First quarter: Melbourne 4.3 (27) to Collingwood 3.2 (20)
It was goal-for-goal for much of the opening term, until Melbourne broke the trend with the last two goals of the quarter.
It gave the Demons a seven-point advantage heading into the first break.
Collingwood got the ball rolling via Levi Greenwood, who kicked his side’s first two majors.
Tom Bugg opened Melbourne’s account at the six-minute mark, before goals followed from Jeff Garlett, Jack Watts and Tom McDonald, who kicked truly after the siren.
Nathan Jones had nine touches by quarter-time, with Magpie Steele Sidebottom collecting 10 disposals.
Second quarter: Collingwood 10.5 (65) to Melbourne 6.6 (42)
After a close start, Collingwood upped the ante significantly to dominate the second term.
The Magpies booted six unanswered goals to jump out to a 28-point lead at the 19-minute mark.
Melbourne didn’t score its first major until the 21-minute mark, when Garlett landed his second for the match.
And when Christian Petracca kicked a beauty on the run at the 28-minute mark, Melbourne cut the margin back to 16 points. But when Darcy Moore nailed his first after the half-time siren, Collingwood led by 23 points.
Jones had 16 possessions by the main break, as Sidebottom had 21 touches.
Third quarter: Melbourne 12.9 (81) to Collingwood 12.8 (80)
After a disappointing second term, Melbourne hit back hard in the third term, booting four of the first five goals to trail by just two points at the 20-minute mark.
James Harmes got on the board, as Watts, Petracca and Bugg all kicked their second each.
Although Adam Treloar put the Magpies back in front by 10 points, early in time-on, when Cam Pedersen and Jake Melksham landed back-to-back goals, Melbourne was back in front by two points.
At three quarter-time, the red and blue led by one point, after Treloar’s shot at the 29-minute mark missed for a behind.
Clayton Oliver had 22 disposals by the final change, as Sidebottom had 26 touches.
Final quarter: Melbourne 15.14 (104) d Collingwood 15.10 (100)
Four behinds were registered before Mitch Hannan landed the first goal of the final term.
Melbourne led by 10 points at the 13-minute mark, before Jordan De Goey registered Collingwood’s first of the final term to peg the margin back to four points.
And if it wasn’t a nail-biter already, it sure was when the game entered time-on. Petracca booted his third to put the Demons back in front by 10 points, but Collingwood answered via Tom Phillips, who kicked his second to close the gap to just four points.
But when Watts marked, went for a run and kicked his third, Melbourne was home – even though Alex Fasolo kicked a goal for the Pies right on the siren. In the end, the Demons won by four points.
Oliver finished with a team-best 26 disposals, as Sidebottom had a game-high 32 touches.
