Collingwood fall to third straight loss to leave the premiership defence in tatters after St Kilda thriller

Collingwood’s premiership defence is in tatters as the Pies remain without a win in 2024 after a stunning third-quarter run saw St Kilda overrun the reigning premiers on Thursday night.

After a topsy-turvy first half St Kilda broke the game open as they kicked seven of the first eight goals in the second half to claim a 14.10 (94) to 12.7 (79) win.

It is the second straight season the AFL’s reigning premiers have gone 0-3 after Geelong lost their first three games last year on their way to a 12th-placed finish.

The Saints’ win was built off the return of their captain Jack Steele who had a monster 26 disposals, 10 tackles and six clearances while rising star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera had the best game of his fledgling career with 32 disposals.

The Pies sent a late scare after consecutive goals to Norm Smith medalist Bobby Hill brought the margin back to 15 points with 10 minutes to go.

Unlike previous seasons however there was no late comeback as Jack Higgins scored an incredible goal hemmed from 40m out while hemmed on the boundary to seal the game.

It was reminiscent of one of the darkest moments in Collingwood 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.

There remains considerable debate about whether that ball was out of bounds as well.

Collingwood got the better start with three of the first four goals as the Pies looked liked they were back to their best as they dominated around the stoppage.

But the game was flipped on it’s head after a horror incident involving the Saints’ Mason Wood.

As Collingwood pushed forward Mason Wood and Zaine Cordy came charging from opposite directions in an effort to spoil a mark from Darcy Cameron.

However they arrived too late as Wood copped Cordy’s arm and was sent flying, and without his arms to break the fall, sent his head smashing into the ground.

The game was delayed Wood lay motionless as players and fans were left shocked by the incident.

Once the game resumed St Kilda seemed inspired by their fallen comrade piling on four straight goals to take the lead into quarter time.

The Saints made it five in a row with the first score of the second term, but that spurred the Magpies into action.

Another four goals up to halftime gave Collingwood an eight-point lead, and while it wasn’t convincing, they looked ready to assume control.

Then came another momentum shift, with the Saints kicking five goals to one in the third quarter for a 20-point lead at the last change.

The Magpies looked rattled, especially when captain Darcy Moore kicked in from a Saints behind late in the third term and nearly put the ball out on the full.

Jeremy Howe then took the mark, but he played on while still out of bounds and that cost Collingwood possession.

It was that sort of night for the Magpies, when little went right.

WITH AAP