They had even produced the last drawn final that forced the AFL to change the rules. In the 1990 Qualifying Final, Eagles forward Peter Sumich kicked a behind the level the scores with seconds remaining, forcing the two sides to return to Waverley Park the following week to repeat the match. The league determined that the finals fixture would not be further disrupted and decreed that all drawn finals (bar the Grand Final, as all Collingwood fans will remind you) would require two five-minute quarters of extra time to find a result.
But none of this prepared fans of both sides for an extraordinary clash in the 2007 Semi Final.
The look on Nathan Buckley's face says it all after the final siren of extra time.
Collingwood and West Coast have a history of playing in tight finals. The Eagles knocked off the Magpies by two points at the WACA in 1994, while the Pies were forced to fight tooth and nail to eventually stave off the men from the west in the 2011 Qualifying Final by 20 points.
Having defeated Sydney in the Elimination Final, Collingwood crossed the Nullarbor without the services of first-choice ruckman Josh Fraser who was a late withdrawal with a back injury. In his place came Chris Bryan, who joined 37-game ruckman Guy Richards to tackle premiership pair Dean Cox and Mark Seaby.
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The past meets the future - Nathan Buckley and Dale Thomas' careers crossed over in 2007 as Collingwood reached the Preliminary Final.
The Eagles had their own problems. Ben Cousins, Chris Judd and Daniel Kerr, who formed their gun midfield combination, were all sidelined through injury. As it eventuated, Cousins and Judd had played their final matches for the Eagles the previous week unbeknownst to all at the time.
West Coast attacked early but it was Collingwood who scored the only goal of the opening term through Paul Medhurst. By half time, it was apparent that the match, played in slippery conditions, was going to be an arm-wrestle to the end as the Eagles led by three points despite less scoring shots.
The home side skipped clear in the third quarter and threatened to end Collingwood’s rollercoaster season then and there. They held a 23 point lead midway through the term, only for the Magpies to stage a fightback in the last five minutes through a goal to Travis Cloke and then two in two minutes to Anthony Rocca.
With the margin only four points at the final break, the two sides left nothing in the tank in the last quarter. Amazingly, a seesawing term ended with a frenetic final minute as both sides desperately mixed attack and defence with the scores locked at 10.12 (72) apiece.
Six key players in Collingwood's triumph (L-R): Alan Didak, Anthony Rocca, Paul Medhurst, Scott Pendlebury, Guy Richards and Tyson Goldsack.
The siren sounded as James Clement pumped Collingwood into attack, throwing Subiaco Oval into chaos. The two sides were forced to regroup before heading back out into two five-minute quarters of extra time.
Famously, Collingwood, despite the travel factor, ran out the match the better. Goals to the late inclusion Bryan and second-year midfielder Scott Pendlebury gave the side the buffer it needed. Dane Swan put the icing on the cake with his 38th possession and the final kick of the game, extending Collingwood’s lead to the winning margin of 19 points.
Tarkyn Lockyer salutes the crowd at Subiaco Oval.
Swan was outstanding, capping off a year in which he rose to prominence with 20 Brownlow votes. Midfielders Shane O’Bree (29 possessions), Alan Didak (27 possessions) and Pendlebury (26 possessions) were excellent, while Richards and Bryan managed 25 hitouts between them and nullified the Eagles’ influence around the ground.
A famous victory for the Collingwood Football Club that served as a precursor to the gripping Preliminary Final against Geelong seven days later.
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Heath Shaw, James Clement and Marty Clarke soak up that winning feeling.
"Pendlebury, back to Swan...well, this will be the icing on a Black and White cake - Collingwood are through!" - Channel Seven commentator Dennis Cometti.
Second Semi Final 2007
Collingwood: 1.5, 4.8, 7.11, 10.12; 13.15 (93)
West Coast: 0.4, 5.5, 8.9, 10.12; 10.14 (74)
Goals - Collingwood: Rocca 3, Didak 2, Medhurst 2, Swan 2, Bryan, Cloke, Pendlebury, Thomas.
West Coast: LeCras 2, Wirrpanda 2, Cox, Embley, Fletcher, Lynch, Priddis, Rosa.
Best - Collingwood: Didak, Swan, O’Bree, Cloke, Clement, Pendlebury, Goldsack, Lockyer.
West Coast: Priddis, Cox, Embley, Rosa, Selwood, Braun.
