Hawthorn vs Collingwood: A Remarkable AFL Draw That Made History at the MCG
Australian football fans were treated to one of the most extraordinary AFL contests of the 2026 season when Hawthorn and Collingwood met at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday night.
What looked like another high-stakes Round 23 clash turned into something far more memorable. After four quarters of momentum swings, pressure, missed opportunities and late drama, neither side could be separated.
The final scoreboard read Hawthorn 13.14 (92) – Collingwood 13.14 (92).
For most AFL matches, a draw is already unusual. But this result carried an even bigger twist: Hawthorn and Collingwood had also drawn earlier in the same season. The two clubs therefore became part of AFL history by recording two draws against each other in a single season.
It was the sort of night that reminded fans why football can be so unpredictable.
Hawthorn vs Collingwood Was Always Going to Be Huge
The Round 23 clash arrived with plenty at stake for both clubs.
Hawthorn entered the match sitting near the top four and looking to respond after a disappointing loss to Brisbane. The Hawks had built a strong season and were determined to keep their finals ambitions moving in the right direction.
Collingwood, meanwhile, came into the contest with plenty of motivation of its own. The Magpies were fighting to strengthen their position heading towards the finals and had several important players returning to the side.
That combination created an intriguing battle.
Hawthorn had the stronger ladder position, while Collingwood brought the experience and pressure that has become part of the club's identity. With the MCG packed for a Saturday night blockbuster, expectations were high before the first bounce.
The match ultimately delivered far more drama than either group of supporters could have expected.
Collingwood Starts With Authority
The opening half belonged largely to Collingwood.
The Magpies brought enormous pressure around the football and made life difficult for Hawthorn's ball movement. Their ability to win contests and force mistakes gave them control during important periods of the first half.
Hawthorn struggled to find the fluency that had helped them become one of the competition's stronger teams during the season.
Collingwood's midfield pressure was particularly important. The Magpies were able to disrupt Hawthorn's preferred style and create opportunities going forward.
By half-time, Collingwood had established a significant advantage.
For Hawthorn supporters, the challenge was obvious. Their team needed a major response after the main break.
And that response arrived.
The Hawks Turn the Game Around
Hawthorn came out after half-time with renewed energy.
The Hawks began attacking with greater confidence and intensity, putting pressure back onto Collingwood. Their movement through the middle of the ground improved, while their ability to compete in contested situations lifted noticeably.
The momentum began to change.
Suddenly, the lead that Collingwood had worked so hard to build was under threat.
Hawthorn's third-quarter surge transformed the match from what appeared to be a comfortable Collingwood advantage into a genuine contest. The Hawks found ways to move the ball forward and began creating scoreboard opportunities.
The MCG atmosphere changed with it.
Every Hawthorn possession became more dangerous, while Collingwood found itself defending more often than it had earlier in the night.
By the time the game entered its final stages, the Hawks had completely changed the story.
A Final Quarter Full of Pressure
The last quarter produced the kind of football that keeps supporters standing until the final siren.
Neither team was prepared to give up.
Hawthorn pushed forward looking to finish its comeback, while Collingwood continued to fight despite losing the control it had enjoyed earlier.
The Magpies eventually managed to fight their way back into the contest.
That created a remarkable situation: after Hawthorn had erased Collingwood's advantage, Collingwood had to produce its own late response to prevent the Hawks from taking the game away.
The scoreboard tightened.
Every clearance mattered.
Every inside-50 entry carried enormous significance.
Every missed opportunity suddenly looked capable of deciding the result.
And eventually, the scores were level.
The Moment That Nearly Won It for Hawthorn
The drama did not end when the scores became tied.
Hawthorn had a chance to win the game late, with Dylan Moore finding himself in a position where a successful kick could have delivered the Hawks one of the most memorable victories of their season.
Instead, the opportunity narrowly missed.
The final siren confirmed what fans had already realised.
There would be no winner.
The match finished 92-92.
For Collingwood, there was relief mixed with satisfaction after fighting back late.
For Hawthorn, there was frustration because the Hawks had completed such a strong comeback but could not finish the job.
Yet both teams had been involved in something extraordinary.
Two Draws in One Season
This is the detail that makes the Hawthorn-Collingwood rivalry especially fascinating in 2026.
Earlier in the season, the clubs had already played out a draw.
That Round 8 meeting finished 93-93.
Then, months later, they met again at the MCG and produced another draw, this time 92-92.
Two teams drawing twice in the same AFL season is an extraordinary occurrence. The second result therefore became much more than just another entry on the ladder.
It became a piece of football history.
There was also an unusual sense of symmetry between the two contests. Both matches went down to the final moments, reinforcing just how evenly matched these sides have been throughout the season.
For supporters of both clubs, it is a rivalry that will be remembered long after the 2026 home-and-away season is finished.
Nick Daicos Again a Major Talking Point
Collingwood's midfield remains one of the most closely watched areas of the team, and Nick Daicos was again an important figure during the contest.
The young Magpie has become one of the game's most influential players, and Hawthorn knew that limiting his influence would be crucial.
The Hawks had clearly identified his ability to create opportunities and move the ball as something they needed to control.
That battle was one of the fascinating tactical elements of the match.
Whenever Daicos became involved, Collingwood looked capable of opening up the game. Hawthorn's challenge was to apply enough pressure to stop him from dictating terms.
The contest between Hawthorn's defensive pressure and Collingwood's midfield creativity was one of the reasons the game remained so competitive.
