Collingwood has defeated the Brisbane by seven points in what was a gruelling, yet refreshing game, during which attacking, high-scoring football took precedence.
The high and exciting calibre of football was adopted by both sides, with the Lions and Magpies close to faultless in front of goal.
Dayne Zorko was exceptional for the Lions with his 34-disposal and four-goal game, but it wasn't enough to usurp the Magpies, who led by Jordan De Goey with five goals, ultimately kept Brisbane winless for season 2018.
Although Dayne Beams managed to level the scores with two minutes on the clock, a crucial behind to Chris Mayne and a subsequent goal from Jaidyn Stephenson all but ruled out a miracle win for the Lions.
The win was even more significant for the Magpies as they overcame their plucky opposition without Scott Pendlebury for the last quarter and a half, with the skipper spraining his ankle.
An enthralling opening five minutes entailing rapid end-to-end football from both teams, who both failed to capitalise through sloppy entries, resulted in a Mitch Robinson goal after Lynden Dunn gave away an ill-disciplined free kick.
Collingwood returned fire via Pendlebury and De Goey to hand the Pies a seven-point lead halfway through the first term.
The game continued in a fast-paced manner, until some clever work by the Collingwood forward line allowed Mayne to slot his first goal of the game, and extend the margin to 13 points.
After a sluggish start on the scoreboard, Daniel McStay and Beams sandwiched a rare Jeremy Howe goal in the dying embers of the first term, to leave Collingwood with an eight-point lead heading into the first break.
Adam Treloar got Collingwood off to a flying start by kicking his first of the game within 17 seconds of the start of the term, closely followed by De Goey's second of the game to potentially open the floodgates.
Brisbane, however, piled on four successive goals, including Oscar McInerney's first goal of his career, as they lifted their efficiency inside 50, to lead the game by four points.
Collingwood finally responded via three Josh Thomas goals, and returning forward Darcy Moore slotting from a very tight set shot to steady the ship for Collingwood, and re-take a 21 point lead over a fading Lions outfit.
Resolute and determined, however, Brisbane struck back with three successive goals, to go into the main break a meagre three points down.
The game continued in the same vein as the first half, with both teams flitting from end-to-end, and going goal-for-goal, with Zorko (34 disposals) standing up for the Lions by putting in his best performance of the season to date.
The Pies began to lose control of the midfield after Pendlebury came off the ground with an ankle issue, however the skipper later returned after Lewis Taylor missed a golden opportunity, which resulted in the returning Travis Varcoe kicking his first to extend the margin to 14 points.
Taylor soon made amends for his miss after kicking his third soon thereafter, and with Zac Bailey too adding his name to the score sheet, brought the Lions within a goal to continue the high-scoring affair.
However, some classy work from Adam Treloar, who began to lift after Pendlebury went into the rooms again, and a mark and finish from Jaidyn Stephenson, quashed some of the Lions momentum to head into the final break ahead by eight points.
With the news that skipper Pendlebury was out of the game heading into the final term, Collingwood were right up against it in wet conditions, against a Brisbane outfit determined to register their first win.
De Goey, however put through his fourth of the game, and Hoskin-Elliott finished a good team goal to give the Pies a 20-point margin over a tiring Brisbane side.
Brisbane, through back to back Zorko goals and a strong McInerney mark and goal, discovered a newfound sense of urgency, and brought a pulse back to a game that appeared to be dying out, to trail by three points heading into red time.
The on-fire De Goey, however, marked strongly inside 50 and slotted his fifth goal in what was his standout game of the year to restore a seven-point advantage.
A Collingwood rushed behind, and a sensational 50 metre set shot from Dayne Beams brought scores level with two minutes left to play, leaving the game in the balance, until a Mayne behind and Stephenson major took the game out of reach for the courageous, yet unrewarded, Lions.
Currently sitting in ninth position, Collingwood will be hoping to creep into the eight when they come up against Geelong next Sunday, while Brisbane will again be searching for their first win in two months against the Western Bulldogs.
BRISBANE 3.0 10.0 14.2 18.6 (114) COLLINGWOOD 4.2 10.3 15.4 19.7 (121)
GOALS Brisbane: Zorko 4, Taylor 4, McStay 2, D.Beams 2, Robinson, McInerney, McLuggage, Berry, Cameron, Bailey Collingwood: De Goey 5, Thomas 3, Stephenson 2, Pendlebury, Mayne, Howe, Treloar, Moore, Phillips, Cox, Varcoe, Hoskin-Elliott
BEST
Brisbane: Zorko, Beams, Martin, Taylor, Robinson
Collingwood: De Goey, Phillips, Thomas, Grundy, Treloar
INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Collingwood: Pendlebury (ankle)
TALKING POINTS
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