One-point wins such as those in Friday night's unforgettable triumph over the Tigers don't come along all that often.

In fact, that was only the 28th time in more than 2450 VFL/AFL games that the Pies have snuck home by the narrowest of margins, and the first time we've ever done it against Richmond.

The most recent, as many will remember, came against Essendon on ANZAC Day in 2012, when Jarryd Blair soccered one through from the goalsquare (after a score review) with just over 1.20 on the clock. That was the first ANZAC Day game that pitted Nathan Buckley and James Hird against each other as coaches, and it provided our sixth one-pointer against the Bombers – the most against any opponent.

The first time Collingwood ever saluted by a solitary point was also against Essendon, in round eight of 1901 at Victoria Park, when the team came from a long way back to snatch the game at the death courtesy of an Arthur Leach snapped goal with 90 seconds left. (Just three weeks later the Pies lost by a point to Melbourne, proving that footy loves to take away every bit as much as it loves to give.)

Perhaps the Magpies' best remembered one-pointer (for older fans, anyway) came in that extraordinary 1981 First Semi-Final against Fitzroy when Ross Brewer's late snap over his shoulder capped off one of the most remarkable finals in VFL/AFL history. Younger supporters will probably remember Steele Sidebottom's goalsquare heroics saving our one-point margin against Melbourne in the premiership year of 2010.

And if you think your heart couldn't take too many more tense finishes like Friday, spare a thought for the poor Collingwood fans of 1916. They had to endure a nerve-shredding stretch that saw the Magpies draw with Fitzroy in round three, defeat Carlton by a point in round five, lose to Richmond by a point in round seven, beat Fitzroy by a point in round nine then lose to Carlton by two points in round 11. Healthy fingernails were in short supply at Victoria Park at the end of that run.


We have, of course, been on the wrong side of plenty of one-point results too, most notably in a certain Grand Final 50 years ago. But the less said about those the better.

VIDEO: Watch the final minutes of Collingwood's one-point win over Essendon on ANZAC Day, 2012.