VENUE: MCG
DATE: Saturday 2 October
CROWD: 93,853
UMPIRES: Ryan, Chamberlain, Rosebury
PRE-MATCH Much was made of how the combatants grappled with the agony of the previous week’s draw; that the Saints seemed to cope better in the immediate aftermath and had claimed the psychological edge. Arguably the supporters of both clubs, particularly Collingwood, found it harder to regroup than the players who’d refocused their attention on Grand final 2.0.
In a stroke of good fortune, the biggest week for football stories in living memory somehow trumped the Grand final for media exposure; the competition’s best player Gary Ablett Jnr leaving the Cats for the Gold Coast; James Hird defying previous assertions by taking on the Essendon coaching job; and finally, reigning Premiership coach Mark Thompson flagging that his coaching days were numbered. Collingwood players in particular welcomed the ‘regular’ feel to the biggest match of their lives, a closed session at the MCG and no parade adding to the sense of normality.
Selection dilemmas once again weighed heavily in the minds of both camps. Gardiner’s hamstring demanded the return of young Saint Ben McEvoy, whilst for the ‘Pies an almost-winning goal wasn’t enough to save Davis – Goldsack’s inclusion reuniting the combination that destroyed Geelong in the Preliminary final.
The retro feel of a stripped back ‘people’s Grand final’ (almost 15,000 extra seats available to the clubs’ members) was exemplified by pre-match entertainment consisting of veteran crooner Lionel Richie, a motorcade featuring St Kilda and Collingwood players from the 1966 Grand final, and the national anthem sung by Julie Anthony.
Lionel Ritchie performs before the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final between the Collingwood Magpies and the St Kilda Saints at the MCG, Melbourne.
Eye on the prize
Toss of the coin
THE GAME Barely a waft of breeze complimented a picture perfect backdrop, Maxwell again electing to kick to the city/Ponsford Stand end. In brilliant sunshine, the Magpies’ 500th game at the MCG began with a sense of déjà vu. Straight away, Pendlebury broke clear and found Cloke in the goal square. Anti-climactically, he was denied an early confidence booster by the umpire’s intolerance of a minor off ball indiscretion by Swan. Several minutes later, Goldsack found space within close range and Cloke spotted him with a deft pass. Davis’ replacement booted his first goal for the year, and at long odds, the first of the Replay. Collingwood had begun with the same steely resolve as the week before, yet their control had yet to be realised on the scoreboard. Johnson found the mark though, his once rusty but now trusty left boot nailing the 50 metre set shot. St Kilda’s could not break through the Magpies’ forward press, and when finally they went forward with promise, Riewoldt’s near certain goal was extraordinarily smothered by Shaw. Macaffer further boosted morale when he snapped one over his head from close range. The ‘Pies dodged yet another Riewoldt bullet with seconds on the clock, when he just pulled a very gettable running shot.
St Kilda began the second quarter with intent, but Gilbert’s early waywardness was telling. Didak ran onto an easy one after some clever clearing work down back, and then Jolly seized on a fortunate bounce and terrible kick by Peake to nimbly set up an unmarked Macaffer with another lay down misere. Jolly was proving a massive headache for St Kilda. Not only were his 22 first half hitouts making life easier around the stoppages, from the very next bounce following his assist he executed an agile slips catch, capped by a handy goal. In between the Saints’ misses, Goddard finally found the target courtesy of a free against Maxwell. Clearly Collingwood was playing the better football, yet St Kilda might have been much closer. At half time the margin (27 points) was just three points greater than seven days previously, yet the vibe felt markedly different.
The last thing on the Magpies’ agenda after the break was to give St Kilda any hope of another comeback, and to that end the Saints again let themselves down via poor kicking for goal. The next major would be crucial, and it was Dawes’ mid air hoof amid a scrap of players that lifted the decibel rating sky high at the city end. Before long, Wellingham sharked a pack to stylishly slot another from close range, the margin ever widening. Collingwood were playing like winners. And when Swan similarly read the ball off hands in the Ponsford Stand shadows, a killer blow was landed as the tattooed one celebrated with a triu mphant leap onto the big frame of Dawes. To their credit, a battle scarred opposition kept at the task, and pegged back a couple. There was no denying that fate was railing against St Kilda though, with Didak’s smother and sublime snap again raising the roof. The premiership quarter lived up to its name, and for added insurance ‘International Name of the Year’ winner Steele Sidebottom added one more when he found space before coolly converting.
