last time coaching this side, an emotional Malthouse was seen at the back of the coach's box wiping away tears as the final siren rang.
Hawthorn, though, can feel particularly hard done by having dominated the contest tactically, thanks to the fine work of Sam Mitchell, Shaun Burgoyne and Jordan Lewis.
But the Pies' midfield stars Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury and Luke Ball, who kicked the winning goal in the final two minutes, got them over the line and into a Grand Final next week against either Geelong or West Coast.
Their twin towers up from Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes kept the Pies in the contest with three goals apiece, while for the Hawks, Lance Franklin kicked three, including a magnificent dribbled goal late in the game which put the Hawks briefly back in front.
While Collingwood controlled most of the quality possession in the first quarter, it was the Hawks generally dictating the tempo. They were able to slow the Pies' ball movement through the middle, allowing their defence plenty of time to organise.
Lewis snaffled the game's first goal seven minutes in, snapping well from a stoppage, but the Pies big men, Cloke and Dawes were able to get clear halfway through the term to kick two quick goals.
Cloke's came courtesy of a 50m penalty, while Dawes got himself onto the end of an optimistic long bomb after a free kick to Darren Jolly.
The Hawks' haphazard route forward wasn't helping spearhead Franklin, but he did use his agility to collect the ball and set up Paul Puopolo for a goal on the siren which gave the Hawks a one-point quarter time lead.
It was a similar pattern of play for much of the second quarter, but with the Hawks more dominant in open play and getting in first at the contested ball.
Franklin got the better of a one-on-one marking dual with Chris Tarrant to kick a goal nine minutes in and then added another halfway through the term after getting on the end of some great physical work by Hawthorn's midfield to win the ball.
Leading by 14 points, it appeared the Hawks were getting the upper hand, but on a rare occasion when the Pies got the ball inside 50 quickly, Josh Gibson was caught out of position and conceded a free kick to Jolly who goaled, making the half-time margin just eight points.
Significantly, Hawthorn kicked the first two goals of the second half, with Brent Guerra and Mitchell splitting the middle thanks respectively to Luke Hodge's vision and Cyril Rioli's intensity.
That allowed them to ride the bump of the Pies' inevitable surge. Again it was Dawes and Cloke who scored, but that was an indication of how limited Collingwood's options were going forward.
The Hawks' pressure was the most impressive aspect of the game and late in the quarter, Rioli got an important hand to a cross-field kick from Pendlebury, and then found himself on the end of a turnover, aiding the Hawks to 17-point lead at the last change.
But much of that advantage was wiped off in the space of a minute early in the fourth-term when the Hawks mucked up a great chance to score at their end, and saw the ball swept down the other end for Dawes to kick his third.
From the resulting centre bounce, Collingwood earned a free kick and the ball fell to Lean Davis who reduced the margin to four points.
Hodge kicked a captain's goal to lift the Hawks, while a desperate tackle from Grant Birchall looked to have saved a certain Collingwood goal.
But Swan swooped at a stoppage to snap a fantastic goal while Cloke followed up to put Collingwood in front for the first time since the first term.
Franklin, well held for most of the night, then turned Tarrant, ran onto the ball and screwed it through off the outside of his foot to put his team back in front.
But with two minutes left the Pies produced a stoppage in their forward 50 and Ball emulated Swan's earlier effort to put them in front for good.
Dale Thomas' desperate tackle on Rioli as he was surging through the middle proved the final significant act of a pulsating match.
COLLINGWOOD: 2.3, 3.5, 5.6
HAWTHORN: 2.4, 4.7, 7.11
'''GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD:''' Cloke 3, Dawes 3, Jolly, Swan, Ball, Davis
HAWTHORN: Franklin 3, Rioli, Lewis, Mitchell, Guerra, Puopolo, Hodge
BEST: COLLINGWOOD: Swan, Pendlebury, Davis, Ball, Maxwell, Cloke, Dawes
HAWTHORN: Lewis, Mitchell, Birchall, Burgoyne, Sewell, Murphy
INJURIES: COLLINGWOOD: Reid (hamstring), Jolly (groin)
HAWTHORN: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Rosebury, Meredith Ryan
CROWD: 87,112 at the MCG
The Pies looked dead and buried when they trailed by 17 points heading in to the final quarter having managed just five goals for the match to that point. But powered by their brilliant midfield, they doubled that contribution in the final term, kicking five goals to two to win 10.8 (68) to 9.11 (65).
It was a result that took its toll on Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse. Sensing just how close it came to being his last time coaching this side, an emotional Malthouse was seen at the back of the coach's box wiping away tears as the final siren rang.
