Grand Final #4 - 2002

[Harrysz]

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

here is a sliding doors moment for you; imagine if we had goal line replays/reviews back then.....the Rocca goal in all likelihood is awarded, and the team gets a crucial minute or 2 to catch their breath before the Lions onslaught

[ropeter]

I always wondered why there was no replay of the Rocca goal. Now I know.
That over the shoulder to Tarrant was straight out of the centre after Fraser goal.
Momentum halted right there and a softish penalty to Lynch followed.

[Harrysz]

As I wrote, Collingwood's luck ran out in the last quarter.

[Pete 70]

Once again love these posts. Thanks so much mate.

I love this game so much for the fighting spirit we had. The ex-North player Freeborn was huge for us. But to me, the moment that guts us is not the Rocca goal but it’s the non free to Tarrant right after Fraser’s goal. Robert Walls who I massively respected actually (ex-Brisbane coach) said that was a clear free kick. Then in that time honoured tradition, ball goes down the other end and they get a soft free kick. 12 point swing. Margin is 9 points. There’s the game. Buckley was enormous. Funnily enough the game we were never expected to win is the one we should have.

[MagpieWhisperer35]

Rocca goal denied, Tarrant was smashed no free kick, Lynch was pushed by a Lions player and got free typical Collingwood daylight robbery.
Horrible day still feel sick about it

[LaurieHolden]

Once again love these posts. Thanks so much mate.

Buckley was enormous. Funnily enough the game we were never expected to win is the one we should have.

Ditto.

Our Pies side averaged just 67 games of experience, in comparison to the Lions who averaged 219.
Their side will become a ready-made Hall of Fame selection pot.

Buckley's heroic efforts resulted in the best I've seen from a Collingwood player. It was Collingwood DNA personified.
When he launched from outside 50 to put us in front after 12 minutes in the third term, I thought we had their measure, he simply lifted his teammates to a higher plane above the shoulders.

[Presti35]

I was shattered this day. We really deserved to win.

[lazzadesilva]

I always wondered why there was no replay of the Rocca goal. Now I know.
That over the shoulder to Tarrant was straight out of the centre after Fraser goal.
Momentum halted right there and a softish penalty to Lynch followed.

I have asked this question many a time over the years. FWIW the only ticket I could get (at about 11.00 am on the day) was in the very last row of the then Southern Stand. As it worked out I was right behind the trajectory of Rocca’s kick for goal. As he kicked it, the Brians fans all put their heads down in disappointment while us magpies started to celebrate. Then to everyone’s astonishment, it was called a point. I will go to my grave knowing that it was definitely (not possibly or could have been) a goal.

I too have been wanting to see a better replay of the shot for goal for decades but have never been able to. Like the Harmes knock back from the second row of the grandstand, this is just another example of blatant umpire cheating. Nothing but cheating unless we all want to deny the facts.

[Harrysz]

I don't believe that umpires cheat. Like players and coaches, they make mistakes. Who knows, perhaps Anthony Rocca's kick for goal sailed over the post. The goal umpire was there looking up. Maybe it wasn't a goal.

But you know, the umpire who awarded the technical free kick to Alastair Lynch for shepherding in the last quarter of the 2002 Grand Final, would have been very handy in the last quarter of the 2018 Grand Final when Braden Maynard was illegally shepherded. But as Tommy Hafey used to say, you should never be in a position where a bad umpiring decision can cost you the game.

[Jezza]

I was very young, but I remember feeling proud rather than disappointed in this Grand Final.
2003 was far more shattering with higher expectations and us being favourites.

[Jezza]

Once again love these posts. Thanks so much mate.

I love this game so much for the fighting spirit we had. The ex-North player Freeborn was huge for us. But to me, the moment that guts us is not the Rocca goal but it’s the non free to Tarrant right after Fraser’s goal. Robert Walls who I massively respected actually (ex-Brisbane coach) said that was a clear free kick. Then in that time honoured tradition, ball goes down the other end and they get a soft free kick. 12 point swing. Margin is 9 points. There’s the game. Buckley was enormous. Funnily enough the game we were never expected to win is the one we should have.

This is a good summary of what transpired.
The non-free to Tarrant was arguably worse than Rocca's behind.

[Harrysz]

For me the 2002 loss was more emotionally tough than the 2003 loss. It's true that we were favourites in 2003 but that was only because the Brisbane players were supposedly banged up. But we were never in that game.

In 2002 although we were rank outsiders, we couldn't have done more and we nearly won it. I also felt proud of Collingwood that day but losing a close Grand Final is always painful.

[duke750]

2002 was the first GF after we broke the drought in 1990 and I felt that we could win any GF. Not to be, but I agree that we were more likely to win that game than 2003

[Boot]

I remember the 2002 Grand Final with great pride and dissapointment. Going into that game as rank outsiders after some super performances leading into that game to beat the South Australian teams after being underdogs in those game too.
The day itself was very wet and I think this suited Collingwood as the slippery conditions robbed Brisbane of some of the skill deferential they were blessed with whilst I think Collingwood was able to match them in the "spirit" of the team lead by Paul Lucuria who was irrepressible that whole September and the utter brillance of Nathan Buckley who was at his absolute best that day.
Eventually a couple of bad umpiring decisions and the vastly superior natural talent of the opposition team defeated a very brave Collingwood team. That brave loss in the 2002 grand final paved the way for Collingwood to look a far more stronger team in 2003 only to loose their champion Anthony Rocca for the Grand Final with a suspension that caused the whole team to loose structure and confidence to be thrashed by Brisbane in the most important game of the year. That one hurt a lot more.