Even the most pessimistic ‘Pies fans found it hard to conceive a monumental choke in the final quarter, and this tremendous team was in the same dominant zone seen so often throughout the season. In the first Grand final Dawes could not buy a goal, but now he was threading the needle to trigger the Collingwood chant once more. If his cumulative efforts over the two deciders weren’t enough for the Norm Smith Medal, Thomas at least deserved to be on the scoresheet, which he was when he danced around three opponents in the goal square. The dam had burst and Eddie McGuire, flanked by his two sons in the stands, shed tears of joy – no doubt sparking the same reaction for many thousands watching on TV. Crowd favourite Harry O’Brien was far more composed in the Replay and a 50 metre penalty enabled him to launch a long one through, celebrated in iconic fashion. Full of adrenalin, the Magpies were determined to maintain their level until the end, notwithstanding a few junk time St Kilda goals. Wellingham was superb, and he kept the stadium buzzing when he bounced up to take Shaw’s pass, and waltzed into goal with supreme confidence. Sidebottom capped his outstanding game with one more, playing on from a tight angle. As the siren neared, Collingwood shared the ball around, each recipient duly feted. Meanwhile, Mick Malthouse made his way down to the bench. He embraced David Buttifant, who had played such a key role as fitness coach. When the music stopped the ball was with Didak, and the sweetest tune of all blasted through the speakers – as it had 100 years and one day previously in the 1910 Grand final.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED As the perpetrator Heath Shaw dubbed it, the first quarter ‘smother of the millennium’ will probably go down as one of the all time most memorable Grand final moments. When an isolated Riewoldt accepted a kick in the goal square, Saints fans were marking down their first goal in their Records. But Shaw, who sprinted roughly 30m to desperately dive at Riewoldt’s boot, left the St Kilda captain (and just about everyone else) bewildered by the outcome.
The swinging of Saint backman Gilbert forward in the second term to provide another attacking avenue could have been a game changer, had it not been for his three errant shots at goal. In fact the Saints peppered the big sticks in the second term, yet made no headway. The final miss by Schneider after the half time siren was a psychological dagger to the heart, for the ‘Pies had brought their A game to the table and the Saints were crumbling.
After three quick goals early in the third quarter, Collingwood appeared to be on the verge of breaking St Kilda’s resolve. When Didak smothered Blake’s kick and nailed a magnificent right foot snap, the red ribbons were rendered superfluous bunting on the premiership cup handles.
The absolute final nail in the coffin was provided by Dawes, who in the early stages of the final quarter calmly steered the ball through from the tightest of angles on the wrong side for a right footer
AFTERMATCH Like Matthews 20 years before, Malthouse made his way down to the bench to soak up the game’s final moments. Forever the perfectionist, he was still orchestrating, ensuring the ‘right’ players were on the ground at the end. The siren triggered wild embraces, and ‘Good Old Collingwood Forever’ played on repeat. Peter McKenna, who should have experienced such joy 40 years previously, fittingly had the honour of presenting the cup to the captain and coach. The team mounted the podium amid a snowstorm of black and white ticker tape to provide the definitive celebration images.
When the drought was finally broken in 1990, it was hardly surprising the pandemonium that gripped the streets of Collingwood. Really, 2010 was little different, for whilst 20 years is a long time in anyone’s language, it’s not quite 32. Rather than descending on Victoria Park, some 15,000 made their way across from the MCG to AAMI Park for the presentation of the players. Many thousands more made for the licensed establishments in Richmond and the city, whilst some made a pilgrimage up Hoddle Street for old times’ sake.
