Collingwood came into the 2023 season after a one-point 2022 preliminary final loss to the Sydney Swans.[1] They finished the season on top of the ladder in 2023 with an 18–5 win loss record to claim the minor premiership for the twentieth time.[2][3][4] They defeated Melbourne by seven points in the first qualifying final to progress to another preliminary final in which,[5] in another close game, they defeated Greater Western Sydney by one point.[6] Collingwood's last grand final appearance was the 2018 AFL Grand Final, which they lost to West Coast by five points.[7]
Brisbane also came into the 2023 season after a 2022 preliminary final loss in which they were comprehensively beaten by eventual premiers Geelong by 71 points.[8] They qualified for the finals with a 17–6 win–loss record,[2] finishing second on the ladder for the third time in five seasons.[9] They beat Port Adelaide by 48 points in the second qualifying final to advance into another preliminary final,[10] in which they came from five goals down in the first quarter to defeat Carlton by 16 points to make their first grand final appearance since the 2004 AFL Grand Final against Port Adelaide.[11]
Collingwood was aiming to win its sixteenth flag to equal Carlton and Essendon for the most premierships in VFL/AFL history and win its first premiership since 2010.[12] Brisbane was aiming to win its fourth flag after winning three in a row in 2001, 2002 and 2003.[13] This was the third grand final meeting between Collingwood and Brisbane, the two clubs having met in 2002 and 2003.[14] In the 2023 home-and-away season, Brisbane beat Collingwood both home and away, defeating them 18.8 (116) to 11.17 (83) in round 4 at the Gabba, and then 19.10 (124) to 15.10 (100) in round 23 at Marvel Stadium.[15]
Collingwood opened as a slight favourite, with bookmakers offering odds of $1.77 for a Collingwood victory against Brisbane at $2.10 on the Monday before the match, and they quickly steadied to $1.75–$2.25 until the start of the match.[16][17] Brisbane's Lachie Neale won the 2023 Brownlow Medal in the week leading up to the game.[18]
Entertainment
Around 1:40pm, US rock band Kiss performed on-stage as the main pre-game entertainment, with support being provided by Indigenous performers William Barton and Jess Hitchcock. As per tradition, Mike Brady also performed before the match.[19][20]
All times are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10)
Match summary
The match was played in sunny and very warm conditions, reaching 29.7 °C (85.5 °F).[26] There was a capacity crowd of 100,024 spectators, matching the 2022 AFL Grand Final.[27]
First quarter
Nick Daicos scored the opening goal of the grand final for Collingwood at the four-minute mark after receiving a high tackle from Ryan Lester.[28] Less than 30 seconds of game time later, Collingwood's Beau McCreery delivered a perfectly weighted kick to an outwardly leading Bobby Hill, who took the mark and kicked a goal. Zac Bailey opened the Lions' account at the 11-minute mark, and then two more goals—one from Lincoln McCarthy and Bailey's second—gave Brisbane the lead for the first time at the 25th minute of the opening term. Brody Mihocek's goal six minutes later restored Collingwood's lead, and Jordan De Goey's goal after the quarter-time siren gave Collingwood a ten-point lead at quarter time.[29]
Jordan De Goey's goal after the quarter-time siren gave Collingwood a 10-point buffer at the first break
Late in the quarter, Collingwood defender Nathan Murphy left the ground after receiving a head knock in a ground contest with McCarthy. Although he passed a concussion test, he and the club elected to substitute him out of the game early in the second quarter.[30]
Second quarter
The second quarter was high scoring, with the teams combining for eleven goals in the term. Charlie Cameron goaled virtually immediately upon resumption, and a goal from Hugh McCluggage restored Brisbane's lead after just over two minutes had elapsed in the second term. After Hill restored Collingwood's advantage, the Lions proceeded to score the next three goals—by Cameron, Joe Daniher and McCarthy—to open up a game-high 13-point lead just before time-on. However, Collingwood would recover and take a six-point half time lead after scoring four of the last five goals, with Jack Crisp's post-siren shot putting them in front at half time.[29]
Third quarter
After the high-scoring spectacle of the second term, scoring would dry up considerably in the third quarter. Almost 12 minutes elapsed until the quarter's first goal, scored by McCluggage. Brisbane's Deven Robertson goaled at the 19-minute mark, before Scott Pendlebury scored Collingwood's only goal of the quarter at the 27th minute. Collingwood's poor conversion in the term (1.6) meant the lead was just four points at three quarter time despite Collingwood's general gameplay dominance.[29]
