Collingwood has come from behind to win by six-points against Carlton on Friday night.

And it came down to a season defining moment of brilliance from Nick Daicos. The Magpies superstar kicked the winner with a minute left to seal a six-point win in front of a record home and away crowd between the traditional rivals.

With Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell both missing due to injury, it was Daicos and Scott Pendlebury that stood up to seal the 12.13 (85) to 12.7 (79) victory at the MCG, eight days after the stunning draw against Essendon on Anzac Day.

Daicos was the difference. And he did it all, amassing 32 disposals, 16 contested possessions, seven tackles, seven clearances, 626 metres gained and two goals to claim the Richard Pratt Medal.

02:49

'He came on he was super composed': Daicos

Nick Daicos From The Rooms after kicking the winning goal in a 6-point win over the Blues at the MCG.

All 46 players, both coaches and every umpire gathered in the centre before the opening bounce for a moment’s silence to take a united stance against gender-based violence in Australia.

Minutes into play, Brayden Maynard launched a long-range bomb from outside 50 for the first goal of the game, after Zac Williams conceded the first of two free kicks against Jamie Elliott, which cost Carlton two early goals.

But the Blues looked far more potent in attack early. Tom De Koning threatened in the air. Harry McKay kicked three goals in all different ways across the first 30 minutes, including an opportunistic snap for his third, before reigning Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow finally found some room off Billy Frampton to pluck a big pack mark and convert his first. Slow starts have been a problem for the Magpies in 2024, but it wasn’t the reason they were behind at the first change.

Beau McCreery came off the ground following a gruesome incident where the South Australian copped a knee to the jaw early in the second quarter. He was swiftly subbed out of the game due to concussion, with debutant Lachie Sullivan entering the game halfway through the second quarter. That moment coincided with a change in the game.

Harvey Harrison kicked an important goal just when they needed one. Then Sullivan joined the ‘first kick, first goal’ club minutes after entering the game. Suddenly, Collingwood’s two most inexperienced players had provided the Pies with an injection of energy. Mason Cox then made it three in five minutes with a towering mark and silent salute that reduced the marhin to two points. When Pat Lipinski got on the end of the hard work of Will Hoskin-Elliott and Harrison, the Magpies led and were being rewarded for suprerior intent, with Schultz making it five in a row just before half-time.

03:10

'I probably would've stopped without them': Sullivan

Collingwood debutant Lachie Sullivan reflects on his first game, which included a goal with his first kick in AFL.

Matthew Owies ended a run of five consecutive goals early in the second half after Maynard was penalised for a contentious dangerous tackle. It incited a melee briefly, but not enough to cost financially. After the game meandered for more than 10 minutes, Owies kicked a textbook front and square goal to reduce the margin to under a kick with his third goal of the night. Game on. Curnow outmuscled Moore in a crucial one-on-one, turned and found McKay deep to put Carlton back in front and momentarily in control.

Collingwood was held goalless across the third quarter, despite five shots at goal and the majority of possession at the city end of the ground. But they didn’t have to wait long in the final quarter. Bobby Hill threaded the needle from the boundary 40 seconds into the quarter, before Will Hoskin-Elliott capitalised on a half chance.

 

De Koning responded again with two goals in four minutes before the oldest player on the ground – Scott Pendlebury – put the Magpies back in front by nailing a set shot from just inside the paint. 

Collingwood had all the chances in the last quarter, but Carlton wasn’t done with yet. Matthew Cottrell did what he did he has done it in the past: kick important set shots in red time. He did it after Curnow found him alone inside 50 with just four minutes to go.

But it wasn’t enough. 

CARLTON                  5.4     6.5     9.7     12.7 (79)
COLLINGWOOD        3.2     8.4     8.8     12.13 (85)

 GOALS
Carlton: McKay 4, Owies 3, Curnow 2, De Koning 2, Cottrell
Collingwood: N. Daicos 2, Elliott, Cox, Harrison, Sullivan, Schultz, Lipinski, Maynard, Pendlebury, Hill, Hoskin-Elliott

INJURIES
Carlton: None 
Collingwood: McCreery (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton:  Matt Kennedy replaced Zac Williams in the fourth quarter
Collingwood: Lachie Sullivan replaced Beau McCreery in the second quarter

Crowd: 88,362 at the MCG