AN INSPIRED Collingwood has beaten the West Coast Eagles by 19 points at Subiaco Oval in a breathtaking second semi-final, which went into extra-time. The Pies now advance to face Geelong next Friday night in the first preliminary final.

Collingwood trailed for much of the night against the reigning premiers, but kicked six goals to two after three-quarter-time to win one of the most remarkable finals games in history, 13.15 (93) to 10.14 (74).

Dane Swan was sensational, finishing with 38 possessions, Anthony Rocca had a good battle with Darren Glass but kicked three goals, captain Nathan Buckley had 21 touches, James Clement had a superb finish to the game in defence after a shaky start, with Scott Pendlebury, Alan Didak, Paul Medhurst and Dale Thomas all outstanding.

Without Ben Cousins, Chris Judd and Daniel Kerr, West Coast’s hopes in the midfield hinged on ruckman Dean Cox and Collingwood’s hopes of stopping him wasn’t helped when Josh Fraser was a late withdrawal due to back tightness.

Both sides struggled to cope with the intensity of a hot first quarter, with mistakes haunting both sides. The only goal came the way of Collingwood at the20-minute mark, when Medhurst marked a terrible kick from Cox 20m out from goal.

Despite only kicking the one goal, Collingwood held a seven-point lead at the first change, while the Eagles lost Ashley Hansen to injury midway through the term.

The Eagles kicked the first two goals of the second quarter, before Dane Swan nailed a set shot from near the boundary. Didak then answered a Chad Fletcher goal immediately from the centre bounce with a running effort from 50.

The next two goals saw the Eagles take a 10-point lead, the biggest of the first half, before Rocca scored one of the strangest goal likely to be seen. With his third kick of the half, Rocca and his opponent Glass contested a long ball from Leon Davis in the goal square.

The ball came to ground, hit the back of Rocca’s foot, then he missed with a swing at it, but it still crossed the line for a goal.

West Coast outscored the Pies five goals to three in the term, though, to lead by three points at half-time.

West Coast looked in complete control for much of the third quarter, and kicked three unanswered goals before the 27-minute mark to hold a game-high 23-point lead.

With its season on the line, Collingwood responded.

Glass and Cox both left the field for a rest and that gave the Pies the opening to kick three goals in three minutes to only trail by four points at the last change. Glass had kept Rocca quiet, but the big Magpie kicked two and Travis Cloke his first in an inspired finish to the term by the visitors.

West Coast kicked the opening goal of the final quarter to take the lead back out to 10,  before Medhurst and Didak kicked superb pressure goals to give Collingwood its first lead since late in the second quarter.

The Eagles then booted another goal, but Dale Thomas nailed his first of the night to put Collingwood back in front. It was a frantic final five minutes and with no team able score a goal, it ended with the scores all level.

In the first extra time period in 13 years, Collingwood kicked three goals to none to come away with a miraculous win. Fraser’s replacement Bryan had a tough night trying to control Cox’s influence, but he kicked the only goal of the first extra-time period.

Pendlebury and Swan kicked goals running into open space in the forward 50 in the second extra-time period to seal the Pies win and book them into next Friday night’s preliminary final against the rampaging Cats.

COLLINGWOOD  1.5   4.8   6.11  10.12   11.13  13.15 (93)
WEST COAST   0.4   5.5   8.9   10.12   10.13  10.14 (74)

After one period of extra time (score after first and second halves of extra time marked in italics).

GOALS
Collingwood: A Rocca 3, P Medhurst 2, A Didak 2, D Swan 2, T Cloke, D Thomas, C Bryan, S Pendlebury

West Coast: D Wirrpanda 2, M Le Cras 2, D Cox, A Embley, C Fletcher, Q Lynch, M Priddis, M Rosa

BEST
Collingwood: A Didak, P Medhurst, S Pendlebury, D Swan, T Goldsack

West Coast: D Cox, M Priddis, B Jones, D Chick, D Glass

INJURIES
Collingwood: J Fraser (back) replaced in selected side by C Byrne, S Burns (ankle)
West Coast: B Waters (hip) replaced in selected side by J McNamara, A Hansen (hamstring)

Reports: None

Umpires: S McBurney, S Ryan, S McInerney.

Crowd: 43,627 at Subiaco Oval, Perth