COLLINGWOOD’S premiership defence remains alive after kicking the final three goals to sink a wasteful Brisbane by one point at the MCG on Saturday evening.

The Magpies trailed all game until the 29-minute mark of the final quarter, when Beau McCreery snapped a brilliant goal on the run.

MAGPIES v LIONS Full match coverage and stats

Collingwood hung on to win 11.13 (79) to 11.12 (78) in a result that keeps its finals hopes alive ahead of a final home-and-away game against Melbourne next Friday night.

Oft-maligned recruit Lachie Schultz stepped up late with two crucial goals, before McCreery slotted the match-winner.

The Lions exploded out of the blocks with the first four goals of the match to lead by as much as 31 points late in the first quarter.

But Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos produced one of the all-time great quarters to boot two goals and gather 13 possessions in the second term to lift the Magpies back in the contest.

Collingwood can still finish in the top eight should they beat Melbourne on Friday night, and other results fall their way on Sunday and next weekend.

Brisbane was made to pay for blowing a number of gettable chances during the third quarter through Cam Rayner, Zac Bailey and Will Ashcroft to leave Collingwood just 14 points behind at the final break.

The Lions appeared home when Charlie Cameron's clever snap put them 17 points in front at the 20-minute mark of the final quarter.

Brisbane spearhead Joe Daniher then had the opportunity to bury the Magpies, but he sprayed a set shot and a chance at his fifth goal of the match to leave the door ajar for a trademark Collingwood comeback.

The Magpies took that opportunity and surged home in remarkable fashion in front of 61,218 fans.

After winning six straight games against Collingwood, the Lions have had three painful losses in a row against the Magpies, including last year's Grand Final by four points.

Brisbane’s hopes of securing a top-four finish appear shot, with this result coming on the back of a defeat to Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba last Saturday.

Lions midfielder Jarrod Berry was subbed out in the second quarter with hamstring tightness, replaced by wingman Harry Sharp.

Brisbane will complete its home-and-away campaign at the Gabba next Saturday night when they host Essendon.

First-quarter masters
Once again Brisbane got off to a hot start, winning its 19th opening term of the season and holding a 31-point lead just before the first break, but like round 22's five-goal quarter-time buffer over the Giants, it had all but disappeared by the long break and was eventually eclipsed by the final siren. Coming out of the blocks quickly isn't something Chris Fagan needs to worry about, but letting big leads slip is a worry with finals just around the corner.

Second-quarter master
After Brisbane's early dominance Collingwood needed someone to stand up, and there was no surprise that man was Nick Daicos. The black and white dynamo went to work, finishing with 14 disposals for the term, getting the Magpie Army on their feet and the game back in the balance. But it was the first of his two goals for the quarter that said said it all. Daicos gathered the ball in the middle of the ground running at full pace, breaking a Dayne Zorko hold, finding time for two bounces while burning off Darragh Joyce and Lachie Neale before slotting it straight through the middle from 30. And the most amazing part of the whole episode was that he had his fist in the air celebrating before the ball had come off his boot!

Lion learns the hard way
The second half of the season has seen Cam Rayner come of age as a footballer, but with new-found notoriety comes a lift in opposition attention. The 2017 number one draftee was held to 15 disposals - just four of them kicks - on Saturday, with two ineffective touches in the final term as the Lions’ top-four chances were slipping away. There’s no doubt Rayner has the ability and determination to learn from the attention and bounce back even stronger, but can he do it in time to effect Brisbane’s finals campaign?

COLLINGWOOD    2.4    5.6    7.8     11.13 (79)
BRISBANE            6.4    6.5    9.10    11.12 (78)

GOALS
Collingwood: McStay 2, N.Daicos 2, Schultz 2, McCreery 2, Quaynor, Hoskin-Elliott, Cameron
Brisbane: Daniher 4, Neale 2, Lohmann 2, McInerney, Bailey, Cameron

BEST
Collingwood: N.Daicos, Sidebottom, Howe, Cameron, J.Daicos
Brisbane: Zorko, Daniher, Neale, Ashcroft, Fletcher

INJURIES
Collingwood: TBC
Brisbane: Berry (hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Ned Long, replaced Jack Bytel at three-quarter time
Brisbane: Harry Sharp, replaced Jarrod Berry at quarter-time

Crowd: 61,218 at the MCG