Grand Final # 6 - 2010

[Harrysz]

Collingwood 68 drew with St. Kilda 68

Geelong was a mighty side in 2007, finishing on top of the ladder. When Collingwood beat West Coast in Perth after extra time in the first semi final, they were drawn to play Geelong in the preliminary final on a Friday night. This was an epic match. Collingwood hit the front in the last quarter, but Geelong fought back and seemed to have the game in its grasp. With a few minutes remaining, Nathan Buckley left the ground with a hamstring injury. Collingwood attacked and the ball went into its forward line but the siren sounded, giving Geelong victory by 5 points. The next week, Geelong smashed Port Adelaide by a record margin, winning the premiership in fine style. Is it too long a bow to draw to say that had Collingwood beaten Geelong in the preliminary final, then it would have won the premiership?

In 2008, Geelong looked invincible, losing only one match during the home and away season. That was to Collingwood on a Friday night by a whopping 84 points. That was Collingwood’s highlight of the season. Geelong got to the Grand Final against Hawthorn and were hot favourites but squandered simple chances in the first half, giving Hawthorn an opening. With Cyril Rioli and Stuart Dew running rampant in the third quarter, Hawthorn won in a boilover. In 2009, Geelong and St Kilda headed the ladder. They played off in the Grand Final. Geelong won a close match. They had won two premierships in 3 years and it could have been 3 premierships in 3 years. We were in the midst of a Geelong era.

In 2010, Collingwood played Geelong in round 19 and won by 22 points. Mike Sheahan said afterwards, “Collingwood is at least 5 goals better than whichever team is second best in the AFL.” Was he correct? For two and a half matches during the final series it seemed so. In the qualifying final, Collingwood beat the Western Bulldogs by 10 goals. In the preliminary final, Collingwood beat Geelong by 7 goals. In the Grand Final, Collingwood got away to a splendid start. Darren Jolly kicked a goal after 24 seconds. Then Jarryd Blair kicked a goal, Alan Didak kicked a long goal from the boundary line and then Dale Thomas kicked a long goal from the boundary line that looked like it wouldn’t make the distance but somehow it curled through. St Kilda steadied and trailed by only 1 goal at quarter-time.

In the second quarter it was all Collingwood. St Kilda kicked 1 goal whilst Collingwood kicked 3 goals 6. This included a bad miss by Travis Cloke running into an open goal and scoring a point and at halftime, Collingwood led by 4 goals. If the second quarter belonged to Collingwood, the third quarter belonged to St Kilda. Collingwood was held goalless and St Kilda kicked 3 goals and at three-quarter time, Collingwood led by 8 points.

The last quarter was as tough a quarter of football as I’ve seen. It was a see-sawing stalemate with no side able to break through until Leon Davis weaved in and out of a pack and kicked a lovely goal, giving Collingwood a 14-points lead. St Kilda was not to be denied. Lenny Hayes kicked a long goal and Stephen Milne outmarked Harry O’Brian and he kicked a goal with St Kilda drawing to within 1 point. St Kilda went in to attack again and Nick Riewoldt kicked the ball out of a pack. With the ball bouncing towards goal, Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell chased it and flung himself into the turf, knocking the ball through for a point but saving a goal. Scores level. St Kilda attacked again and Brendan Goddard took a spectacular mark and kicked a goal. St Kilda 1 goal ahead and for the first time St Kilda led during the game. St Kilda supporters went crazy, as did Hollywood star Eric Bana who was in the crowd. Collingwood scored a point – St Kilda by 5 points. Nick Maxwell took a great mark and kicked to Alan Didak who passed to Brent McCaffer who kicked the ball into Collingwood’s goal square. Heath Shaw attempted to take mark of the year and he landed on the ground where the ball bobbled out to Travis Cloke who ran into an open goal and this time did not miss. Collingwood by 1 point. Steele Sidebottom had a long kick for goal which didn’t make the distance. St Kilda attacked. Nick Riewoldt took a spectacular mark and kicked the ball forward. Lenny Hayes kicked the ball towards St Kilda’s goal square which was occupied by Stephen Milne and Ben Johnson. The bounce of the ball favoured Milne and he was seemingly going to get it and kick a goal. But in a rare show of luck for Collingwood in a Grand Final, the ball bounced away from Milne and through for a point. Scores level. Leigh Matthews on Channel 7 Commentary quipped, “Where’s Barry Breen?”