The sense of euphoria was intense, for this was a dominant season by possibly the strongest Magpie outfit since the golden age of ‘the machine’. Nevermind the almost terminal hiccup, to overcome the odds and claim back the mantle of the game’s foremost club in such authoritative fashion, was cause for delirium. And expectation, for the oft criticized succession plan had already delivered the coveted prize with the second youngest Flag team on record. Malthouse’s famous Premiership clock chimed. Hopefully the lessons of 1990 would not be repeated, for the window of opportunity promised to remain open for a while yet.
Eddie and sons
Black & white snowstorm
Ed and Joffa embrace
Maxwell in iconic pose
Slow victory lap
Taking it all in
Lionel’s encore
And now for the 15th time…
The day after
THE HERO Alan Didak (Collingwood)
There were several parallels to be drawn with the 1990 triumph. An October decider for one, as the result of a drawn Collingwood final. Individually, whilst Didak’s European heritage, short bandy legs and knack for extraordinary goals has a kindred spirit in Peter Daicos, his courage to ignore substantial duress and play effectively through a successful finals campaign was comparable with that of the late Darren Millane. As was suspected, Didak had indeed torn his pectoral muscle off the bone. Despite this debilitating injury, Didak continued to rise to the occasion, his class through the finals and mercurial goal sense at the fore. When Didak smothered Blake’s kick in the third quarter and curled through a goal from a tight angle on his wrong foot, the harsh reality for St Kilda set in. And in a final touch when the siren sounded, like Millane, Didak triumphantly held the ball aloft in the Club’s 42nd grand final.
POSTSCRIPT The drawn Grand final caused all kinds of inconveniences, least of all for Collingwood’s football department who had just one day’s rest before the pre draft trading period began. The Club punted on a revitalized Andrew Krakouer and welcomed back a more mature and versatile Chris Tarrant. But the Magpies’ much vaunted depth took a hit; Lockyer, O’Bree and Medhurst retired, and several others moved on, including Josh Fraser who sought greater opportunities with the Gold Coast, and Jack Anthony at Fremantle. It was an atypically large turnover for a Premier team, but one that reiterated the Club’s quest to keep moving forward, onward and upward.
WHAT THEY SAID
“He snuck up behind him like a librarian.” Another one for the Denis Cometti book of commentary classics.
It’s better than I ever dreamt. Eddie McGuire – and a long time coming too.
“And the winner of the Norm Smith Medal for two thousand and spen, ten, is Scott Embury”. Best on ground in the 1977 Replay, Arnold Briedis failed to repeat the dose in 2010.
Knowing that you’ve won a premiership – something you’ve worked so hard for – is the ultimate feeling. Scott Embury, I mean Pendlebury, describes the final few minutes of the Grand final.
“That is the cream.” Cometti again, after Sidebottom slotted the final goal of the match.
“I thought the first 10 minutes of that third quarter was fairly intense – as intense as any third quarter you can get, given what had already transpired in the first half – and if the boys held up in that first 10 minutes I thought we could win the game.” Mick Malthouse on lessons learned, and the significance of the ‘Premiership quarter’.
The Collingwood family
“This is awesome, to have this amount of support from the fans is just amazing.” Former Sydney Premiership player Darren Jolly relished the Magpies’ record crowds in his first season.
“I really thought they were ballistic early and we hung on and fought on. Then I thought in the second quarter early we had a fair bit of control and had numerous opportunities just to put some of that scoreboard pressure on. When we didn’t do that and they countered, I thought from there on we were really swimming against the tide.” A fair summary by Ross Lyon, resigned early to the prospect of another foiled Premiership bid.
“One of our indicators is ‘relentless’ (and) we took the foot off the throat last week – and full credit to St Kilda who came back – (but) I just thought if we maintained that pressure, then I don’t care who you are or what you are, you can’t score against that pressure.” Relentless pressure was the cornerstone of Malthouse’s game plan all year.
“I certainly felt for the Saints boys because I went through that last year and there’s no worse feeling. But there’s got to be a winner and there’s got to be a loser and I was rapt to be a part of it for this great football club.” Luke Ball was lauded for his humility and graciousness after the Grand final.
Don’t know what’s wrong with my foot, don’t care either. It’s OK Ben (Reid), it’s only broken!
