Veteran Steve Johnson broke Collingwood hearts with a last-minute goal to steal a three-point victory for an injury-depleted but relentless Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium on Saturday night.
In one of the final contests of the match, Johnson crumbed to perfection and ran in to goal, putting GWS ahead 15.12 (102) to 15.9 (99), inflicting a bitter loss on the Magpies, who had led for the majority of the match.
Jeremy Cameron kicked six goals for GWS and Josh Kelly was exceptional in midfield with 36 possessions, 11 tackles and a goal.
Making the Giants’ win more impressive, they were down two rotations for the bulk of the contest after losing Aidan Corr in the opening minute of the game and midfielder Sam Reid early in the second quarter.
Collingwood began with a flurry to grab six goals to two in the opening quarter, but GWS returned the same tally in the second to leave the half-time ledger at 54-53 to the Magpies.
The third term ended with four goals apiece before GWS found a way to prevail in the dying stages.
Taylor Adams was huge against his old club with 30 touches and eight tackles, while Steele Sidebottom and Jamie Elliott scored three goals each. There was so little that decided the points.
The Giants were under pressure from the moment Corr’s head slammed into the ground after falling over teammate Phil Davis in the opening aerial contest of the game. After a break of about five minutes while the defender received assistance, Collingwood sprung into action.
They moved the ball cleanly, won loads of possession through Brodie Grundy - who dominated Shane Mumford in the ruck - and shot relatively straight to conjure a lead of 40-14.
However, the Giants pushed back hard in the second quarter, significantly out-tackling the Magpies and comfortably winning contested possession to open up opportunities for sharp-shooter Jeremy Cameron who obliged with three second-term majors, and Rory Lobb who scored two.
Jonathon Patton’s mark and goal in the fifth minute of the third quarter gave the Giants their first lead of the match. Jack Crisp responded for Collingwood before 25-year-old debutant, former carpenter Daniel Lloyd, scored his first AFL goal to put GWS back on top.
The lead swapped another three times before the final break - which saw the Giants one point up - but the home side’s growing advantage around the coalface indicated the onus was on Collingwood to find another gear.
Brayden Maynard’s long bomb goal and a flying mark by Jeremy Howe suggested the Magpies were keen to rev up.
Cameron scored his sixth, but the Magpies took the lead again with a successful 52-metre shot by Ben Reid midway through the term.
Tired legs pushed both sides to the limit, but Patton held his nerve to score a crucial goal from the pocket to put GWS up by two.
Maynard snapped from 35 metres to restore Collingwood’s lead, before Johnson pulled off the great escape.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.2 8.5 12.8 15.12 (102)
COLLINGWOOD 6.4 8.6 12.7 15.9 (99)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 6, Patton 2, Lobb 2, Johnson 2, Kelly, Lloyd, Mumford
Collingwood: Elliott 3, Sidebottom 3, Maynard 2, Blair 2, Grundy, Hoskin-Elliott, Crisp, De Goey, Reid
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Cameron, Whitfield, Shiel, Johnson, Wilson, Scully
Collingwood: Adams, Grundy, Sidebottom, Howe, Pendlebury, Wells
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Corr (concussion), Reid (concussion), Coniglio (leg)
Collingwood: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Chamberlain, Williamson
Official crowd: 11,360 at Spotless Stadium
