MELBOURNE -- The Western Bulldogs won a thrilling wildcard final at the MCG on Friday night, after Collingwood's Tim Membrey missed a shot after the siren which would have won the game for the Magpies.
In front of 81,036 people, Arty Jones played the game of his career for the Bulldogs, kicking four goals and having influence setting up others, while Marcus Bontempelli and Magpies midfielder Nick Daicos starred for their respective teams.
It was the best possible start to the AFL's wildcard experiment, with a rollicking final quarter giving way to a truly epic finish.
Here are three things we learned from the game:
Everyone's suddenly wild about the wildcard
Okay, so even us crusty old football traditionalists have to concede this wildcard final stuff really has something going for it.
Not to mention Western Bulldog Ed Richards, who couldn't stop smiling after his side's thrilling three-point win over Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night.
Richards, the most notable sceptic of the concept in the lead-up, earning a bit of a clip from AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, was still joking about "Round 25" in the joyous Bulldogs rooms, but like everyone else, was well aware he'd just been witness to one of the more gripping finals of recent years.
"They got lucky didn't they?" he chuckled, speaking with ESPN after the game. "Nah, I'm kidding. It's been a great start to the weekend, hopefully there'll be another great game tomorrow night and then we roll on to next weekend. It's exciting."
It certainly was. While skill wasn't necessarily at a premium, fumbles costing both sides dearly on occasion, the drama was gripping, four lead changes coming in time-on of the last quarter before Magpie forward Tim Membrey's post-siren miss ruled out a fifth.
Richards isn't wrong, though. The AFL couldn't have been more blessed by having four Victorian sides fill the four play-off spots, then a cracking contest for its first ever wildcard game.
Finals-worthy? As a game? Absolutely. Finals-worthy teams? Again, yes. If Collingwood are only the 10th best team in the competition (which they will be officially should Carlton beat Melbourne), we've got a pretty healthy top order.
And the Bulldogs? Well, they looked pretty shot just a few weeks back after losing to North Melbourne, but a draw with the Blues (arguably the form team of the competition), a win over Melbourne and now the Pies underlines their credentials as a team capable of mixing it with anyone on their day.
So yes, even us conservatives who were worried about the credibility of the finals being undermined have to wave the white flag in year one of the concept. Now let's see how far both wildcard victors can progress into September.
Doggies have dug themselves out of a hole
It was only three weeks ago that you really had to wonder whether the Bulldogs were stuck in a Groundhog Day loop, constantly failing to do their talent justice. Or indeed, whether that talent had actually been grossly overestimated these last few unfulfilling seasons.
What we perhaps hadn't counted on was their resilience. And the fightback after a comprehensive loss to Fremantle then defeat at the hands of North Melbourne has been impressive indeed.
A draw with the Blues, a 21-point win over Melbourne, and now a gritty three-point finals win over Collingwood, which had the bulk of the 81,000-strong crowd in its corner, is a pretty telling response to those accusations.
And a reminder that, whilst unpredictable in delivery, the Bulldogs' best is capable of mixing it with any team in the competition.
Friday night's nailbiter made it two wins over Collingwood this season. They've beaten Melbourne twice, too. Brisbane at the Gabba. Adelaide in Adelaide. And Hawthorn. That's a pretty decent roll call of scalps.
Perhaps there's a greater evenness about them now, also. As good as Marcus Bontempelli (of course), Aaron Naughton and Matt Kennedy (until concussed) were, the Dogs would never have got across the line without some important contributions from some less-feted types.
Not that four-goal livewire Arty Jones will remain less-feted for much longer should he continue in the vein of Friday night's superb four-goal effort, the Dogs' small forwards constantly proving a menace to the Pies.
Sam Davidson and Lachie Bramble were consistent performers all evening, Cooper Hynes had more impact the longer the game went, and Buku Khamis and James O'Donnell made the Magpie forwards work hard for every touch.
Really, statistics like 19 more inside 50s, 19 more clearances, and a whopping 19-9 edge for centre clearances said that the Dogs should have won by more. That they didn't, however, was more about Collingwood's efficiency and organisation than Bulldog wastefulness.
So, once again, we're forced into a rethink on just where this Bulldog line-up is at. It wouldn't surprise if they bowed out next week. But would we really be that surprised now if they went a lot deeper into September?
Collingwood list calculations a cause for concern
The final kick of the game goes a couple of metres further left, and the Magpie old brigade gets to continue some September dreaming. Instead, Tim Membrey misses, and it's all over.
Well, for Steele Sidebottom, certainly, who bowed out graciously and with the plaudits of both sides and an appreciative crowd. The absent Scott Pendlebury? Who knows? But suggestions of a potential move to Gold Coast are intriguing to say the least.
Either way, the ramifications for Collingwood's list demographic are huge, not to mention its midfield plans.
As Nick Daicos, superb again for the Pies, took in the well wishes of the faithful in the rooms after the loss, a couple of club top brass uttered almost in unison: "We've got to get him some more help."
They're not bereft of it, Beau McCreery terrific and instrumental in the Pies' fighting back when they looked on the precipice, Sam Swadling a really exciting prospect and consistently good since he came into the line-up.
But there's perhaps a few too many lower-end types who, whilst serviceable and workmanlike, aren't the sort of players who are going to make Collingwood significantly better in the longer-term.
It's going to be an interesting player movement period indeed for the Magpies. And one thing we know already, is at the very least that average age ranking is going to come down dramatically.
You can read more of Rohan Connolly's work at FOOTYOLOGY.