I just feel they are a group of extraordinary men, led by an extraordinary captain and leadership group. I may be a bit delirious when I say I love them, but I do – I just love them to death. Despite being a hard taskmaster, players have always mirrored Malthouse’s feelings expressed here.
I’m sure we will have a good night, and a good month. Maybe even six months. Despite Alan Didak’s excitement, it was to be a brief celebration before players got back to the business of preparing for 2011.
It’s always nice to play in finals, but I’d trade it in for four poor games if I still got the medallion at the end. Dale Thomas had a breakout year in 2010, and his magnificent finals series earned him universal respect.
It’s lucky I’m the coach’s pet. This is the most amazing thing ever. Club stalwart Ben Johnson’s career appeared over in 2008, and he dug deep to become one of the three premiership players (along with Didak and Davis) to bury the disappointments of 2002 and 2003.
I did my job, I guess, and I did the smother of the millennium. My man kicked it to him so I had to do something. Heath Shaw, only half joking…
COLLINGWOOD B Maxwell N Brown Toovey HB O’Brien Reid Shaw C Johnson Swan Sidebottom HF Didak T Cloke Ball F Beams Dawes L Brown FOLL Jolly, Pendlebury, Thomas INT Macaffer Blair, Goldsack, Wellingham COACH Malthouse
ST KILDA B Gram Dawson Gilbert HB Blake Fisher Eddy C Goddard Dal Santo Ray HF Peake Koszitchke Montagna F Milne Riewoldt Schneider FOLL McEvoy, Hayes, Jones INT Dempster, McQualter, Gwilt, Baker COACH Lyon
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – Pendlebury (Norm Smith Medal), Sidebottom, Jolly, Thomas, Swan, Didak, Shaw, Wellingham, Ball, N Brown ST KILDA – Goddard, Dal Santo, Gilbert
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – Dawes, Macaffer, Didak, Wellingham, Sidebottom 2, Goldsack, Johnson, Jolly, O’Brien, Thomas, Swan ST KILDA – Milne 2, Goddard, Koszitchke, Gilbert, Dal Santo, Hayes
Barely a waft of breeze complimented a picture perfect backdrop, Maxwell again electing to kick to the city/Ponsford Stand end. In brilliant sunshine, the Magpies’ 500th game at the MCG began with a sense of déjà vu. Straight away, Pendlebury broke clear and found Cloke in the goal square. Anti-climactically, he was denied an early confidence booster by the umpire’s intolerance of a minor off ball indiscretion by Swan. Several minutes later, Goldsack found space within close range and Cloke spotted him with a deft pass. Davis’ replacement booted his first goal for the year, and at long odds, the first of the Replay. Collingwood had begun with the same steely resolve as the week before, yet their control had yet to be realised on the scoreboard. Johnson found the mark though, his once rusty but now trusty left boot nailing the 50 metre set shot. St Kilda’s could not break through the Magpies’ forward press, and when finally they went forward with promise, Riewoldt’s near certain goal was extraordinarily smothered by Shaw. Macaffer further boosted morale when he snapped one over his head from close range. The ‘Pies dodged yet another Riewoldt bullet with seconds on the clock, when he just pulled a very gettable running shot.
St Kilda began the second quarter with intent, but Gilbert’s early waywardness was telling. Didak ran onto an easy one after some clever clearing work down back, and then Jolly seized on a fortunate bounce and terrible kick by Peake to nimbly set up an unmarked Macaffer with another lay down misere. Jolly was proving a massive headache for St Kilda. Not only were his 22 first half hitouts making life easier around the stoppages, from the very next bounce following his assist he executed an agile slips catch, capped by a handy goal. In between the Saints’ misses, Goddard finally found the target courtesy of a free against Maxwell. Clearly Collingwood was playing the better football, yet St Kilda might have been much closer. At half time the margin (27 points) was just three points greater than seven days previously, yet the vibe felt markedly different.
