On this night the Magpies played with dare and desperation in front of 45,000 foes and friends until the final credits rolled when the Swan who loves the spotlight most,Tom Papley,put an unlikely premiership just beyond Collingwood when he marked and kicked a goal 16 minutes into the final quarter of the preliminary.
At that point Collingwood were surging having somehow stayed upright like Monty Python’s Black Knight character as the Swans attempted to kill them off but that goal put them 20 points up,a bridge too far.
Again they came with goals to Brody Mihocek,Will Hoskin-Elliott and Steele Sidebottom to draw the margin back to under a goal and the ball was rushed through the Magpies’ goal with three seconds remaining,to finally end the charge one point short.
It was frenetic and crazy and fitting of a season that provided more thrills for Collingwood fans than might an acrobat with a death wish.
The moments the Magpies will regret were obvious with champion midfielder Scott Pendlebury,who was brilliant all night,sure to rue his decision to handball to John Noble rather than kick long to Mihocek,a call that opened the door for Papley.
They will regret the opening when they stalled on the starting line and the Swans jumped them with the opening four goals of the match to create a lead they never lost.