WHEN Joel Selwood and Chris Scott looked Coleman Medal winners Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins in the eye at three-quarter time, they knew the star spearheads were going to ensure Saturday night was a memorable night for Geelong and its skipper.

The Cats started the final quarter 30 points behind a rampaging Collingwood, before slotting seven unanswered goals in a brilliant fourth-quarter performance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 

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Geelong wasn't going to allow the Magpies to ruin a special occasion for a special player, as Selwood etched his name in history by overtaking Stephen Kernahan's 25-year-old record as the longest-serving AFL/VFL captain with game No.227 as skipper. 

Cameron kicked three of his six goals – the equal-most he has kicked in a Geelong jumper – in the final 30 minutes, while Hawkins slotted his third to seal the 13-point victory. 

"There were some big efforts. Some big egos within the group. Just had a real confidence that we would get there. They had confidence that the run would come and we would get there. You could probably pick who they were walking out at three-quarter time. A few of them said: Just get it to me," Selwood told reporters after the 13-point win.

The Cats appeared as good as gone at the final break, after Collingwood booted nine third-quarter goals in a dominant display that saw Craig McRae's side set to maintain its perfect start to 2022. 

But everything changed at the start of the last term. Mitch Duncan got the ball rolling within the first minute, before the Cats amassed 11 more inside 50s and twice as many clearances as Collingwood in the final-quarter onslaught.

"I suspect in part it was about Joel, but it was also about our young guys too, who haven't been a part of games like that for Geelong before," Scott said.

"Joel didn't want it to be all about him, but it's hard. It's a record that is very, very hard to achieve and very, very hard to chase down. It's a significant milestone and one that we should recognise.

"The overwhelming sense that I have and I'm proud of our players for is they believe. It has been a constant trait of our playing group for a long period of time. I thought at three-quarter time they didn't have many reasons to believe we couldn't turn it around the way we did." 

With fans missing out on so much in the flesh during the past two pandemic-hit seasons, Scott was thrilled Geelong supporters were able to celebrate Selwood's milestone with such a memorable performance. 

THE GOOD CAPTAIN Kernahan and co. salute record-breaking Selwood

"It's great for our fans too. We have had a few years where we haven't been able to celebrate some really significant milestones. I think it's as much about that as anything else," he said.

"The fans can get there and celebrate the moment; we've been deprived of that. Tonight was nice to have the supporters back and that last quarter must have been exhilarating for them. We'll try and ride that momentum like we have over the course of Joel's career."

Selwood hadn't met Carlton legend Kernahan until an hour before the game, but he has a lasting memory of the Blues skipper breaking his heart as a kid.

"It was great to have him out on the ground beforehand. I'd never met 'Sticks' before. I made mention that he made me cry as a seven-year-old," he said. 

"The first time I had a real interest in a Grand Final was '95 and he kicked five that day and broke my heart before half-time. I don't know if I broke his heart tonight but he was pretty happy to hand it over to me."

Now Selwood has the record on his own. A record that might never be beaten.

Disappointed but not despondent, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said the Magpies need to learn how to play the high octane brand for longer after fading late for the second straight week at the MCG.

Collingwood scored only a single behind in the final term against the Cats, seven days after adding only a goal after three quarter time in the 42-point win over Adelaide.

“It’s not a fitness thing. It’s just about being able to [play] our style for long enough," McRae said in his post-match press conference.

"I just think we are right at the moment [that] we are finding out a bit about ourselves.

“There is a level of belief that what we are doing is right. Now we just have to do it for longer.

"It’s a high taxing game plan and we have got a young group and we might have to evolve a bit and manage some of that energy to get us through the four quarters.”