JUST when Denis Pagan and most of North Melbourne's 1999 premiership team started to enjoy themselves inside Marvel Stadium on Sunday, Collingwood flicked a switch to ruin the 25th anniversary of the Kangaroos' fourth and most recent flag in dramatic fashion.
But you had to see it to believe it.
Collingwood recovered from 54 points down early in the third quarter to soar to third on the ladder and spoil a day of celebration that looked like being a day to remember for North Melbourne.
And the Magpies did it by the narrowest of margins to win 18.11 (119) to 19.4 (118) to record the second biggest comeback victory in their history.
Without four of its best forwards – Brody Mihocek, Dan McStay, Jamie Elliott and Mason Cox – Collingwood's small forwards fired with Bobby Hill booting five goals and taking a Virgin Australia AFL Mark of the Year contender, while recruit Lachie Schultz slotted four goals.
Like so many of Craig McRae's first 65 games in charge of Collingwood, it went down to the final seconds and was full of defining moments late, including Zac Fisher's snap with six seconds left that just missed after a desperate final 60 seconds.
Colonial Stadium was still six months away from being opened the last time North Melbourne won a flag, and 25 years on from that famous win, the Kangaroos looked set to honour that side with a stunning upset. They led for 119 minutes but weren't in front when it mattered most in one of the games of the season.
Nick Daicos overcame another week where the football world focused on his every move, recovering in time from a corked shin to have a major say in the game, finishing with 29 disposals, six clearances and two goals to will his weary side to victory ahead of its mid-season bye.
Alastair Clarkson's side will be devastated. It looked on from the outset, carrying the momentum of getting its season off the mark at Optus Stadium last Saturday night.
After kicking five goals in each of the past two games against the Magpies, Nick Larkey looked ominous early. He kicked two goals in quick succession to provide the Kangaroos with the perfect start, before adding a third after Paul Curtis got involved. By quarter-time, the 2023 All-Australian key forward had four on the board and the Kangaroos led the reigning premiers by a staggering 35 points.
George Wardlaw was a key reason why. The AFL Rising Star contender amassed 12 touches, five score involvements and three inside 50s in the first 31 minutes to set the tone on an important day for the club. North led every key indicator by a significant margin – +51 disposals, +11 contested possessions, +10 inside 50s and +6 marks inside 50 – but the Magpies went to the break with a goal on the siren from Schultz.
Collingwood made the better start in the second quarter. Jack Crisp and Will Hoskin-Elliott snapped a couple, before Cam Zurhaar steadied the ship with a long range set shot goal. Luke Davies-Uniacke emulated his form of last week with a dominant display at the coal face. Tristan Xerri kicked two goals that kept a challenge at bay – the first from the boundary after a dubious free kick, the second an important goal from 50m to stop the Pies' momentum. Both infuriated the Collingwood faithful who were making a rare visit to this end of the city.
By the main break, North Melbourne had recorded its highest score of 2024 in total – 86 points – and recorded its highest first half since kicking 14.7 against the Western Bulldogs in round six, 2004. You had to see it to believe it. The Kangaroos led by 48 points courtesy of a midfield masterclass led by Davies-Uniacke, Wardlaw and Xerri.
Zurhaar kicked the opening goal of the second half to calm the nerves of North Melbourne supporters who didn't want to believe what they were seeing. Reef McInnes was activated at the start of the third quarter, with Collingwood tactically subbing out Fin Macrae after six ineffective touches in the first half, and it got the Magpies going.
They needed a spark and it was Schultz who ignited a side that was without seven premiership players and had seven players with under 20 games of experience, including debutant Tew Jiath. But it wasn't enough to stop North Melbourne's wave of pressure and ferocity around the contest. Two goals from Toby Pink and Curtis Taylor early in time on in the third quarter almost killed the contest.
But it didn't. After two red-time goals in the third quarter, the Magpies kicked five goals to start the last quarter to make it seven in a row. You can't kill Collingwood under McRae, even during an injury crisis.
Mark of the year?
Bobby Hill might have just taken mark of the year off Jamie Elliott. The veteran Pie took a sensational grab on Anzac Day, but Hill almost hit the roof at Marvel Stadium with a spectacular mark over teammate Billy Frampton after making some room off Jackson Archer. Hill finished with five goals in a stunning display that was his best showing since his Norm Smith Medal-winning performance last September.
BIGGEST COMEBACK WINS VFL/AFL HISTORY
69 points - Essendon v North Melbourne, R16 2001
63 points - Hawthorn v St Kilda, R12 1999
60 points - Collingwood v St Kilda, R10 1970
56 points - Hawthorn v Geelong, R6 1989
55 points - St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, R6 2015
55 points - St Kilda v Hawthorn, R2 1937
54 points - West Coast v Geelong, R10 2006
54 points - Collingwood v North Melbourne, R14 2024
52 points - Brisbane v Geelong, R13 2013
52 points - Footscray v Essendon, R5 1978
NORTH MELBOURNE 8.1 14.2 18.2 19.4 (118)
COLLINGWOOD 2.2 6.2 12.7 18.11 (119)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Larkey 4, Zurhaar 3, Xerri 2, Sheezel 2, Curtis 2, Wardlaw, Teakle, Taylor, Scott, Pink, Phillips
Collingwood: Hill 5, Schultz 4, N.Daicos 2, McInnes, McCreery, Kreuger, Howe, Hoskin-Elliott, Harrison, Crisp
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Collingwood: Howe (nose)
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Jaidyn Stephenson (replaced Will Phillips at three-quarter time)
Collingwood: Reef McInnes (replaced Finlay Macrae at half-time)
Crowd: 38,311 at Marvel Stadium
