ANOTHER week has delivered another seemingly impossible Collingwood comeback, but coach Craig McRae says his team's simple refusal to concede was as much to thank as any tactics or trained drills.
The win was the Magpies' 12th from the last 16 times trailing at three-quarter time, a record that comes close to defying comprehension, but McRae said motivation came from within the playing group.
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"There's an enormous will to will," he said post-match.
"You look the guys in the eyes at three-quarter time - they know what we need to do.
"That was the best game we've been involved in this year, and maybe the last couple of years.
"We'll nestle in this one - this is a big win."
McRae was keen to celebrate the build-up to the match, considered the most anticipated clash of the season, and defended Brayden Maynard's comments made during the week that the Magpies were "sitting on top of the ladder for a reason".
"I think the theatre of footy - we should embrace it. Let Brayden Maynard be himself, be authentic. What's wrong with that?" he said.
As for repeat match-winner Jamie Elliott's final-term heroics, the coach said it's no fluke.
"It's a pattern of behaviour for Jamie, but there are moments and we've got to manage those moments better than the opposition, and we practice it," he said.
"You can't practice kicking a goal from the boundary line from 45 metres out and you're down on the scoreboard. You can't practice that, you've got to do it in time and trust that you've done the work."
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley also praised the standard of the game and said there was nothing to be disappointed about from the Power's efforts on the night.
"Not many people would have sat there and didn't think that was an outstanding game of football," he said.
"It was one versus two, and one won."
Asked if he thought Willie Rioli would be in MRO trouble for appearing to strike Nathan Murphy Hinkley said he doubted it.
"Nothing in it," he stated firmly post-game.
"I looked at it and it's a hand slipping up, open hand.
"I always say let them take care of it and they'll have a look at it if it needs to be looked at, but I have actually seen that one, so I can say I've seen a lot worse things happen."
