It’s the biggest game of the year and in 2023 it has delivered and then some.
The two best teams throughout the home and away season squared off in front of a packed house at the MCG on a blistering hot Saturday.
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From the opening bounce until the teams walked off the ground at halftime fans watching sat on the edge of their seats as the action unfolded.
Here’s some of the biggest moments from the contest and the best reactions.
Third Quarter
Collingwood and footy fans weren’t happy after Oleg Markov was penalised for failing to stand the mark.
It saw Hugh McLuggage taken inside 50 where he made no mistake of the shot at goal but it was those watching on that savaged the ruling from the umpire.
“The worst rule in all of football,” Kane Cornes wrote.
Bobby Hill is edging closer to a stunning Norm Smith Medal victory as he continues to tear the Lions defence apart.
As he lined up for what would have been his fifth goal on the day, the livewire found an open Scott Pendlebury who slotted Collingwood’s only goal of the term.
Hill has five marks inside 50 through three quarters, the Lions as a team have only taken two.
First Quarter
For the first time in his young career, Nick Daicos kicked the opening goal of the contest after a questionable high tackle free kick.
Collingwood made the better start with the opening two goals of the contest but it wasn’t long before the Lions bounced back.
Zac Bailey put himself right in the Norm Smith spotlight with a stunning first term, he kicked the Lions first before kicking one of the goals of the season.
Confronted by two Pies players, Bailey dodged and dipped his way along the boundary before darting back inside and slotting a goal across his body.
“Goal of the year,” Kane Cornes said on SEN. Gerard Whateley added: “Zac Bailey the one man show.”
CODE Sports’ Lachlan McKirdy wrote: “Zac Bailey with two of the best grand final goals you will ever see. Superb.”
While hard to replicate the Pies kicked two stunners of their own in the dying stages.
Brody Mihocek steadied himself on the boundary line before snapping across the body from around 35m out.
But it was Jordan de Goey who almost brought the house down.
After taking a mark just outside 50, the Pies star went back behind the mark and after the siren slotted one straight through the big sticks.
The noise radiating around the MCG was deafening.
Second Quarter
The biggest moment of the game however came late in the opening term and start of the second quarter.
Collingwood defender Nathan Murphy came from the ground after copping an accidental high hit. While he looked to be ready to come back onto the ground, he was spotted looking wobbly on his feet and was taken out of the game.
The Lions looked to be running away with the momentum but it didn’t take long for the Pies to respond with Bobby Hill putting his stamp on the contest.
the livewire forward launched high into the Melbourne air and pulled down one of the great Grand Final marks.
“Look at that for a Hills Hoist!” Brian Taylor said on Channel 7’s coverage.
“Hill! What a grab. Looking straight into the sun. Bobby Hill is electric here today at the G! Wow! Look at that for a Hill’s hoist! Unbelievable with Brisbane kicking five goals this quarter, this is a chance to get it back to level.”
One social media user wrote: “Bobby Hill for Norm. Shut down the voting now.”
Hill slotted his fourth goal in the latter stages of the second quarter to potentially put one hand on the Norm Smith.
Just like they did in the first quarter the Pies finished the second with a goal after the siren, this time courtesy of Jack Crisp.
The goal hands the Pies a six-point lead at the main break and has seen them surpass their highest score throughout this finals series.