Collingwood staged a morale-boosting comeback from 43 points down to win their first game against Hawthorn under the coaching of Nathan Buckley.
After conceding the first six goals of the game, Collingwood went down by the first break. The 36-point margin being their equal third largest quarter time deficit a Collingwood team has overcome during 2494 games.
By the nine-minute mark of the second quarter, the Magpies looked uncertain, turning the ball over and conceding free kicks to admit a 43-point deficit.
However, Collingwood transformed into a different team after half time, their comeback built on the back of an outstanding game from skipper Scott Pendlebury with 36 touches and a last quarter goal.
Collingwood Coach Nathan Buckley has praised Pendlebury’s efforts for leading the comeback after watching the skipper drive himself to contest.
“He was critical. His class continued to shine through as the game wore on.”
The Magpies erased the deficit in the space of 53 minutes, kicking 5.5 (35) to 0.1 (1) to draw level at three-quarter time.
Collingwood eventually triumphed by 18 points, winning 13.12 (90) to 11.6 (72).
The remarkable come-from-behind win brought the end to the Hawk’s nine-game winning streak against Collingwood, the longest winning streak Hawthorn has had over Collingwood since entering the competition in 1925.
Jeremy Howe (25 disposals, 13 marks, and one goal) and Taylor Adams (33 disposals and eight marks) were influential to the Magpie’s victory.
Whilst, Darcy Moore began to take marks, finishing the game with four contested marks and two goals in his best game for the season.
Buckley was relieved by the team’s extraordinary effort to turnaround the game at a point where they looked doomed.
“It was an excellent response to a scoreboard that looked unfavourable,” Buckley said.
This weekend Collingwood will take on the Brisbane Lions at the MCG on Sunday.
Injury List
Collingwood midfielder James Aish suffered a fractured cheekbone after coming off second best in a head clash with Hawthorn’s Daniel Howe during the third quarter of Saturday’s match at the MCG.
Fellow Magpies midfielder Adam Treloar said Aish could miss up to a month.
Lions Health Centre: Injury List
Meanwhile, a setback for Travis Varcoe (hamstring) during rehab will see him sidelined for this weekend’s game against the Brisbane Lions.
Ben Reid (quad) is expected to miss the next three to four weeks.
