![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ddb439a35602544b713c38672523d9b13febc6cda49bcf2dcf93af2f2438157f.png\")
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August 16, 2026 \u2014 2:33am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n This was the draw where there were two winners.<\/p>\n On a night the same two clubs played in their second draw in the same season for the first time in VFL\/AFL history, both Collingwood and Hawthorn had reason to celebrate \u2013 even though they could not sing the song.<\/p>\n The Hawks salvaged two precious points, which keeps them in control of their fate, though they did much wrong.<\/p>\n Even if Dylan Moore\u2019s shot on the siren was not heroically cleared on the line by Sam Swadling, it would not have changed the equation for the Hawks. They still need to beat West Coast next week to remain in the top four.<\/p>\n There is a silver lining to the two points \u201clost\u201d and the slide to fourth. A qualifying final against Fremantle in Perth, as seems likely, would spare them a preliminary final in the west when they would not have the safety net of a second chance.<\/p>\n They will need to improve significantly in the next three weeks to challenge Fremantle, Sydney or any of the other leading flag fancies.<\/p>\n In a mid-August encounter that had the feel of a final, the Hawks fell short everywhere but the scoreboard.<\/p>\n Jarman Impey papered over many cracks. Their midfield had individual highlights \u2013 like Josh Ward\u2019s two quick goals to start the last quarter \u2013 but was beaten, losing clearance by 12 and giving up big scores from their losses at stoppage. It remains a weakness, as it was on preliminary final night last year.<\/p>\n Tom Barrass, 30, is playing like a defender who has aged four years in four months. He is not inspiring confidence in the air, and is out of the game once the ball hits the deck. He made Tim Membrey look like an Olympic sprinter in one ground-ball contest.<\/p>\n Barrass, who has strained a hamstring this year, is not carrying an injury, Mitchell said, but his coach concedes he is in a trough.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re full-back, [and] you make a couple of mistakes, they usually cost goals, and he had a couple of those tonight,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not physically carrying anything, but he\u2019s he\u2019s just not been quite as consistent as he\u2019d like to be. I don\u2019t think everyone plays well every week. It\u2019s just the difference is when you\u2019re the full-back, everyone notices because your errors cost goals.\u201d<\/p>\n This was both one of the games of the season, and its most bizarre. In April, scores were locked at 93 apiece. This time it was 92 each.<\/p>\n The final 70 seconds after Roan Steele\u2019s levelling point was full of drama and what ifs. Lloyd Meek had his back to Harry Morrison, who was streaming up the MCC wing, then coughed up a lasso free kick with his handball.<\/p>\n Ed Allan, superb for much of the night, will wonder why he bombed the ball long to several Hawks, instead of handballing to Nick Daicos on the run.<\/p>\n Jack Gunston had the chance to send the ball to the goal square for his teammates to rush a behind when Collingwood\u2019s defence was not organised. Pinpointing Dylan Moore, albeit in a difficult spot, was still a satisfactory result.<\/p>\n Moore was the saviour in April when he kicked a goal after the siren<\/a> to draw the game for the Hawks. Here, his shot from 45 metres out on the boundary went across the face of goal and was touched on the line.<\/p>\n If he had his time again, he may have erred to miss on the near side, as Gunston had done minutes earlier, the precious metres saved being the difference between a score or a spoil.<\/p>\n Such was the drama, even Mitchell could not compute what was happening.<\/p>\n \u201cDo we want a draw, or do we need to win this game?\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cIt was quite an odd moment. When you\u2019ve been in the game a long time, you sort of feel like you\u2019ve seen most things, but [I] certainly haven\u2019t seen that.\u201d<\/p>\n Rarely has a coach celebrated a draw with as much gusto as Craig McRae, who was fist pumping the crowd moments after Swadling\u2019s game-saving heroics.<\/p>\n There was good reason for McRae to respond in such a manner, even if the result officially consigned the Pies to the long route to the premiership cup.<\/p>\n Despite a 23 including nine players who have played fewer than 50 games, the Pies served it up to one of the leading flag contenders.