MAGPIE MAGIC: Elliott’s post-siren goal makes NINTH straight win most epic yet

What just happened!?

Collingwood has fought back at the death to defeat Essendon by four points in an MCG miracle thanks to a Jamie Elliott goal after the siren for its ninth-straight win to climb into the top four.

It comes after the Magpies surrendered a 37-point lead at quarter time before trailing by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Bombers looked like charging home.

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But Craig McRae’s side held its nerve, just as it has so many times over its winning streak, booting the last four goals including Elliott’s sealer on the siren to send fans into raptures in epic scenes.

“Ice in his veins, Jamie Elliott,” Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw exclaimed.

The scoreboard ultimately read 12.8, (80), to 11.10 (76) in the black and white’s favour.

Collingwood now sits in fourth position while improving to 13-8 overall as the Bombers had their three-game winning streak snapped to drop to 6-12.

“Essendon will be kicking themselves” | 02:32

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT

Pies skipper Scott Pendlebury nailed the first goal of the game to get his team on the board in the opening minutes, while Darcy Cameron kicked the next.

Collingwood’s ball movement was exceptional early to draw big praise from Channel 7 pundits.

“At the moment it’s Collingwood’s ball use, just slicing Essendon apart. Collingwood using the ball beautifully,” Geelong great Cameron Ling said.

Former Demons skipper Nathan Jones added: “It’s incredible offensive ball movement by the Pies. As a forward you’re licking your lips when it’s coming in at that sort of speed.”

An exciting play down the centre of the ground resulted in Ash Johnson’s second major — and the Pies’ fourth straight to start the game — with Ling noting they were playing “electric footy.”

A week where the AFL announced a crack down on high-contact interpretation, the polarising Jack Ginnivan was taken high but the umpire called play on to draw big criticism from pundits.

“He‘s not fair game. Just because you’re going into the mindset of ’Ginnivan has done this before’, doesn’t mean that Essendon players can go for their life. That’s a free kick every day,” Ling said.

The Collingwood domination continued later in the term including a freakish goal of the year contender from Josh Daicos — resemblant of the legendary Daicos senior, who was seen in the crowd cheering, — a Mason Cox hanger, and second-game Ash Johnson booting his third goal of the term.

“Collingwood fans in ecstasy This is just a little scary statement Collingwood are making,” Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw said.

The Pies took a 37-point lead into the first break, 6.2 (38) to 0.1 (01).

But the Bombers responded in the second quarter through the first two majors to Peter Wright and Harry Jones to bring it back to a 24-point game.

Wright kicked the next one for Essendon as it was well and truly game on again.

“Been a good responded from the Bombers,” Ling said.

Jones added: “Completely different Bombers side we’re seeing at the minute. Their pressure has gone up, their ability to win contests has gone up, it’s creating so many opportunities.”

It was almost like the two sides had swapped jumpers in the second quarter quarter as Andrew Phillips made it four Bombers goals on the trot to continue an emphatic response and massive shift in the contest.

And Ben Rutten’s side wasn’t done there, with Matt Guelfi first forcing a turnover then taking an unlikely one-handed mark in the goal square before converting the Bombers’ fifth-straight major.

Collingwood kicked one late to make it a 13-point game at half-time, 7.4 (46) to 5.3 (33), while Mason Redman was subbed out after a heavy collision with Brody Mihocek.

Essendon picked up where it left off to open the second half, with Wright missing a set shot before Nic Martin nailed his opportunity to bring it back to a seven-point game, while Sam Draper continued to assert his presence around the ground in a strong showing from the Bombers ruckman.

“Reminds me of a young Max Gawn,” Jones said of Draper in a big compliment.

The Bombers looked the better side throughout the early stages of the third term, with Chanel 7 commentator Alister Nicholson saying, “there’s a ferocity about Essendon that was lacking at the start of this contest.”

Adding to Collingwood’s woes was Brayden Maynard getting subbed out of the game with a shoulder injury.

Kyle Langford booted the next goal for the Bombers to give them their first lead of the contest in a stunning turnaround, while Draper brought the house down after a banana goal before celebrating appropriately, with Nicholson noting they was in “total control.”

The Bombers led by 14 points at three-quarter time lead — which marked an insane 51-point turnaround — 10.7 (67) to 8.5 (53).

Guelfi continued the Bombers’ charge in the fourth quarter with the opening major of the term to take a 20-point lead.

But the Pies, just as they have so many times this year, fought back at the death, kicking the next three goals to set up another thrilling finish.

Harrison Jones looked to put the Pies away late, nailing Jeremy Howe from 40m out directly in front of goal for the sealing kick.

But Jones ‘shot hit the post as Collingwood got one last roll of the dice for victory from a kick in, with the Pies going coast to coast as Elliott marked the ball from 40m out on the boundary line.

