A four-point margin decides the most-watched sporting spectacle in Australia
In short: In a game of razor-thin margins, Collingwood secured its sixteenth premiership against the Brisbane Lions. From a high-scoring first half to a tense, defensive stalemate in the final minutes, the 2023 AFL Grand Final was a masterclass in pressure, ending with a victory that tied a historic record.
By defeating the Brisbane Lions by just four points (90 to 86), Collingwood claimed its sixteenth VFL/AFL premiership. This victory allowed the club to tie the all-time record for most premierships, a feat previously held jointly by Carlton and Essendon. The match was played in hot conditions, reaching 29.7 °C (85.5 °F), before a capacity crowd of 100,024 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The narrative of the match was defined by shifting momentum. Collingwood dominated the early stages of the first quarter, but Brisbane surged to a game-high 13-point lead. Collingwood fought back to lead 9.9 (63) to 9.3 (57) at half-time, largely thanks to Bobby Hill's three second-quarter goals. However, the final quarter saw a dramatic shift toward defensive caution. After a tense stalemate where neither team scored for nearly twenty minutes, a flurry of goals in the closing moments saw the lead swing back and forth until the final seconds.
The game also featured significant individual and structural impacts. Collingwood's Nathan Murphy was forced to retire from the AFL early in the 2024 season following a head knock during this match. On the field, Brisbane's Lachie Neale arrived as the Brownlow Medalist, while Collingwood's Bobby Hill was awarded the Norm Smith Medal as the best on ground. The event was framed by massive production, including a performance by the band Kiss, which was purportedly the largest staging for an Australian sporting event outside of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
The victory was a personal milestone for Collingwood's captain, Darcy Moore. In a symbolic post-match ceremony, his father, 1979 Brownlow Medalist Peter Moore, presented the premiership cup to him. The win marked Collingwood's first flag since 2010, ending a 13-year drought for the club.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2023 AFL Grand Final
- Also: Wikidata — 2023 AFL Grand Final · CC0
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