AFTER a near-perfect home and away, Collingwood has been unable to win on the day that it mattered, losing the Grand Final to Geelong by 38 points at the MCG.

Collingwood led by three points at half-time, but Geelong grabbed the lead at the final change then stormed home to win 18.11 (119) yo 12.9 (81).

The third term was one of the great quarters of football. It had everything, including an umpiring controversy when a shot from Sharrod Wellingham appeared to hit the post but was adjudged a goal.

Geelong's Tom Hawkins starred with three goals for the term, Jimmy Bartel kicked a clutch goal after a fine mark and Magpie Steele Sidebottom goaled brilliantly after nudging the ball forward with his boot from a pack, grabbing it and spinning away from tacklers.

Collingwood threatened to break open the match early in the second term with early goals to Andrew Krakouer, Travis Cloke and Ben Johnson. A reply from Mathew Stokes gave the Cats some respite, but then Krakouer took a fine contested mark and kicked his third.

James Podsiadly was subbed off after disclocating his shoulder before Steve Johnson, who had shrugged off his injury concerns to be one of the Cats' best in the first half, then goaled before Sidebottom sneaked through a dribbled left footer.

Geelong was on the ropes, but Joel Selwood kicked one from the goal square after Johnson and Allen Christensen did superbly to keep the ball alive and then Bartel goaled from an almost impossible angle to cut the margin to three points at half-time.

Geelong had got off to a blistering start to the match through Travis Varcoe, but the Magpies were able to soak up the early pressure and hit back mainly through Travis Cloke who proved a handful for Harry Taylor.

The Pies hit the front early in the second quarter after trailing by a point at the first break.

First he bombed one from 60m and then he kicked another from a set shot as his contested marking skills came to the fore. When Krakouer goaled from 40m at the 20-minute mark, Collingwood had grabbed the lead for the first time.

The conditions had suggested a dour, low-scoring contest, but the teams now traded goals - Steven Johnson snapped truly, Luke Ball goaled from a set shot and then Joel Selwood won a free kick for high contact as the Cats went to the first break a point in front.

It was a brilliant game, but sadly for the Magpies it was not their day.

QUARTER BY QUARTER

First quarter
Travis Varcoe gave Geelong the dream start and cast more doubts over his direct opponent Leon Davis' form in big finals, kicking a goal in the opening 10 seconds of the game. Steve Johnson erased concerns over his fitness setting up a second goal to Varcoe only minutes later and leaving the Magpies stunned. Led by dominant ruckman Brad Ottens, the Cats controlled the stoppages and appeared more desperate, highlighted by crunching tackles from David Wojcinski, Andrew Mackie and Allen Christensen. Travis Cloke almost single-handedly dragged Collingwood back into the contest, outpointing Harry Taylor and kicking two goals, including a long-range bomb from 60m. Another goal to Andrew Krakouer put the Pies ahead, but the Cats hit back through miracle man Johnson. The two teams traded goals as the match evened up in the latter stages of the term. Luke Ball restored Collingwood's lead with a goal from a 50m penalty, but Joel Selwood slotted his first to put Geelong a point ahead at quarter-time.

Geelong 4.3 (27) led Collingwood 4.2 (26)

Second quarter
It was Collingwood's turn to get the jump in the second quarter. Inspired by influential players Cloke and Krakouer, the Magpies kicked three unanswered goals to streak to an 18-point lead early in the term. Cloke's dominance forced Geelong coach Chris Scott to move Tom Lonergan onto the in-form forward. Mathew Stokes broke Collingwood's run with his first goal, but Krakouer continued his fairytale season with a fine mark and goal. At the opposite end of the ground, the other fairytale story of the Grand Final involving James Podsiadly turned into a nightmare. Podsiadly dislocated his shoulder after landing heavily in a marking contest and was immediately substituted out of the game. As was the case in the first term, the momentum shifted late in the quarter. Livewire Cat Johnson got involved again, kicking his second goal and a boundary line beauty from Jimmy Bartel cut the margin to three points at the main change.

Collingwood 9.3 (57) led Geelong 8.6 (54)

Third quarter
For the second time in a Grand Final involving Geelong, there was controversy over a goal-umpiring decision. Unlikely hero Tom Hawkins, who stepped up in the absence of the injured Podsiadly, put the Cats ahead with two goals. Collingwood hit back after being awarded a goal to Sharrod Wellingham, but the replay indicated the ball had hit the post. Both teams defied fatigue and intermittent rain to go goal for goal, with Leigh Brown, Bartel, Steele Sidebottom and substitute Mitch Duncan all hitting the scoreboard in the tough slog. Cameron Ling and Joel Corey continued their impressive jobs on Collingwood match winners Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury. A third goal to Hawkins saw the Cats edge seven points ahead and helped set the stage for a thrilling final term.

Geelong 13.7 (85) led Collingwood 12.6 (78)

Fourth quarter
Hawkins continued his dominance over an underdone Ben Reid, hauling in two marks in the opening four minutes of the final quarter, but missed both shots at goal to take his return to 3.3. The ball landed in his lap again just moments later, but troubled by his goalkicking demons, he had a quick word to Johnson and gave off a cheeky handball to the 2007 Norm Smith medallist, who strolled in and kicked third goal. Goals to Bartel and Varcoe extended Geelong's lead to 26 points and the Pies, who had a tough game against Hawthorn last weekend, had nothing left and saw the margin blow out.

Geelong by 38 points

Collingwood      4.2    9.3   12.6    12.9 (81)    
Geelong              4.3    8.6   13.7   18.11 (119)   

GOALS
Collingwood: Cloke, Krakouer 3, Sidebottom 2, Ball, Johnson, Wellingham, Brown
Geelong: Johnson 4, Hawkins, Bartel, Varcoe 3, Selwood 2, Stokes, Duncan, Ling

BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Thomas, Sidebottom, Tarrant, Ball, Brown, Cloke
Geelong: Bartel, Selwood, Hawkins, Ling, Johnson, Chapman, Ottens, Varcoe

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Geelong: Podsiadly (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Jarryd Blair replaced by Alex Fasolo in the fourth quarter
Geelong: James Podsiadly replaced by Mitch Duncan in the second quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Donlon, Ryan, Rosebury

Official crowd: 99,537 at the MCG

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the AFL or its clubs