With 42 seconds remaining, St Kilda kicked the ball into its goal square. One point would win them the premiership. Ben Johnson although outnumbered was at his heroic best and he managed to clear the ball out to the wing. The siren sounded announcing a drawn Grand Final.

None of the players who played in the 1977 drawn Grand Final played in this match. But Collingwood president Eddie Maguire well recalled what happened after the 1977 Grand Final draw and how Collingwood trained in the week leading up to the replay. After this drawn Grand Final, he had a long talk with Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse. I’ve described the 2010 Grand Final replay elsewhere but it turned out to be Collingwood’s greatest winning margin ever in a Grand Final.

On a footy program late in 2023 former St Kilda player Leigh Montagna said that Collingwood was clearly the best AFL side of 2010. He said “ We had our chance in the drawn Grand Final but we blew it. Collingwood showed its real dominance in the replay.” Mike Sheahan was right!

[Skids]

It was the strangest feeling after the siren.

I remember sitting on a bench not far from the G as light drizzle started to fall, pondering whether to head back home to WA or fly up to the Goldy for a week and return for the replay.

I watched the replay in a vacant donga at Argyle with a few other Pies supporters. 2 losses and a draw from the 3 GF's I'd attended.

[Harrysz]

Yes Skids, not a good record for you. But things did get better.

[think positive]

[think positive]

[Jezza]

Strangely, I felt a sense of relief when the siren went rather than feeling disappointed. St Kilda had the momentum and threw everything at us and still couldn't win in the end.

If the game had gone into extra time, I think they would have pipped us and won the flag. I feel we dodged a massive bullet.

The QF and PF performances were fantastic. It's easy to understand why we were clear favourites heading into the GF.

Thank goodness we produced the goods in the Replay and we learnt from the harsh lessons of 1977.

[think better]

After the siren went I remember feeling just a sense of calm. I just thought we would win the replay game pretty much straight away.

I agree with Jezza I thought we were going to lose if time went on.

[Boot]

It is only reading this summary of the game that makes me realise how close Collingwood was to loosing this drawn grandfinal which would have been one of the great turn-ups of all time given the form leading into the game.
Travis Cloke had a shocking couple of misses in the first half that could have cost us badly but got the goal to put us in front in the last 5 mins. Leon Davies had a quite game but had that magic touch to get a class goal when it counted but was deemed to big a risk to play in the next week loosing his place to the reliable but unspectacular Tyson Goldsack (who kicked the first goal of the match in the replay!)
Pendlebury was crook during this game and played a relatively quite game, but made up for it the next week when he was best on ground in the replay.
I remember feeling relief when the final siren went as St.Kilda was on top and had the momentum to win that game if it had gone on for another 5 mins. I vividly remember watching Steven Milne seem to stop following the ball after out positioning Ben Johnston and time seemed to slow down as the ball bounced through for a point to tie the scores instead of being picked up by Milne to goal and win the game. Collingwood has had a lot of bad luck in Grand Finals but that was a stroke of good luck.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

I know they all count but i feel like that the 2010 premiership was our most over looked and not a hell of alot of the footy world discusses it.

It always to be our forgotten flag.

if we won under Malthouse in say 2002 or 2003 then it would have been given more attension but it wasnt until 2010 we did it.

kind of better late then never.

thought that even tho we won was starting to come to the end in regards to malthouse as coach and that the club will change for the worst.

I really like Malthouse i think he is one of the games greatest coaches.

I liked it that he coached us too.

[Harrysz]

I agree with Boot - Stephen Milne did seem to stop and the ball bounced away from him.

I also agree that Malthouse was a very good coach for us. I didn't like his behaviour after 2011 but generally he got the best out of what he had.

People seem to say that St Kilda had the momentum and probably would have won if the match had played out for another minute or so. Of course well will never know, but I thought we got some momentum back in the last half minute. Benny Johnson, you are a star!

[Pete 70]

Harrysz

Mate cannot tell you how much I enjoy these threads. Thank you so much for the work you have done. Brings back such memories. The first GF I remember is 79. The first one I went to was 81. My father got me a standing room ticket two hours before the game. I felt like I was Charlie in Willie Wonka - I had gotten the golden ticket. He watched the game from the Richmond social club. And Williams dominated, and in the third quarter we were 21 points ahead. And and and … . Anyway thank you again. Maybe just keep these on constant loop. The victories and ten losses are all part of us. Now watching the 77 GF on Fox. Geez there are a shitload of torpes!

[Harrysz]

Thanks for your comments Pete 70. I appreciate it.

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]