Collingwood awaits the severity of Jamie Elliott’s feared-serious knee injury as mystery remains over what sparked the ensuing fourth-quarter melee.

It comes as West Coast coach Andrew McQualter questioned Pies players’ remonstration in the incident’s aftermath.

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Several Magpies and Eagles players scuffled with under five minutes remaining in Collingwood’s 10-point win, with questions raised over what exactly caused the coming-together, given Elliott’s fall looked purely incidental.

With Collingwood up 15 points in the fourth quarter, Elliott rose to attempt a mark against West Coast’s Tylar Young before his left leg awkwardly planted on the landing.

In pain, Elliott immediately grabbed at his left knee, with the raucous MCG crowd quickly reduced to a concerned murmur.

“Elliott took the mark, the crowd roared, and then all of a sudden, the shock reverberated around the ground,” Fox Footy caller Anthony Hudson said during the broadcast.

AFL legend Jason Dunstall said in reaction: “He grabbed the left knee straight away. He landed on it badly. This is a tragedy.”

Then, after a brief lull, Collingwood and West Coast players converged after an apparent disagreement, with games record-breaker Scott Pendlebury remonstrating with Young.

Young’s Eagles teammates were quick to come to his aid, which caused a quick escalation that saw almost every player involved in the brouhaha.

“There are a few words being exchanged in there too … someone has said something that’s fired it all up,” Dunstall said.

“He did nothing wrong, Tylar Young … I didn’t see anything there that Tylar Young did there that was inappropriate, unless he said something.”

Hudson added: “Unless he said something. I thought he was showing concern.”

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Garry Lyon said: “I’m not sure what that was all about, to be honest, but our thoughts are with Jamie Elliott, right now, that’s all that matters … I’ve never done one (torn ACL), but they are all too familiar scenes.”

Geelong great Cameron Mooney, who was on the boundary, clarified what he thought occurred.

“I think a couple of the Collingwood boys might have had a go,” he said.

“I’m not sure which West Coast player was and obviously the West Coast boys are saying it was just a contest … I think it was (Tylar) Young … all of a sudden it’s just blown into this.”

McQualter was questioned on the incident in his post-match press conference.

“Firstly, I really hope Jamie is OK. It looked like a nasty incident, and you don’t want to see anyone getting injured,” he said.

“I looked at it again, and I’m certain Tylar Young did nothing wrong in that marking contest.

“He was competing for the ball, and he was in that marking contest. Unfortunately, accidents happen in our game.

“I don’t know what they were remonstrating for. It’s disappointing Jamie got injured, but there’s nothing more to it.”

Pies turn on the style against Eagles! | 00:42

The 33-year-old Elliott, in his 15th AFL season, has played in all 11 games this season for 17.7, one year removed from a career-best 60-goal campaign.

His concerning ailment was one of three Collingwood injury blows on Saturday, with star skipper Darcy Moore earlier succumbing to another hamstring issue and Will Hayes dislocating his shoulder.

Moore, who pulled up lame after a rare ruck contest, was ruled out of the game at half-time, while the 20-year-old Hayes is set to spend “a fair chunk of the season” on the sidelines.

Speaking post-game, and despite questions over why Moore was rucking in the first place, McRae said the move had been in his plans.

“I had great hopes Darcy Moore was going to be our second ruck, I’ve been thinking that for about a month now,” McRae revealed to reporters.

“Could just see him being his dad, marking everything behind the play.”