Jack Higgins’ controversial miracle goal has condemned Collingwood to an 0-3 start as St Kilda held off the reigning premiers in Spud’s Game at the MCG.
The Pies looked dead and buried early in the fourth quarter before three goals in relatively quick succession brought them back into the contest — until Higgins stood tall with a monster match-sealing goal along the boundary from just inside the 50m arc.
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But replays quickly showed there was a serious question mark over the Saints forward’s ball drop.
Multiple angles appeared to suggest the Sherrin was out of bounds when Higgins’ boot connected.
“We had a pretty good angle up here, that did look like it may have been out of bounds,” Dale Thomas said on Channel 7.
“Regardless out of bounds or inbounds, the skill level to execute that under pressure – absolutely incredible.”
As further replays rolled, Brian Taylor could not believe his eyes: “Oh no. Wow. Goodness gracious me.”
Making matters worse, Thomas noted, was the strong positioning of the boundary umpires behind and in front of Higgins.
“The umpires were in a perfect spot … nobody decided to intervene,” he said.
Speaking after the match, Higgins joked he felt like jockey Craig Williams being drawn in an unfavourable barrier.
“I was in the Monash Uni car park out at Caulfield,” he said.
“(The goal) wasn’t bad! I’ll take it. I like kicking cheeky goals against Collingwood.”
The controversy arrived less than 24 hours out from the AFL kicking off a trial where VFL footballs will be implanted with smart chips, with the hope that the technology could aid score reviews in the future.
Alister Nicholson was quick to note in commentary that Higgins’ goal was reminiscent of one of the darkest moments in Magpies history, when Carlton’s Wayne Harmes knocked the ball back into play from about the same spot at a critical moment in the Blues’ 1979 grand final win.
Higgins’ fourth and last major on Thursday night pushed the Saints’ lead back out beyond three goals, with Collingwood unable to make any inroads until it was too late as St Kilda wrapped up a 14.10 (94) to 12.7 (79) win.
“There’s nothing better than winning on the ‘G, we don’t get to play here very often,” the Saints’ 200-game milestone man Seb Ross told Channel 7.
“I think last week we probably lowered our colours a little bit — it didn’t look like our footy — so this week we really focused on us and buttoning down on our system and the way we play, and I think we showed that to the Saints fans tonight.”
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was best on ground for St Kilda with 32 disposals, a “dominant” three-vote performance in Thomas’s eyes as Geelong premiership great Joel Selwood also heaped praise on the 21-year-old.
“There’s particular players that get licence within sides and this is the guy they want to get the ball to so often,” Joel Selwood said.
“Any time they can get him the ball, they were dangerous possessions. It was through the middle of the ground where he’s having his most damage.”
In addition to losing Mason Wood to concussion, livewire recruit Liam Henry left the field in the final quarter, apparently with right hamstring soreness, after he had been one of the Saints’ best players.
The Pies will now head into next Thursday night’s grand final rematch with Brisbane at the Gabba staring at a historic challenge to make it back to the top four.
Four reigning premiers have started 0-3 and only one — North Melbourne in 1976 — has fought back to earn a double chance in the finals.
– with AAP