Hawthorn, though, can feel particularly hard done by having dominated the contest tactically, thanks to the fine work of Sam Mitchell, Shaun Burgoyne and Jordan Lewis.
But the Pies' midfield stars Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury and Luke Ball, who kicked the winning goal in the final two minutes, got them over the line and into a Grand Final next week against either Geelong or West Coast.
Their twin towers up from Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes kept the Pies in the contest with three goals apiece, while for the Hawks, Lance Franklin kicked three, including a magnificent dribbled goal late in the game which put the Hawks briefly back in front.
While Collingwood controlled most of the quality possession in the first quarter, it was the Hawks generally dictating the tempo. They were able to slow the Pies' ball movement through the middle, allowing their defence plenty of time to organise.
Lewis snaffled the game's first goal seven minutes in, snapping well from a stoppage, but the Pies big men, Cloke and Dawes were able to get clear halfway through the term to kick two quick goals.
Cloke's came courtesy of a 50m penalty, while Dawes got himself onto the end of an optimistic long bomb after a free kick to Darren Jolly.
The Hawks' haphazard route forward wasn't helping spearhead Franklin, but he did use his agility to collect the ball and set up Paul Puopolo for a goal on the siren which gave the Hawks a one-point quarter time lead.
It was a similar pattern of play for much of the second quarter, but with the Hawks more dominant in open play and getting in first at the contested ball.
Franklin got the better of a one-on-one marking dual with Chris Tarrant to kick a goal nine minutes in and then added another halfway through the term after getting on the end of some great physical work by Hawthorn's midfield to win the ball.
Leading by 14 points, it appeared the Hawks were getting the upper hand, but on a rare occasion when the Pies got the ball inside 50 quickly, Josh Gibson was caught out of position and conceded a free kick to Jolly who goaled, making the half-time margin just eight points.
Significantly, Hawthorn kicked the first two goals of the second half, with Brent Guerra and Mitchell splitting the middle thanks respectively to Luke Hodge's vision and Cyril Rioli's intensity.
That allowed them to ride the bump of the Pies' inevitable surge. Again it was Dawes and Cloke who scored, but that was an indication of how limited Collingwood's options were going forward.
The Hawks' pressure was the most impressive aspect of the game and late in the quarter, Rioli got an important hand to a cross-field kick from Pendlebury, and then found himself on the end of a turnover, aiding the Hawks to 17-point lead at the last change.
But much of that advantage was wiped off in the space of a minute early in the fourth-term when the Hawks mucked up a great chance to score at their end, and saw the ball swept down the other end for Dawes to kick his third.
From the resulting centre bounce, Collingwood earned a free kick and the ball fell to Lean Davis who reduced the margin to four points.
Hodge kicked a captain's goal to lift the Hawks, while a desperate tackle from Grant Birchall looked to have saved a certain Collingwood goal.
But Swan swooped at a stoppage to snap a fantastic goal while Cloke followed up to put Collingwood in front for the first time since the first term.
Franklin, well held for most of the night, then turned Tarrant, ran onto the ball and screwed it through off the outside of his foot to put his team back in front.
But with two minutes left the Pies produced a stoppage in their forward 50 and Ball emulated Swan's earlier effort to put them in front for good.
Dale Thomas' desperate tackle on Rioli as he was surging through the middle proved the final significant act of a pulsating match.
COLLINGWOOD: 2.3, 3.5, 5.6
HAWTHORN: 2.4, 4.7, 7.11
'''GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD:''' Cloke 3, Dawes 3, Jolly, Swan, Ball, Davis
HAWTHORN: Franklin 3, Rioli, Lewis, Mitchell, Guerra, Puopolo, Hodge
BEST: COLLINGWOOD: Swan, Pendlebury, Davis, Ball, Maxwell, Cloke, Dawes
HAWTHORN: Lewis, Mitchell, Birchall, Burgoyne, Sewell, Murphy
INJURIES: COLLINGWOOD: Reid (hamstring), Jolly (groin)
HAWTHORN: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Rosebury, Meredith Ryan
CROWD: 87,112 at the MCG
1st Preliminary Final: Collingwood vs Hawthorn Preview
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Friday 23 September, 7.45pm
HEAD TO HEAD: Collingwood 95 wins, Hawthorn 56 wins, no draws
LAST TIME: Collingwood 15.16 (106) d Hawthorn 9.11 (65), round 15, 2011 at the MCG
FORM: Collingwood: WWWLW
Hawthorn: WWWLW
SUMMARY
Collingwood had the weekend off to rest some sore bodies after defeating West Coast by 20 points in their qualifying final, while Hawthorn got out to an early lead before holding off a late charge by the Sydney Swans last week to advance to the preliminary final.