A tense stalemate ensued for much of the final quarter; no goal was scored until the 19-minute mark, with Cameron scoring his third goal to put Brisbane back in front. However, Collingwood responded soon after with two goals – De Goey goaled just after time-on to restore Collingwood's lead, and Steele Sidebottom goaled two minutes later to increase the margin to 10 points.[29]
With just over 90 seconds remaining, Daniher scored his third goal to reduce the margin to four points. Brisbane won the ensuing centre clearance; with 79 seconds remaining, Lachie Neale received a free kick 60m from goal, and a quick advantage was controversially paid as Bailey scrubbed a kick inside 50 from the continuous play, resulting in a turnover.[31] Collingwood won possession from a high tackle paid to Tom Mitchell at the final stoppage with 38 seconds remaining, and Collingwood ran down the clock to win by four points.[29]
Aftermath
Fireworks and black-and-white confetti encircle the MCG as Collingwood players celebrate with the premiership cup post-match
Besides being a ratings success, the game was immediately held in extremely high regard by experts of the game. On The Sunday Footy Show, sports journalist Damian Barrett called it "as close to perfection as footy gets"; Port Adelaide Hall of Famer Kane Cornes called it "the best game I've ever seen, let alone a grand final" and that "it's gonna go down in history"; and Australian Football Hall of Famer Matthew Lloyd said it was the best grand final he'd ever witnessed, adding that he thought it even surpassed the famous 1989 VFL Grand Final.[32]
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal was won by Collingwood small forward Bobby Hill, who was a unanimous choice for best on ground by the voting panel. Hill kicked a then career-best 4.2 with one goal assist from eighteen disposals and six marks inside-50, including a memorable speckie in the second quarter, and was a constant attacking threat for Collingwood.[33] Hill was in his first season with Collingwood after four seasons with Greater Western Sydney, and had missed the second half of the 2022 season treating and recovering from testicular cancer.[34]
Brisbane half-back Keidean Coleman finished second with five votes; his game-high 22 first half disposals and 585 metres gained were pivotal to Brisbane's rebound game, although he faded in the second half to finish with only 26 disposals.[35] The remaining votes were polled by: Collingwood midfielders Nick Daicos (four votes, 29 disposals and a goal), Tom Mitchell (three votes, 24 disposals, 7 clearances), Jack Crisp (25 disposals, two goals) and Scott Pendlebury (one vote, 24 disposals, 6 clearances).
The teams were announced on Thursday, 28 September. Collingwood made one change to its preliminary final 23: forward Daniel McStay was ruled out with a knee injury suffered in the preliminary final, and he was replaced by Billy Frampton. Brisbane made no changes to its preliminary final 23. Two players under injury clouds—Collingwood vice captain Taylor Adams and Brisbane key defender Jack Payne—who had each played 23 games for the season but suffered low-grade injuries during the finals, were unable to regain their fitness and missed the game.[37]
At 62 years old, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan was the oldest coach of a team in a VFL/AFL grand final, and the second grand final coach—after Jack Worrall—to have never played any games at VFL/AFL level.[38]
The umpiring panel, comprising four field umpires (the first grand final to do so), four boundary umpires, two goal umpires and an emergency in each position, was announced on Wednesday, 27 September. Appointed to his eleventh grand final, Matt Stevic became the outright VFL/AFL record holder for most grand finals umpired.[40]
From 2:10pm, there was commentary from the call team of James Brayshaw, Brian Taylor, Luke Hodge, Matthew Richardson, Abbey Holmes and Patrick Dangerfield, and the accompanying half-time analysis with Hamish McLachlan, Daisy Pearce, Luke Hodge and Patrick Dangerfield alongside the Telstra Half-Time Entertainment with Mark Seymour & The Undertow featuring Kate Miller-Heidke. The post-game presentations included the awarding of the Norm Smith and Jock McHale Medals as well as the lifting of the Premiership Cup with MC Hamish McLachlan, followed by all the interviews and analysis with James Brayshaw, Joel Selwood, Luke Hodge, Matthew Richardson and Abbey Holmes on the ground. As the winning side headed down into their rooms, Hamish McLachlan and Daisy Pearce collected thoughts from players, coaches, parents, and club legends.[41]
Viewership
In addition to the capacity crowd of 100,024, the TV audience for the 2023 AFL Grand Final was 4.98 million—plus an additional 756,000 on 7plus, for a total of 5.736 million.[42][43][44]