<\/p>\n Missing premiership heroes Brayden Maynard, Jeremy Howe, Steele Sidebottom and skipper Darcy Moore just to name a few, the Pies rescued a game that appeared gone three times in the second half.<\/p>\n The most stunning act was saved for after the final siren when Swadling, in just his seventh game, out-jumped Hawthorn triple towers Mitch Lewis<\/a>, Mabior Chol and Lloyd Meek to prevent a match-winning point.<\/p>\n This may be one of the youngest sides the Pies have fielded under McRae, but they still have the muscle memory to do the right thing at the right time.<\/p>\n As Moore took his kick with seconds left, Jack Crisp was one of the senior players organising teammates so they would be in position to spoil a short kick.<\/p>\n The attention to detail was so meticulous they made sure players were coming from the correct angle so that any spoil would send the ball away from goal.<\/p>\n \u201cI think everyone got the gist of what we had to do,\u201d Crisp said. \u201cThe big boys on their fellas, just making sure were coming from the fence side.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you saw, our celebration at the end, our fight to get back in it after we were up, and then we just got Hawthorn back in it. They had some serious momentum. To fight back to get back in front again and give ourselves a chance, it\u2019s good \u2013 it\u2019s a great group.\u201d<\/p>\n McRae gave the Magpies\u2019 reserves players a stern talking to in June, warning them time was running out for several to make their mark.<\/p>\n Within two months, youngsters such as Swadling, Allan, Harvey Harrison, Will Hayes and Charlie West have taken big leaps. It\u2019s not quite an overnight rebuild, but the future is looking brighter for the Pies\u2019 list than it appeared mid-season.<\/p>\n The Pies have now won seven of nine since the King\u2019s Birthday long weekend. Winning five knockout finals in a row to win the flag is improbable, but they are a team no rival will want to face in September.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a spirit in the whole squad right now,\u201d McRae said. \u201cWinning creates an energy.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article With an MCG wildcard final guaranteed, and no prospect of breaking into the top six, the Pies now have the luxury of managing their team in the final home-and-away round when they host Brisbane off a six-day break on Friday night.<\/p>\n McRae said Maynard, Patrick Lipinski, Howe and Harry Perryman are all in contention to return from injury. Veteran Scott Pendlebury is likely to be one who will be rested after playing off six days coming back from Perth.<\/p>\n \u201cI was pretty deliberate with [high-performance boss] Jarrod Wade that we\u2019ll manage them if they need to be managed, not just for the sake of it,\u201d McRae said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they\u2019re really sore, and they can\u2019t perform well, they won\u2019t play next week. But right now, there\u2019s an energy everyone wants to play, so that\u2019ll be interesting how that plays out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"For](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/b36ab807128fe28a7dd07feb928c38b34a610ac9.jpeg\")
For the second time this season, Dylan Moore had a shot after the siren against the Magpies.AFL Photos<\/p>\n![\"Moore](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/d1da717caf922717a50d1158c45680c4d16cd1440829fff3b9cb0e8a16e832f0.gif\")
Moore after his shot on goal after the siren was spoiled on the line by Sam Swadling – reducing the Hawks and Pies to a draw for the second time this season.Fox Footy<\/p>\n![\"Hawks](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02f457f7327455d9b237a2fa3facbaf70b00ecd0.jpeg\")
Hawks pair Jai Newcombe and Josh Ward.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/149ef72206557538a0e6b98ae173fbb57426c51b.jpeg\")
Sam Mitchell and the Hawks have plenty to work out before the finals.AFL Photos<\/p>\n![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5304432276a182c15582bd4e205ea05b4e652b4f.jpeg\")
Craig McRae pumped his fist after the Magpies came away with a draw.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/84985cc19bff9003f0a4083d92cfc70106d1beed.jpeg\")
A young Collingwood side lost no fans on Saturday night.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/33bbc6f83ac569a1f0d292a152770e316f1fae22.jpeg\")
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