AFL Grand Final: Collingwood 90 Brisbane Lions 86
Tyrone All-Ireland winner Conor McKenna endured AFL Grand Final heartache on Saturday when the Brisbane Lions lost one of the greatest season deciders ever played to Collingwood 90-86 in front of 100,024 supporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Kerry superstar Tadhg Kennelly will remain the only Irishman in history to win both a Sam Maguire Cup and an AFL Premiership for another year at least.
McKenna sturggled to make an impact for most of the four quarters but never gave up. The Eglish star finished with 13 disposals, 2 marks, and 2 tackles.
He also gained 488 metres from the half-back flank but his usual dare and dash was curtailed by Collingwood's powerful forwards.
Brisbane's backline conceded 30 scoring shots to the Magpies and McKenna was one of the back six who was overwhelmed.
He produced a couple of important trademark kicks which resulted in Brisbane scores from their back half but was given a poor overall rating of 4-4.5 out of ten by several media pundits.
The foundations for the epic contest were laid in the first half, which was the highest-scoring first two quarters in a Grand Final since 1989, featuring 18 goals and nine lead changes as both sides traded goals in temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius in springtime Melbourne.
Brisbane who have endured a horror run of results at the MCG - they have only won once in 16 matches at the home of football since 2014 - proved they were up for the fight this time and refused to be intimdated by the atmosphere in Collingwood's backyard.
One of the all-time great games!
— AFL (@AFL) September 30, 2023
Enjoy the Last Two Minutes of the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final. pic.twitter.com/ZGfcLxkOkw
The nail-biting finish will be remembered forever by Collingwood supporters who rowed a rollercoaster of emotion in the dying minutes.
The Magpies led by 10 points (6 points for a goal) but Brisbane full-forward Joe Daniher kicked a goal with just 93 seconds on the clock.
Somehow Collingwood, who have previously had Down stars Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney in their ranks, held on to win their 16th premiership, and their first since 2010, to become the most successful side in AFL history alongside Carlton and Essendon.
Remarkably there were no goals kicked from three-quarter time until the 19th minute of the final quarter when a Charlie Cameron special gave Brisbane the lead back with just over five minutes remaining.
But Collingwood responded instantly when Jordan De Goey kicked a long bomb from the ensuing centre bounce to restore the Magpies four-point lead.
Collingwood's lead extended to 10 points when Steele Sidebottom successfully kicked a set shot from outside of their 50-metre arc after Brisbane conceded a penalty.
That set up was a grandstand finish for the ages, with Collingwood prevailing following two lead changes in the final six minutes and Brisbane wondering what might have been.
Collingwood's cliffhanger win was only the second time in Grand Final history that the winners have kicked fewer goals than the runners-up (12-13). Magpies second year coach Craig McRae told the vast crowd that Saturday was the best day of his life.
His wife gave birth just five hours before the game and he vowed to celebrate with the premiership cup in his hand.
McKenna and his teammates will have to attend a Brisbane function in Melbourne this evening and greet their fans tomorrow but whilst Collingwood's players and fans will celebrate long into the night, the Lions will be left to reflect on what might have been.