Experience Meets Youth at Collingwood
Collingwood also entered the game with a fascinating mixture of experience and youth.
Scott Pendlebury returned to the side and brought with him the leadership and composure that have defined his remarkable career.
His presence was especially significant because the Magpies are entering an important period of transition.
At the same time, younger players continue to carry an increasing amount of responsibility.
That combination gives Collingwood an interesting identity heading towards the finals. The club still has veterans capable of influencing major moments, while its younger generation is being asked to step forward.
The Hawthorn clash showed why that mixture could be important when the pressure increases during September.
Hawthorn's Season Still Has Plenty of Interest
Despite the disappointment of the draw, Hawthorn remains one of the teams that can influence the shape of the finals race.
The Hawks have shown throughout 2026 that they can compete with the best sides in the competition.
However, the loss to Brisbane followed by the draw with Collingwood has created some uncertainty around their ability to maintain a top-four position.
The positive for Hawthorn is that the team showed considerable resilience.
After falling behind against Collingwood, the Hawks could easily have allowed the game to disappear.
Instead, they fought back and put themselves in a position to win.
The next challenge is converting that resilience into four-quarter consistency.
Collingwood's Late Fightback Matters
From Collingwood's perspective, the draw can be viewed differently.
The Magpies had controlled large portions of the opening half but allowed Hawthorn to build serious momentum after the break.
Rather than collapsing completely, however, Collingwood fought back.
That resilience could prove valuable during the finals.
Finals football rarely goes exactly according to plan. Teams can dominate one quarter and then suddenly find themselves under enormous pressure.
Collingwood experienced that situation at the MCG and managed to recover.
Although the Magpies did not win, they avoided defeat and earned valuable competition points from a match that looked increasingly difficult during Hawthorn's comeback.
Steele Sidebottom's Retirement Adds Another Layer
The match also arrived during an emotional period for Collingwood supporters following Steele Sidebottom's announcement that he will retire at the end of the 2026 season.
Sidebottom has been an important figure at Collingwood for many years, building an outstanding career and becoming one of the club's most respected players.
His retirement means the Magpies are approaching the end of an era.
Alongside the uncertainty surrounding Scott Pendlebury's future, it creates an interesting period for Collingwood.
The club is still competing for success in the present while preparing for a changing future.
For supporters, every appearance from experienced players carries a little more significance now.
Why the Draw Is So Memorable
A 92-92 result may not sound as spectacular as a high-scoring thriller with a last-minute winner.
But this match had something different.
It had a comeback.
It had a late fightback.
It had a missed opportunity after the siren.
It had two clubs desperate for important points.
And most importantly, it created a historic second draw between the same teams in one season.
That combination makes the result far more memorable than a standard home-and-away fixture.
Football supporters often remember winners, but they also remember unusual games.
This will certainly be one of those.
What It Means for the Finals Race
The draw gives both clubs two premiership points, but the implications are different.
Hawthorn will be looking closely at the ladder and wondering what might have happened had that final opportunity gone through.
A victory would have been enormously valuable.
Instead, the Hawks must focus on their final home-and-away assignment and make sure this result does not become a missed opportunity that defines their season.
Collingwood, meanwhile, can take confidence from the fact that it recovered from a difficult position.
The Magpies remain firmly in the finals picture and will now turn their attention towards finishing the season strongly.
With the finals approaching, every performance becomes increasingly important.
A Rivalry That Produced AFL History
Hawthorn and Collingwood have produced plenty of memorable AFL moments over the years, but the 2026 season has created a chapter unlike any other.
Two matches.
Two draws.
One season.
The first was a 93-93 thriller.
The second was a 92-92 classic.
Neither side has managed to defeat the other in their two meetings this year.
That alone makes the rivalry fascinating.
The fact that both matches have been decided by such small margins only adds to the story.
If these clubs meet again during the finals, there will undoubtedly be enormous interest.
After two draws, supporters will want to know whether a third meeting can finally produce a winner.
The Bigger Picture
The Hawthorn vs Collingwood clash was about more than the final score.
It was a snapshot of two teams approaching the most important stage of the AFL season.
Hawthorn showed that it has the resilience to recover from adversity, even when the scoreboard looks uncomfortable.
Collingwood showed that it can absorb pressure and fight back when momentum turns against it.
Neither team walked away with the four premiership points, but both produced moments that could be useful lessons heading into the finals.
For neutral football fans, the match was another reminder of how unpredictable the AFL can be.
For Hawthorn supporters, there will be frustration over the missed opportunity.
For Collingwood supporters, there will be relief after avoiding defeat.
And for everyone who follows Australian rules football, there is now an unusual piece of AFL history to remember.
Final Thoughts
Hawthorn and Collingwood have done something that fans will be talking about for years.
Their 2026 season meetings have both ended in draws, with the second coming after another dramatic contest at the MCG.
The 92-92 scoreline tells only part of the story.
The real story was the momentum swings, the pressure, the resilience and the extraordinary finish.
Hawthorn came from behind and looked capable of stealing the victory. Collingwood responded when the match appeared to be slipping away. Then, when the final opportunity arrived, neither side could break the deadlock.
In the end, the scoreboard stayed level.
Perhaps that is the most fitting conclusion for two teams that have been almost impossible to separate this season.
One thing is certain: if Hawthorn and Collingwood meet again in 2026, football fans will be watching very closely.
After two draws, everyone will be waiting to see whether the third chapter finally produces a winner.
