Heath Hocking has helped Essendon finish their AFL season-to-forget on a high, kicking the last two goals of the game to down Collingwood by three points at the MCG.
Had it been played on Anzac Day, Bombers fans would have been talking about the win for years as Essendon snuck home in a thrilling 14.11 (95) to 14.8 (92) victory on the last day of the home and away season.
Hocking was the match-winner and stood tall in the final quarter.
With both teams out of the finals race, sending out young sides playing for skittles rather than sheep stations, the Bombers contented themselves with a maiden win for caretaker coach Matthew Egan and a rousing finish to their dreadful year.
There was initially an end-of-school feel to the match with just 40,270 in attendance - the lowest crowd at the fixture since it was last played at Windy Hill in 1988.
But in the last quarter the atmosphere changed, as the Bombers fought back to draw a line under a miserable 2015.
After kicking a goal to start the last term, Magpies forward Alex Fasolo blew a golden chance minutes later to give Collingwood a 17-point lead - what would have been the biggest margin of the day.
Instead Cale Hooker and Hocking converted set shots either side of Darcy Moore's goal to set up the grandstand finish.
Enter Hocking, who was at the end of Bombers chain that started in their defensive 50 to win the game.
Young Bombers Orazio Fantasia, Jayden Laverde and Shaun McKernan were all involved as the Dons surged the ball forward for Hocking to kick his third goal of the afternoon and win it.
Egan said while they weren't playing for finals, the club would take plenty from their September showing.
"It is important because you get a bit of belief from it," he said.
"Their attitude was outstanding ... the players are rapt in the rooms.
"It's been a tough year for them."
Essendon finish 15th with six wins for the season, while Collingwood settle in 12th with just 10 wins - their lowest return since 2005.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, in his fourth season in charge recorded more losses than wins for the first time.
After a stirring round 22 win over Geelong, Buckley said it appeared his side may have run their race last week.
"The first half we laid 16 tackle and that's not us, that's not the way we play," he said.
Despite heading backward in the win-loss, Buckley said there were positives to the year.
"We've been even younger again and found a few more pieces of the puzzle that are going to help us," he said.
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