Collingwood’s Brody Mihocek and Jaidyn Stephenson celebrate a critical goal in the Pies’ thrilling win. Photo: AFL MEDIA
The world’s No.1 female tennis player rises from her seat at a half-full Gabba and punches the air with one hand as she expertly nurses a plastic cup of beer in the other.
On the other side of the world, the French Open rolls on without her. It’s not exactly how we pictured the 2020 AFL finals series, but it’s glorious in its own way.
Ash Barty’s show of support for her beloved Tigers summed up how most of the 23,000 of us inside the Gabba felt on Friday night.
You’d think Gillon McLachlan and his AFL executive would have been throwing a few metaphorical fist-pumps too, celebrating a thrilling week of finals football in which the cumulative margin across the four matches was just 35 points.
It was a record-low aggregate for the first week of finals since the move to a top-eight system in 1994 – an indicator of just how tight and tense each of the gripping contests were.
And, boy, did the competition need it after a home-and-away season marred by dour contests since the season restart. Understandably dour, in some ways, given the restrictive conditions in which teams are operating during the pandemic, but still dour.
Collingwood limped into eighth and was supposedly just making up the numbers in week one of the finals. I’ll put my hand up – I thought there was almost no chance Nathan Buckley’s side would topple West Coast in Perth.
Nic Naitanui fired in the centre square, Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy and Oscar Allen combined for seven goals, and Liam Ryan weaved his magic. But the Eagles still couldn’t win.
Instead, it was the Magpies’ grit and determination, and a couple of spectacular late goals from Brody Mihocek and Jordan De Goey that got them over the line. Mason Cox fired early and Taylor Adams’ last-gasp smother on Tom Cole saved the game.
There were flashbacks to the 2018 grand final in the desperate final few seconds, but this time the script was flipped.
“It’s validation for us. It’s nothing we’re surprised by,” Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said. “We’ve always had great belief in ourselves (but) it really hasn’t been reciprocated. I suppose you can only be judged on your performances, but we know we’re capable of that type of performance and better.
“We were really focused on a strong performance, and to be able to hold our nerve and play it out right to the end was clearly important in the result.”
You could say the same for the winners in each of the other three matches.
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St Kilda almost bottled it as Brett Ratten conceded his players “went into their shells” after leading by four goals at three-quarter time against the Western Bulldogs.
Four goals to one in the final term, including a late set shot from Caleb Daniel, got the Dogs back within three points with enough time left on the clock to pinch it.
The Saints held on for their first finals win in a decade, but lost Paddy Ryder to a hamstring injury in the process. The star ruckman won’t play again this season.
His old side, Port Adelaide, had all sorts of pressure on its shoulders at home after winning the minor premiership. So, too, did its opponent – Geelong – after a string of high-profile finals failures.
The Cats cracked, with Tom Hawkins’ wayward 0.5 in front of goal costly as the Power finished full of running. A home preliminary final beckons for Ken Hinkley’s men.
Brisbane had lost 15 times in a row to Richmond. The Lions hadn’t won a final since 2009. And they had a huge burden weighing on them after last year’s straight sets finals exit.
They could have wilted, but they didn’t. They stood up. And it could be the making of them.
A 10-minute burst leading into half-time swung the match Brisbane’s way, and Damien Hardwick was left lamenting his side’s system failure.
The Tigers now face a cut-throat semi-final against a St Kilda side that upset them earlier in the season, way back when footy was still played in Melbourne.
Richmond has picked Metricon Stadium as its “home” – but will No.1 fan Barty be there?
“I think she was a bit flat with the performance on Friday night so we’ll have to wait and see,” Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin said. “But it was nice to see such an amazing person in the crowd just enjoying life the way normal people get to live every week.
“Hopefully she’ll be back there supporting and cheering loud for us … and having a couple of beers.”
Cheers to that.
