"This is a unique thing; the history of the game says that no-one has won as many close games ... as what we've been able to do this year. It's been quite remarkable, really. At some stage we'll sit back and reflect and just admire what we've done in this space."
THEY WERE the words of Craig McRae deep inside the bowels of the MCG on Sunday night, less than half an hour after Collingwood ended Carlton’s season in dramatic fashion to secure a spot in the top-four next month.
It might not end with McRae holding the premiership cup aloft on the final Saturday in September, but no matter what happens from here, this has been a season like no other for the Magpies.
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Since the inaugural season of the Victorian Football League in 1897, no club in VFL/AFL history has won as many games by such narrow margins.
With Jamie Elliott sinking a second enemy in the space of a month – having kicked the winner after the siren against Essendon in round 19 – the Magpies banked an 11th win by less than 12 points this year.
Melbourne did it eight times in 1989, while only nine teams have done it seven times in a single season.
In fact, nine of Collingwood's 11 wins have been by single digits, and six have been by less than a straight kick, including twice against the Blues and once against Essendon.
No one has won more than seven games in a single season by less than 10 points. Port Adelaide did it in 2002, Footscray in 1944 and Carlton in 1914.
It means Collingwood's percentage of just 104.3 per cent is the lowest by a top-four side since Melbourne in 1998 and the third-lowest of the AFL era.
Ten teams have a higher percentage than the Pies after the home and away season, including Port Adelaide who finished in 11th spot with six fewer wins.
The thing that has made these wins even more meaningful is the sheer number of people who have been in the house to witness them.
88,267 were there on Sunday to watch Collingwood end Carlton's season. 84,205 attended Anzac Day. 80,627 crammed in to watch the four-point win over the Blues in round 11. 76,059 watched Queen’s Birthday and 72,402 were at the MCG when Elliott sank the Bombers in round 19.
More than 1,000,000 people have watched the Magpies in 2022 at an average of 49,299 per game across 23 rounds – the most in the competition this year
To make this season even more impressive, Collingwood has risen from 17th last year – the lowest finish in the club’s history – to fourth in the space of 12 months, completing the equal biggest leap ever.
Brisbane jumped 13 places when they went from 15th in 2018 to second in 2019, after catapulting from 16th in 1998 to third in 1999.
Only two other first-year coaches in the past 80 years won as many consecutive games as McRae amassed this year.
Kevin Sheedy masterminded 15 in a row in 1981. Chris Scott won his first 13 in charge in 2011 before leading the Cats to the premiership.
It has been a special season for Collingwood. You'd be foolish to predict it ending without more last-minute drama in the month ahead.
