Jamie Elliott has kicked Collingwood into the AFL's top-four after nailing a difficult after-the-siren goal to defeat Essendon in a four-point thriller.
The star forward marked about 40 metres from the boundary, before going back to calmly slot the goal after the siren blew at the MCG on Sunday.
Elliott was mobbed by all his Magpies teammates as 72,402 fans went ballistic.
The extraordinary 12.8 (80) to 11.10 (76) result makes it nine straight wins for the Magpies and puts them above Fremantle into fourth on the ladder.
Collingwood's record in close games is bordering on ludicrous but this win was the most improbable of the lot.
After flying out of the blocks with the first six goals to lead by 37 points at quarter-time, Collingwood conceded 11 of the next 13 to Essendon as the Bombers grabbed a 21-point buffer in the final term.
But the Magpies resilience again came to the fore, kicking the last four goals of an exhilarating contest.
After Fremantle's bizarre draw with Richmond on Friday night, the Magpies leapfrog the Dockers into fourth.
The only downside for Collingwood was a shoulder injury to Brayden Maynard, with the ace defender subbed out early in the last quarter.
Collingwood dynamo Jack Ginnivan was again front and centre after the AFL last week issued a warning that players will no longer be rewarded with free kicks when they duck or shrug their heads in tackles
The young forward did not receive a free kick after a tackle from Essendon defender Mason Redman made contact around his neck in the first quarter.
The umpire calling play-on sparked the Magpies crowd into action, jeering harder than they did all afternoon.
Redman was subbed out of the game in the third quarter after suffering internal bruising.
Nick Daicos grabbed all the attention last week when he starred with 40 touches and three goals in Collingwood's win over Adelaide but it was older brother Josh who created a buzz this time.
Josh Daicos scored one of the goals of the season when he kept the ball in right on the boundary line, took two bounces, before snapping successfully at full pace.
Collingwood host Port Adelaide at the MCG next Saturday as they attempt to win a 10th straight game, while Essendon face lowly North Melbourne.
Saints stay alive with hard-fought win over Eagles
Dan Butler has kicked a career-high five goals to lift St Kilda to a crucial 28-point AFL win over West Coast at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
The Eagles trailed by just three points when Jack Darling slotted two goals in three minutes midway through the third quarter.
But St Kilda kicked the next four goals to seal a 14.6 (90) to 10.2 (62) win in front of 35,665 fans.
The result means St Kilda (10-8) are just percentage adrift of the eighth-placed Western Bulldogs with four rounds remaining,
Former Tiger Butler finished with 5.0 from 14 disposals in the finest display of his 101-game career, bettering his four-goal haul against Gold Coast in 2020.
Saints captain Jack Steele racked up 40 disposals and 11 clearances in a dominant midfield effort.
West Coast defender Tom Barrass performed an excellent job on star St Kilda forward Max King.
Barrass tallied a team-high 26 disposals to go with eight marks, while King was restricted to 2.1 from 12 possessions.
West Coast second-gamer Jai Culley showed his potential with 19 possessions, seven tackles, three clearances and a goal.
Curnow stars in Blues win
Coleman Medal leader Charlie Curnow kicked four goals to help steer Carlton to its win over GWS, boosting the Blues' chances of claiming a top-four spot.
The Blues led by just three points at half-time but put a break on the visitors during the third term and pulled clear for a 13.12 (90) to 8.6 (54) victory at Docklands.
The result improves Carlton's win-loss record to 12-6 ahead of consecutive away matches against Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions.
Sam Walsh shook off a nasty-looking ankle injury to gather 31 disposals and seven clearances for the Blues and captain Patrick Cripps led from the front with 34 disposals, four clearances and a goal.
Curnow and Harry McKay (two goals) were ever-present threats in attack as Jacob Weitering and Mitch McGovern, returning from hamstring injuries for his first match since round two, held firm in defence.
Toby Greene could have put GWS in front midway through the third quarter but failed to score with an around-the-corner kick after marking 30 metres from goal on a slight angle.
The Blues took advantage, kicking the next three goals in quick succession to give themselves breathing space.
They asserted themselves further when Callum Brown dropped a simple chest mark in the Giants' defensive goal square and Josh Honey pounced to toe-poke the ball through for a goal.
Carlton put the result beyond doubt in a strong final quarter, kicking 4.4 to 1.3.
Greene showed flashes of brilliance, using Lewis Young as a launch pad to take a spectacular mark on the wing.
He kicked two second-quarter goals and could have had a third after he was taken high by McGovern but his free kick sailed wide.
The incident sparked a melee, leaving McGovern's jumper ripped and looking more like a cape.
Moments later McGovern flew into a pack to contest a mark and was hurt, spending the last few minutes of the first half hunched over.
McGovern played out the match and impressed in the backline.
Adam Saad gave his trademark run out of defence and produced a highlight with his huge mark over James Peatling.
GWS was well served by co-captain Stephen Coniglio (21 disposals, six clearances, two goals), Tim Taranto (30 disposals) and Harry Himmelberg (25).
Greene finished with 3.2 from 15 disposals and riled Carlton players with a late spoiling attempt on Lochie O'Brien in the dying stages.
Ladder
AAP/ABC
