The game was sealed by a Pickett goal, but the symbolic moment was a tackle

June 8, 2026 — 6:55pm

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In a game of amazing feats and egregious mistakes, the signature moment belonged to a young Melbourne midfielder, Harvey Langford.

The Demons lead by two points, having recaptured the lead in the final term via Paddy Cross’s improbable hook shot from the boundary. They had reversed the flow that had seen the Pies led by 11 points only several minutes earlier.

Only one minute and about 20 seconds remained.

Nick Daicos, Collingwood’s young champion had taken the football, and was ready to take the Pies forward for a final attempt to wrest back the lead.

As Daicos looked ahead, Langford swooped and nailed Daicos in a tackle.

It wasn’t folkloric enough to be known as “the tackle” but it was the most critical moment in a game in which Collingwood led at each change, but were never potent enough to shrug off the Demons, just as Daicos was unable to shrug off Langford, who had booted possibly the game’s most audacious goal at an important stage of the third quarter, when the Demons sorely needed it to stay close.

Fittingly, after that tackle, the outcome was secured by the player who won the Neale Daniher trophy - not for best afield, but as the one who exemplified the Daniher spirit: Kysaiah........

© Brisbane Times