The Pies certainly needed a bit of time to recover, with several players carrying injuries during the latter stages of the season. Nick Maxwell (thumb), Leon Davis (hamstring), Ben Reid (groin) and Chris Tarrant (ankle) are among the players to have struggled late in the year and all will benefit from the rest.
For the Hawks, Lance Franklin's knee injury had been a major concern before he played against the Swans, but he got better as the game went on. The important forward suffered through a bout of gastro in the lead-up to this game, but is expected to play.
Paul Puopolo limped off the ground late in the semi-final win, but the club reported he had only suffered a hamstring cramp.
QUESTION MARKS
Do Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes hold the keys to victory for Collingwood? Cloke has been a little quiet in his past two outings and Dawes has struggled to regain the form he displayed before he suffered a knuckle fracture. Mick Malthouse will be keen to exploit Hawk defender Ryan Schoenmakers and these two are key figures in that plan.
How will the Hawks' possession-heavy game style stand up to the Pies' press? Malthouse's men have excelled at applying pressure to the opposition throughout the year and the Hawks will need to be right on top of their game if they are to pick their way through the press by foot.
PREDICTION
Collingwood by 15 points
By Jason Phelan | 20/09/2011
HEAD TO HEAD: Collingwood 95 wins, Hawthorn 56 wins, no draws
LAST TIME: Collingwood 15.16 (106) d Hawthorn 9.11 (65), round 15, 2011 at the MCG
FORM: Collingwood: WWWLW
Hawthorn: WWWLW
SUMMARY
Collingwood had the weekend off to rest some sore bodies after defeating West Coast by 20 points in their qualifying final, while Hawthorn got out to an early lead before holding off a late charge by the Sydney Swans last week to advance to the preliminary final.
The Pies certainly needed a bit of time to recover, with several players carrying injuries during the latter stages of the season. Nick Maxwell (thumb), Leon Davis (hamstring), Ben Reid (groin) and Chris Tarrant (ankle) are among the players to have struggled late in the year and all will benefit from the rest.
For the Hawks, Lance Franklin's knee injury had been a major concern before he played against the Swans, but he got better as the game went on. The important forward suffered through a bout of gastro in the lead-up to this game, but is expected to play.
Paul Puopolo limped off the ground late in the semi-final win, but the club reported he had only suffered a hamstring cramp.
QUESTION MARKS
Do Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes hold the keys to victory for Collingwood? Cloke has been a little quiet in his past two outings and Dawes has struggled to regain the form he displayed before he suffered a knuckle fracture. Mick Malthouse will be keen to exploit Hawk defender Ryan Schoenmakers and these two are key figures in that plan.
How will the Hawks' possession-heavy game style stand up to the Pies' press? Malthouse's men have excelled at applying pressure to the opposition throughout the year and the Hawks will need to be right on top of their game if they are to pick their way through the press by foot.
PREDICTION
Collingwood by 15 points
By Jason Phelan | 20/09/2011
Six Magpies named All Australian
Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun
HAWTHORN forward Lance Franklin has been named full-forward in the All-Australian team, while Hawks teammate Sam Mitchell was named in the team for the first time. Six Collingwood players were named in the team with Travis Cloke selected at half-forward, Dane Swan on a forward flank, Dale Thomas and Scott Pendlebury named on the wings, with Leon Davis and Ben Reid in the backline.
St Kilda's Stephen Milne and Sydney's Adam Goodes were named as forward pockets, while Carlton's Marc Murphy slots in on the other forward flank.
West Coast's Dean Cox was selected as ruckman and Carlton captain Chris Judd and Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett also named in the midfield. Ablett was named captain of the team, Judd his deputy.
Davis's reinvention as a rebounding defender has been rewarded with another All-Australian honour. Davis, who was dropped for last year's Grand Final replay after a quiet performance in the drawn Grand Final against St Kilda, was named on the back flank. His Collingwood teammate Reid was named at half-back - Reid's first time in the All-Australian team. Reid played 22 games this season and took 156 marks, the third-most in the AFL. Western Bulldog Robert Murphy was named on the other flank.
Geelong pair Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright were named in the back pockets. Scarlett received his sixth nomination and Enright was named for the fourth time. West Coast captain Darren Glass was named at full-back for his third All Australian nod.
The interchange is Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), James Kelly (Geelong), Drew Petrie (North Melbourne).
