Collingwood has survived a huge scare and jumped into the top eight, outlasting a gallant Brisbane by seven points at the Gabba on Sunday night.

In a pulsating match, Lions skipper and former Magpie Dayne Beams levelled the scores with a clutch set shot from 50m with two minutes remaining.

But Chris Mayne scrapped a behind to put the Magpies in front and Jaidyn Stephenson iced the win with a goal in the dying seconds when he ran into an empty goalsquare.

Collingwood won 19.7 (121) to 18.6 (114) to move to a 4-3 record ahead of a huge match at the MCG next Sunday against Geelong.

The Magpies' win was even more meritorious considering they played the final quarter-and-a-half without skipper Scott Pendlebury who was taken off with an ankle injury in the third term and did not return.

They led by 19 points early in the last quarter and the toll of three games in 12 days looked to be too much as the Lions stormed home.

Jordan De Goey was brilliant all night and proved the difference between the teams, kicking five goals – and giving the handpass for Stephenson's match-sealer – while Steele Sidebottom (34 touches) continued his fine season.

For the Lions, it was yet another heartbreaking defeat.

Dayne Zorko returned to form in stunning fashion, set free to play without the handbrake of a tagger, and kicked four goals in his 34 disposals to go with 10 tackles.

Beams (31 touches and two goals) was also fantastic, Lewis Taylor (four goals) had his best game of the season and first-year players Cameron Rayner and Zac Bailey made huge contributions.

It was the fifth time in their seven losses the Lions have been within a kick during the last quarter.

At the end of a week where the state of the game was highly scrutinised, the two teams played a thrilling duel with fantastic goalkicking.

In a scrappy first quarter where the Lions butchered the ball going into their forward 50, Collingwood made the most of its chances to lead by seven points.

The second term was a complete reversal of ball use, a thrilling 13-goal exhibition of open, attacking footy.

With neither team deciding to clamp down on opposition midfielders, Brisbane kicked seven goals to six as the momentum swung wildly.

Adam Treloar goaled from 50m in the opening 15 seconds after a wonderful long handpass from Pendlebury into his path, and that opened the floodgates for the exciting term.

The Lions kicked four straight, the Pies answered with four of their own – three to Queenslander Josh Thomas – before the home team went into the main change trailing by three points after kicking the final three of the half.

While the big names of Zorko, Beams, Pendlebury and Sidebottom did their thing, fourth-gamer Bailey was super impressive for Brisbane, showing composure while many around him floundered.

Collingwood     4.2     10.3     15.4     19.7 (121)
Brisbane           3.0     10.0     14.2     18.6 (114)

Goals – Collingwood: De Goey 5, Thomas 3, Stephenson 2, Pendlebury, Mayne, Howe, Treloar, Moore, Phillips, Cox, Varcoe, Hoskin-Elliott
Brisbane: Taylor 4, Zorko 4, McStay 2, D.Beams 2, Robinson, McInerney, McCluggage, Berry, Cameron, Bailey

Best – Collingwood: De Goey, Sidebottom, Varcoe, Thomas, Treloar
Brisbane: Zorko, Taylor, Rayner, Beams, Martin, Bailey

Injuries - Collingwood: Pendlebury (ankle)
Brisbane: TBC

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Whetton, Williamson

Official crowd: 21,850 at the Gabba