The siren sounded as Elliott lined up for goal, nailing the shot through the big sticks to secure Collingwood’s ninth-straight win in insane scenes.

THE 3-2-1 …

3. ELLIOTT THE MIRACLE MAN

Indeed, Jamie Elliott has ice in his veins.

The Magpies forward sealed a famous Collingwood victory against Essendon on Sunday afternoon, nailing the match-winning goal after the siren to send Pies fans at the MCG into raptures in a bonkers ending.

It extended Collingwood’s winning streak to nine games as it climbed into the top four, although that outcome looked so very vulnerable of going the other way minutes prior.

Of course, Collingwood was up by 37 points earlier in the game before Essendon completed a stunning turnaround to lead by as much as 20 points during the fourth quarter.

So impressive was the Bombers’ fightback that it marked Essendon’s biggest comeback from a quarter-time deficit since that famous 2001 game against North when they were 58 down at the first break.

But the Pies, just as they have so many times over their winning streak, held their nerve in the clutch moments, kicking the last four goals including two majors to medical sub Josh Carmichael, and of course, Elliott’s final dagger.

Collingwood has now win by an average of 11.3 points over its winning streak as its fans’ hearts were tested out yet again — and probably not for the last time!

2. GREAT CALLS FOR MORE GINNIVAN PROTECTION AFTER DUBIOUS CALL

In a week where the AFL announced a crackdown of its high-contact interpretation, Jack Ginnivan, who’s been the subject of such discussion, was thrusted into the spotlight again.

Ginnivan in the opening quarter was taken high by Mason Redman but called to play on by the umpire in a dubious call that drew big criticism from Channel 7 pundits on commentary.

Redman’s initial contact with Ginnivan was high, although the replay appeared to show the Magpie lowered his body slightly, but not enough to initiate or alter the physical clash.

“I think his reputation cost him there, Jack Ginnivan,” Cannel 7 Alastair Nicholson said.

“Is that a significant enough dropping of the knees not to warrant a free kick?”

Geelong premiership captain Cameron Ling added: “He’s not fair game. Just because you’re going into the mindset of ‘Ginnivan has done this before’, doesn’t mean that Essendon players can go for their life. That’s a free kick every day.”

The incident was probed by Fox Footy pundits at half-time, agreeing that Ginnivan should’ve been awarded a free kick.

“For mine this was a high tackle, he was coathangered around the neck,” Sarah Jones said.

Ginnivan gets taken high by Redman (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)Source: Fox Sports

Carlton and Adelaide great Eddie Betts added: “I would say that’s high, he’s a bit stiff there. But then he thought it was going to be a free kick so he continued on with it.”

Western Bulldogs legend Brad Johnson noted how Redman continued to go at Ginnivan after the act with an extra grab and pull of the neck, saying “it’s actually quite dangerous.”

“He’s going to get that a lot, when they don’t pay a free kick, they’re going to get stuck into him. If it’s a hand extension, you’ve just got to keep your hands down,” Betts added.

“If he had both hands on the ball he might’ve ended up with a concussion, but it’s going to be a free kick.

“He’s not going to have any protection anymore.”

Johnson believes Ginnivan may need to add a fend off move to his game, but ultimately believed the youngster needed better protection from the officials.

“He should have (protection) because the extra layer on that is no good in my book. We saw it against North Melbourne the extra layer when the free kick wasn’t played and they were into him and did a bit more than they should’ve,” he said.

“Once again there was just that little bit too much from the Essendon opponent that it took it too far and could’ve injured the young man.”

1. DAICOS GOAL WOWS

Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw put it as well as anyone could’ve, it’s just in this family’s “DNA”.

While so much talk has surrounded Nick Daicos in recent times amid his brilliant rookie season, it was elder brother Josh who stole the show in the first quarter of Collingwood’s clash with Essendon with an epic goal of the year contender.

Josh collected the ball at half forward, keeping the ball in play with a neat handball while tucked up on the boundary line as he weaved between two Essendon players.

The son of a gun then took two bounces and charged inside 50 near the boundary line, opening up the angle and nailing the snap shot — in a move reminiscent of father and Collingwood great Peter — as the Magpies cheer squad erupted.

“Daicos wins it, away he goes, a couple of bounces and like his brilliant father [he] thumps it through,” Channel 7’s James Brayshaw said.

Fittingly the cameras then cut to Daicos senior in the crowd on his feet and cheering the goal with a beaming smile on his face.

“There he (their father) is, what sort of DNA have they got rolling this family. That is ridiculous. So much focus on Nick and so there should be but he is a fine footballer in his own right and that man was a champion,” Brayshaw said.

Fox Footy pundits marvelled at the epic goal at quarter time.

“He made it look ridiculously easy,” Sarah Jones said.

“That basketball bounce in the middle, not many people could do that,”

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