Stevie J kicks winner, GWS pip Pies in AFL

Greater Western Sydney have snatched a three-point AFL win over Collingwood, with Steve Johnson kicking the match-winning goal in the final minute of the game.

Steve Johnson of the Greater Western Sydney

Greater Western Sydney have snatched a three-point AFL victory over Collingwood. (AAP)

Steve Johnson wound the clock back with a match-winning goal in the final minute of Saturday's AFL clash at Spotless Stadium, helping Greater Western Sydney snatch a three-point victory over Collingwood

GWS were down to just one fit man on the bench for the frantic final five minutes of the thriller but Johnson's composure helped them prevail 15.12 (102) to 15.9 (99).

The Magpies outplayed and led GWS for much of a scrappy final term before Johnson read a marking contest magically and crumbed a goal.

"He's probably done that a dozen times in his career, in terms of real crunch moments and he played his role to perfection," GWS coach Leon Cameron said of former Geelong star Johnson.

"He just stays in the game, he's always thinking.

"That was a really good character-building win ... it's right up there (with the club's best ever victories).

"It was a really, really good fightback."

Stephen Coniglio limped off late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, while Aidan Corr and Sam Reid were both knocked out in the first half.

Collingwood kicked six consecutive goals to open up a 26-point lead at quarter-time but weren't able to get on top of the hosts.

GWS key forward Jeremy Cameron led a spirited comeback, booting six goals in his club's sixth win of the season and first ever victory over Collingwood.

Despite his side's improved effort, the pressure on Magpies coach Nathan Buckley is unlikely to wane. The Pies managed only 16 tackles in the first half and sit 16th on the ladder.

"The criticism can come but I'm pretty sure the Collingwood supporters, when they see that sort of effort from their team, they'd be pretty proud," Buckley said.

"It's no consolation for us at the moment. We're still out there to win games of footy.

"We did a lot of hard work across the four quarters, and in particular in that last quarter, to be able to put ourselves in that position.

"We had chances that should have iced it in the last five minutes ... it's not (GWS being) lucky."

Corr's head hit the turf at a nasty angle in the opening minute of the game. The defender went back with the flight of the ball into a pack, took the mark then tangled legs with teammate Phil Davis.

Reid was accidentally cleaned up when he attempted to tackle Collingwood's Levi Greenwood early in the second term.

Jeremy Cameron leads the 2017 Coleman medal race with 28 goals.

GWS midfielders Dylan Shiel and Josh Kelly were also heavily influential in the result.

Steele Sidebottom tallied 24 disposals and kicked three goals for the visitors, including a goal-of-the-year contender deep in the pocket that Peter Daicos would have been proud of.


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Source: AAP


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