In a game that had everything from high marks to brilliant goals, it was the Magpies who triumphed 17.9 (111) to 16.14 (110) in front of 51,382 screaming fans.
A Dale Thomas goal with 90 seconds remaining – it was the Pies only goal in the final term – proved enough…just, in a frenetic finale as the Dogs piled on six late
goals to storm back into a contest it trailed by 34 points at the final change.
In the end it was four goals, and a brilliant third-quarter Leon Davis cameo, 67 possessions to Dane Swan and Alan Didak, and an inspired defensive effort from skipper Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw, Simon Prestigiacomo and Harry O’Brien, that paved the way for the Magpie victory.
The win was the Pies seventh on the trot – its best return since winning nine in a row midway through the 1990 season.
It also lifted the side equal with the Dogs on 10 wins in the all-important race for third position.
The Bulldogs got a dose of their own medicine when the Pies flew the boxes to post seven goals in the opening 20 minutes in a blistering stanza of footy.
With ball winners Scott Pendlebury, Swan, Davis and Didak cutting a swathe through the middle, and Maxwell featuring in a rock solid defence, the Magpies showed the Bulldogs a clean pair of heels all over the field.
The highlight of the Magpie avalanche came at the 20-minute mark when Heath Shaw grabbed a one-handed contested mark at half back.
After centring the ball to Brad Dick the Pies worked the ball through the middle and into the hands of Josh Fraser who burst through 50 to ice a scintillating passage of play.
Despite the fact the first-quarter stats indicated a tight contest – the Dogs won the centre clearance count 7-3 and inside 50s 13-12 – the reality was the Magpies looked by far the more dangerous unit.
Only a late goal to Shaun Higgins after a solid contested mark, and another to Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney reduced the margin to 22 points at the first change.
Needing a lift the Dogs got it when Lindsay Gilbee and Jason Akermanis drilled early second-term goals to breath much-needed life into a largely lethargic and reactive outfit.
The attack, confidence and swagger so evident last week against the Hawks, seemed on the verge of returning.
However, just when it looked like the Dogs were finding rhythm, the Pies again beat the drum in emphatic fashion.
With Swan winning possessions all over the field, Maxwell proving a solid wall across half back and the likes of Ben Johnson, Davis, Didak and Pendlebury proving nightmarish match-ups for Dogs’ coach Rodney Eade, the Pies kicked four of the next five goals, including a brilliant snap by Paul Medhurst, to sail out to a comfortable 29-point advantage at the main break.
Davis ensured it remained intact through to three-quarter-time with a three-goal third-term cameo that had Magpie fans salivating.
His first came from a trademark snap at the four-minute mark before dragging down a screamer over Jarrod Harbrow hard up on the boundary and circling around for a brilliant around-the-corner effort.
Two minutes later he marked on the lead and rammed home his fourth to seemingly put the issue beyond doubt.
However, it was just the signal for the Dogs to fire up.
Trailing by 34 points at the final change the brave Doggies cut the margin to two points with five unanswered goals with six minutes remaining.
While the errors flowed on both sides, the Dogs, led by Robert Murphy who was brilliant with 11 last-quarter possessions, two goals to Mitch Hahn and a visible lift in workrate, willed themselves back into the contest from a seemingly impossible position.
Ryan Griffen kicked the final goal of the game before time beat the Dogs who will rue a tardy start and, at times, a leaky defence.
Matthew Boyd was superb all night with 30 possessions, Shaun Higgins kicked three goals and was dangerous from start to finish, while Brian Lake obliterated John Anthony in a fine defensive display.
But, and despite winning the inside 50 count 62-47, the Dogs could not find a way through.
DETAILS
Western Bulldogs 3.4 6.6 10.9 16.14 (110)
Collingwood 7.2 11.5 16.7 17.9 (111)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Hahn 3, Higgins 3, Akermanis 2, Gilbee 2, Picken 2, Boyd, Cooney, Griffin, Murphy.
Collingwood: Davis 4, Medhurst 2, Swan 2, Thomas 2, Beams, Fraser, Goldsack, Johnson, Lockyer, Pendlebury, Toovey.
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Murphy, Lake, Boyd, Higgins, Cooney, Hargrave.
Collingwood: Swan, Didak, Maxwell, Davis, Shaw, O’Brien.
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: TBC
Collingwood: TBC
Reports: TBC
Umpires: Rosebury, McLaren, S Ryan
Official crowd: 51,382 at Docklands
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs.
