Grand Final #3 - 2010 - Replay

[Harrysz]

Collingwood 108 defeated St Kilda 52

In 2023, former St Kilda player Leigh Montagna said that Collingwood was clearly the best side in 2010. He said, “We had our chance in the Grand Final but couldn’t quite do it. Collingwood showed its class and dominance in the replay.”

When writing about the 2010 Grand Final I gave a summary of the season. Collingwood thrashed Western Bulldogs and Geelong in the lead up finals and then almost stumbled against St Kilda in the Grand Final but held on for a draw. What would the replay bring?

Even though Collingwood’s draw against North Melbourne in 1977 was more than 30 years earlier, lessons were learned and applied. The players attended the Grand Final function on the night of the Grand Final. During the next week in the lead up to the replay they were given light duties and a full chance to recover. There was only one change to the original Grand Final side. Leon Davis was dropped and Tyson Goldsack was selected. Leon Davis had had a poor Grand Final but he kicked a brilliant goal in the last quarter. The decision to drop him was a surprise. Collingwood’s regular centre half back Simon Prestigiacomo was passed fit by the medical staff but he decided that he was not up to the rigours of a Grand Final and he ruled himself out. This earned him enormous respect from his teammates, coaches and supporters.

The Grand Final replay started in a similar vein to the original Grand Final. Collingwood was on top early and was dominating. First goal of the match was kicked by Tyson Goldsack. This caused some controversy because although he usually played in defence, he was positioned on the forward line. There was a suggestion that he had told family members about this who had then put some money on a bet for him to kick the first goal.

What was notable about the first quarter was what has been labelled “the smother of the century”. The ball was handballed to Nick Riewoldt and he strolled in towards goal which looked easy. However, Heath Shaw ran up behind him and flung himself across Riewoldt’s boot and the ball bounced through for a point. Master commentator Dennis Cometti said, “He came up like a librarian.” I was at that game but I didn’t see the smother. As Riewoldt went in towards goal, I turned away not wanting to see St Kilda’s first goal. I heard a loud roar and turned around. I then saw the replay on the big scoreboard.

Collingwood has an unfortunate history of having big leads in finals (and particularly in one Grand Final) which have melted away with Collingwood eventually losing. However, this game was effectively over at halftime when Collingwood led by 27 points. St Kilda was having a lot of trouble keeping up with Collingwood. The longer the game went, the further Collingwood got in front.

The last quarter saw Collingwood kick another 5 goals to St Kilda’s 3. Leigh Matthews who coached Collingwood to a premiership in 1990 has said that there is no nicer feeling as a coach than to get to the last quarter and be a mile in front. That happened in the 2010 Grand Final replay. Various players lined up in cameo roles and added more icing to the cake. Harry O’Brian and Steele Sidebottom had a feast and Scott Pendlebury was best on the ground. Towards the end of the match coach Mick Malthouse told his senior players who were sitting on the bench to run out on the ground and to make sure that they were there when the final siren went. The last Collingwood player to have the ball was Alan Didak. The ball was passed back to him and he made two or three false starts, probably to ensure that he would have the ball when the siren went, which is indeed what happened.

This was a very good side. Dale Thomas and Scott Pendlebury had already announced themselves as stars. Steele Sidebottom had recently been recruited and he showed immediately what a classy player he was. Pendlebury and Sidebottom had to wait another 13 years to win their second premiership, but it was worth the wait. Pendlebury won the Norm Smith medal.

In 2009, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire announced what came to be known as a “succession plan”. Mick Malthouse who had been coaching for several years would coach until the end of 2011. He would then stay on at the club as director of coaching (whatever that meant). Nathan Buckley would be appointed coach in 2012.

On the Monday night after the Grand Final replay, Mick Malthouse was a special guest on “On the couch”. He was asked whether he would definitely step down as coach at the end of 2011 and become director of coaching as decreed by the succession plan. He was asked, what if Collingwood won the premiership in 2011? Malthouse said he would abide by the terms of the succession plan. He said that he would be able to advise regarding coaching without the pressure of actually coaching and have more time to spend with his grandchildren. He said this with enthusiasm and authenticity. No doubt the future for Collingwood was very rosy indeed. What could possibly go wrong?

[LaurieHolden]

Strange one for me 2010 replay. I flew down and attended the drawn game, I'd never been as emotionally spent after a match (maybe 2018).
I didn't return for the replay and despite the win, I just didn't get the same euphoria that would normally come with winning a flag, maybe I left it all at the G the previous week. Maybe due to the walkover type game but I just didn't feel this engaged in this one as I much as I did in 1990 & 2023.

[think better]

I will forever remember screaming at the TV with Heath Shaw's smother.

Someone described it as the best Grand Final play they had ever seen - I reckon it must be right up there.

I thought we'd win well after that one play.

[Harrysz]

Laurie,I was thrilled we won, of course. But the fact that we had to go through a draw first took some of the gloss off it for me.

[Jezza]

The first Collingwood premiership in my lifetime.

I agree with others that having to comeback for the replay took the gloss off slightly. However, it was a well deserved flag for that group of players and Mick who oversaw our rise through the 2000s.

Heath Shaw's smother on Riewoldt will forever go down in Collingwood folklore. A legendary moment that psychologically turned the game in our favour. St Kilda never recovered after that.

The aftermath with the handover and not making the most of a potential dynasty was disappointing. At the time, we were the youngest Premiership team since Hawthorn 1978.

[Pies4shaw]

The replay was great - it was tremendous to see how broken St Kilda was by that result.

[Croat Pie]

[Harrysz]

I forgot to mention that the winning margin of 56 points in the 2010 replay was Collingwood's greatest ever winning margin in a Grand Final.