B: Matthew Scarlett, Darren Glass, Corey Enright
HB: Robert Murphy, Ben Reid, Leon Davis
C: Dale Thomas, Sam Mitchell, Scott Pendlebury
Ruck: Dean Cox, Chris Judd, Gary Ablett
HF: Marc Murphy (Carlton), Travis Cloke (Collingwood), Dane Swan (Collingwood)
F: Stephen Milne (St Kilda), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
Ruck: Dean Cox (West Coast), Chris Judd (Carlton), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
I/C: Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), James Kelly (Geelong), Drew Petrie (North Melbourne)
Staff writer From: Herald Sun September 19, 2011
St Kilda's Stephen Milne and Sydney's Adam Goodes were named as forward pockets, while Carlton's Marc Murphy slots in on the other forward flank.
West Coast's Dean Cox was selected as ruckman and Carlton captain Chris Judd and Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett also named in the midfield. Ablett was named captain of the team, Judd his deputy.
Davis's reinvention as a rebounding defender has been rewarded with another All-Australian honour. Davis, who was dropped for last year's Grand Final replay after a quiet performance in the drawn Grand Final against St Kilda, was named on the back flank. His Collingwood teammate Reid was named at half-back - Reid's first time in the All-Australian team. Reid played 22 games this season and took 156 marks, the third-most in the AFL. Western Bulldog Robert Murphy was named on the other flank.
Geelong pair Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright were named in the back pockets. Scarlett received his sixth nomination and Enright was named for the fourth time. West Coast captain Darren Glass was named at full-back for his third All Australian nod.
The interchange is Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), James Kelly (Geelong), Drew Petrie (North Melbourne).
B: Matthew Scarlett, Darren Glass, Corey Enright
HB: Robert Murphy, Ben Reid, Leon Davis
C: Dale Thomas, Sam Mitchell, Scott Pendlebury
Ruck: Dean Cox, Chris Judd, Gary Ablett
HF: Marc Murphy (Carlton), Travis Cloke (Collingwood), Dane Swan (Collingwood)
F: Stephen Milne (St Kilda), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
Ruck: Dean Cox (West Coast), Chris Judd (Carlton), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
I/C: Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), James Kelly (Geelong), Drew Petrie (North Melbourne)
Staff writer From: Herald Sun September 19, 2011
1st Qualifying Final: Collingwood vs West Coast
COLLINGWOOD is into its third successive preliminary final after grinding out a 20-point win over the West Coast Eagles. In front of a 67,379-strong crowd the Magpies had to withstand a last-quarter revival from the Eagles after leading by 26 points at the final change.
Three unanswered West Coast goals saw the margin whittled back to seven points going into time-on and had Scott Selwood and Luke Shuey not missed set shots from inside 50, the Eagles may well have snatched back the lead. The Collingwood defence withstood enormous pressure and then goals to Luke Ball and substitute Alex Fasolo - the last on the siren - sealed the deal for the reigning premier.
A six-goal second term saw the Pies rally from a torrid first term where they conceded an eight-point lead to the Eagles. But Collingwood found its legs in the second term to outscore West Coast 6.4 to 3.1 to assume a 13-point lead at the long break. Although hotly challenged, it was a lead that was never conceded.
Magpies running machine Dane Swan finished with 43 possessions and Scott Pendlebury, who had notched 25 by halftime, finished with 38 touches.
The Eagles will now go into a sudden-death semi-final next week against the winner of tonight's St Kilda and Sydney clash.
SCOREBOARD - QUALIFYING FINAL
COLLINGWOOD 1.1 7.5 10.7 12.10 (82)
WEST COAST 2.3 5.4 6.5 9.8 (62)
Goals: Collingwood: S Wellingham 3, A Krakouer 2, D Swan, L Ball, A Fasolo, J Blair,
L Brown, C Dawes, T Cloke. West Coast: Q Lynch 3, M Le Cras 2, M Priddis, N Naitanui,
JJ Kennedy, J Darling
Best: Collingwood: D Swan, S Pendlebury, H O'Brien, L Davis, B Johnson, C Tarrant,
H Shaw, L Ball. West Coast: N Naitanui, C Masten, M Priddis, B Waters, A Selwood, D.Glass, E MacKenzie, Q Lynch.
Injuries: Collingwood: C Tarrant (hamstring tightness), B Reid (groin) replaced
in selected side by A Fasolo. West Coast: D Cox (back spasms), D Kerr (back) replaced
in selected side by P McGinnity.
Crowd: 67,379
2011 AFL Ladder (final)
2011 NAB Cup
Collingwood came into the 2011 season as strong favourites to go back to back. They started the season off perfectly, taking out the preseason grand final, the only reigning premiers to have done so. The Magpies defeated Richmond, Carlton, Sydney and West Coast, before accounting for a rejuvenated Essendon under new coach James Hird, 1.15.9 (108) to 0.13.8 (86). Whilst the Pies did not run out convincing winners on the scoreboard, their hold on the game never seemed in danger at any stage.
Jamie Radford
Jamie Radford