The last thing on the Magpies’ agenda after the break was to give St Kilda any hope of another comeback, and to that end the Saints again let themselves down via poor kicking for goal. The next major would be crucial, and it was Dawes’ mid air hoof amid a scrap of players that lifted the decibel rating sky high at the city end. Before long, Wellingham sharked a pack to stylishly slot another from close range, the margin ever widening. Collingwood were playing like winners. And when Swan similarly read the ball off hands in the Ponsford Stand shadows, a killer blow was landed as the tattooed one celebrated with a triu mphant leap onto the big frame of Dawes. To their credit, a battle scarred opposition kept at the task, and pegged back a couple. There was no denying that fate was railing against St Kilda though, with Didak’s smother and sublime snap again raising the roof. The premiership quarter lived up to its name, and for added insurance ‘International Name of the Year’ winner Steele Sidebottom added one more when he found space before coolly converting.
Even the most pessimistic ‘Pies fans found it hard to conceive a monumental choke in the final quarter, and this tremendous team was in the same dominant zone seen so often throughout the season. In the first Grand final Dawes could not buy a goal, but now he was threading the needle to trigger the Collingwood chant once more. If his cumulative efforts over the two deciders weren’t enough for the Norm Smith Medal, Thomas at least deserved to be on the scoresheet, which he was when he danced around three opponents in the goal square. The dam had burst and Eddie McGuire, flanked by his two sons in the stands, shed tears of joy – no doubt sparking the same reaction for many thousands watching on TV. Crowd favourite Harry O’Brien was far more composed in the Replay and a 50 metre penalty enabled him to launch a long one through, celebrated in iconic fashion. Full of adrenalin, the Magpies were determined to maintain their level until the end, notwithstanding a few junk time St Kilda goals. Wellingham was superb, and he kept the stadium buzzing when he bounced up to take Shaw’s pass, and waltzed into goal with supreme confidence. Sidebottom capped his outstanding game with one more, playing on from a tight angle. As the siren neared, Collingwood shared the ball around, each recipient duly feted. Meanwhile, Mick Malthouse made his way down to the bench. He embraced David Buttifant, who had played such a key role as fitness coach. When the music stopped the ball was with Didak, and the sweetest tune of all blasted through the speakers – as it had 100 years and one day previously in the 1910 Grand final.
As the perpetrator Heath Shaw dubbed it, the first quarter ‘smother of the millennium’ will probably go down as one of the all time most memorable Grand final moments. When an isolated Riewoldt accepted a kick in the goal square, Saints fans were marking down their first goal in their Records. But Shaw, who sprinted roughly 30m to desperately dive at Riewoldt’s boot, left the St Kilda captain (and just about everyone else) bewildered by the outcome.
Like Matthews 20 years before, Malthouse made his way down to the bench to soak up the game’s final moments. Forever the perfectionist, he was still orchestrating, ensuring the ‘right’ players were on the ground at the end. The siren triggered wild embraces, and ‘Good Old Collingwood Forever’ played on repeat. Peter McKenna, who should have experienced such joy 40 years previously, fittingly had the honour of presenting the cup to the captain and coach. The team mounted the podium amid a snowstorm of black and white ticker tape to provide the definitive celebration images.
There were several parallels to be drawn with the 1990 triumph. An October decider for one, as the result of a drawn Collingwood final. Individually, whilst Didak’s European heritage, short bandy legs and knack for extraordinary goals has a kindred spirit in Peter Daicos, his courage to ignore substantial duress and play effectively through a successful finals campaign was comparable with that of the late Darren Millane. As was suspected, Didak had indeed torn his pectoral muscle off the bone. Despite this debilitating injury, Didak continued to rise to the occasion, his class through the finals and mercurial goal sense at the fore. When Didak smothered Blake’s kick in the third quarter and curled through a goal from a tight angle on his wrong foot, the harsh reality for St Kilda set in. And in a final touch when the siren sounded, like Millane, Didak triumphantly held the ball aloft in the Club’s 42nd grand final.“He snuck up behind him like a librarian.”
“I certainly felt for the Saints boys because I went through that last year and there’s no worse feeling. But there’s got to be a winner and there’s got to be a loser and I was rapt to be a part of it for this great football club.”
Collingwood's 50 Most Sensational Games 