After playing out in a 93-93 draw back in round eight, the Hawks and the Pies couldn't be split on 13.14 (92) apiece on Saturday night, as a set shot seconds before the final siren from Moore was this time unable to register a score.

In front of a heaving MCG crowd of 76,186, the game swung back and forth at breakneck speed. First, the Hawks, then the Pies. It flew back Hawthorn's way, but Collingwood wasn't done yet. Setting everything up for a grandstand finish.

It was all Hawthorn to kick off the final quarter, but a free kick and 50m penalty to hand Dan McStay a goal meant there were still some chapters to play out.

Beau McCreery (22 disposals, one goal) brought his power from stoppage, McStay was a strong stay-at-home forward, and Will Hayes kicked truly from seemingly impossible angles.

The opening quarter was a clear clash of styles. Where the Pies wanted to propel the ball via the most direct route – the corridor – the Hawks were focused on controlling play via uncontested marks, and switches to make best use of the MCG's expansive surface.

That juxtaposition of styles bore out in the stats, with Hawthorn winning the uncontested mark count 37-14 for the term, and Collingwood dominating the tackles 22-6 in the same period.

Collingwood built its game on two focal points. One was swarming pressure to undermine any attempts Hawthorn made at controlling the play after the opening quarter. The second, being wildly unpredictable to the opposition, but not to one another.

It was akin to the Richmond premiership era, with one-percenters rife and an effort to keep the ball in motion to unsettle the Hawks' defence. Willing to knock the ball on, kick it off the ground, and let the ball ping around without always taking possession, they were near on impossible to predict, especially when moving at such speed.

Josh Daicos (30 disposals, 586 metres gained) was a powerhouse early, taking the game on through the corridor and gaining ground, while brother Nick (36 disposals, one goal) was all class out of the middle.

HAWTHORN                     2.3    3.7    8.12   13.14 (92)
COLLINGWOOD          2.3    7.5    8.9   13.14 (92)

GOALS 
Hawthorn: Gunston 2, Ward 2, Lewis 2, Newcombe, Meek, Chol, C.Macdonald, Mackenzie, Beattie, Moore
Collingwood: West 2, McStay 2, Hayes 2, Steele 2, Allan, N.Daicos, Anderson, McCreery, Houston