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Reigning premiers Brisbane will meet Geelong in next Saturday’s AFL grand final after blowing away Collingwood in the last quarter of their preliminary final.
Lachie Neale watch will now be a key feature of grand final week after the Lions kicked away in the last quarter on Saturday at the MCG and won 15.10 (100) to 11.5 (71) before a crowd of 96,033.
This will be the first Geelong-Brisbane grand final.
While it was a one-sided finish, the Magpies are fuming after a controversial umpiring decision at a critical moment of the final term, when the game was in the balance.
Moments after no free kick was paid to Magpies forward Jamie Elliott close to goal for a claim of front-on contact, the Lions went on a four-goal run that decided the game.
Brisbane now have to decide whether to recall Neale, who suffered a calf muscle injury in their qualifying final loss to the Cats.
Midfielder Jarrod Berry was forced out of Saturday’s game with a dislocated shoulder, meaning he will probably miss the grand final.
All-Australian midfielder Hugh McCluggage was best afield with 37 possessions and 10 clearances, while youngster Ty Gallop kicked three goals in just his fifth senior game.
Elliott kicked a game-high four goals and took a spectacular mark, while Nick Daicos also starred for the Magpies.
Collingwood suffered a significant blow early in the final quarter when defender Jeremy Howe was forced off with a groin injury.
Following more than 10 minutes of see-sawing play, the first goal of the final term was critical.
After Magpies veteran Steele Sidebottom had missed everything with a straightforward shot, Mason Cox and Harris Andrews jostled on the goal line and the Collingwood big man claimed his second goal with a flick of his boot.
A lengthy score review confirmed the goal and the Pies cut the deficit to 12 points.
Magpies fans were then furious when no free was paid to Elliott in front of goal as opponent Brandon Starcevich made a front-on spoil.
The Lions swept the ball down the other end and Charlie Cameron kicked the steadying goal, with Gallop putting through his third a couple of minutes later.
The Lions were in dire straits after Collingwood went on a six-goal rampage in the second term and took the lead.
But Brisbane counter-punched with three goals in five minutes at the start of the third quarter.
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Elliott kicked Collingwood’s only two goals of the third term, taking his screamer over Starcevich midway through the quarter.
The problem for Collingwood was Cam Rayner matched Elliott at the other end, also kicking two goals in the premiership quarter after a quiet first half.
Brisbane kicked seven goals to two in the third, meaning 17 of the 20 goals to that point had been kicked at the Punt Rd end.
Collingwood made a disastrous start when Scott Pendlebury, at 37 the AFL’s oldest current player, went off in the first five minutes.
His 425th game ended after just 10 minutes when he was subbed out with a left calf injury.
After Magpies forward Mason Cox kicked the first goal, Brisbane went on a four-goal tear and led by 21 points early in the second quarter.
Then Collingwood steadied in defence through captain Darcy Moore and Howe.
Lions veteran Dayne Zorko made a couple of bad mistakes, the Daicos brothers went to work and Magpies ruckman Darcy Cameron gave his teammates plenty of first use.
As forward Lachie Schultz had a purple patch with his defensive pressure, the match turned on its head.
Collingwood exploded with six goals to three behinds, taking a 13-point lead into the main break.
The Lions had unravelled, giving away two 50m penalties in succession to gift Tim Membrey his second goal late in the term.
Adding to Brisbane’s woes in the second quarter, midfielder Berry suffered another dislocation to his left shoulder and was also subbed out before halftime.
