Yet the Demon and Magpie coaches both claimed they were lucky to come away with a draw. It was a ''good result'' Demon's coach Dean Bailey explained. The draw has everyone asking: "What would it have taken to get across the line to win?"
The statistics tell their story. Collingwood dominated the first quarter and won most statistical measures of the game as it kicked 22 points to Melbourne's 11 points. But over the whole game, the Magpies had 22 shots at goal that missed (behinds) compared with only 10 behinds for the Demons.
This inaccuracy cost them dearly. The Magpies did, however, dominate defence with 95 tackles verses the Demons' 45 tackles.
The coaches tell their story. Demons coach Dean Bailey explains "If you purely look at the stats, you mention inside 50s and the tackle count was way out of sync. We were disappointed in the first quarter, it might have been 35 to seven or something like that [for tackles]."
Melbourne, as the underdogs for this game, will go into next week's clash against the Adelaide Crows in Adelaide with a new confidence. The Demons are on fire this year and are building momentum after several seasons at the bottom of the ladder. Collingwood have been one of the form teams over several seasons but have struggled to dominate games like they used to.
They take on the Sydney Swans who are in red-hot form after dominating Port Adelaide last week.
A Well-Being Australia theologian noting a point to ponder says that the first draw of the AFL season raises the question of what it takes to win. The Bible says there is no doubt that Jesus' death and resurrection show He has won the victory over sin and death. In the first letter to the Corinthian church (1 Cor 15:56), Paul explains that, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
When you have Jesus as your captain His victory is credited to you also. Have we a win, lose or draw is not in question.
Jesus has already won the victory through His performance and we can look back and celebrate this amazing victory.