Inclement weather made an untimely intervention on Friday night at the MCG — at the worst possible time for tiring players — and a big Magpie saw the funny side.
Melbourne and Collingwood were half a quarter from concluding their 2024 campaigns when lightning struck multiple times near the home of football.
With 9:31 remaining in the final term, umpires called a stop to play because of the nearby conditions — prompting a mandatory 20-minute delay to the match — with play ultimately resuming at 10:32pm AEST.
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During the delay, Collingwood’s social media team posted a video of Mason Cox, gauging his thoughts about the break in play.
“I’m grateful though, because to be honest, I’d be the first person struck by lightning — being the tallest fella out there,” Cox joked.
“I am kind of grateful that we stopped.”
“This has happened three times, where we’ve seen games delayed since the start of Round 1 last year,” Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph reported on Fox Footy.
“The game is stopped for a minimum of 20 minutes; that happens when the lightning or the severe weather is within 10 kilometres of the MCG … it’s at the discretion of Laura Kane when this game restarts — in consultation of course with the weather bureau when it’s safe.
Tom Hawkins’ 350th game in Round 3 earlier this year was the last time a match was paused due to lightning, with a wait time of 46 minutes.
“They don’t have to try in those last nine and a half minutes; and that absolutely will be a thing … the show will go on, it’s just (as to) when it starts.”
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Western Bulldogs icon Brad Johnson provided an update from ground level.
“The talk (in the rooms) was: ‘Can we just end it now?” — we know that can’t happen of course,” he told Fox Footy.
“I can tell you now, the last nine minutes is going to be very wide from both teams – there won’t be much contact, and we’ll play out the minutes.”
Melbourne great Garry Lyon added: “It is unbelievable circumstances that have conspired; nine minutes, the result doesn’t mean anything and Melbourne can’t come back and win.”
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Brisbane Lions legend Jonathan Brown wondered whether a particular message should go out on Collingwood’s side.
“Is this the perfect opportunity for Craig McRae to say ‘let’s just fill Nick Daicos’ boots, let’s make sure he gets the three (Brownlow votes),” he said.
“(Give him) absolute certainty, give him another 10 (disposals) in junk time … make sure of it. A bit like Muhammad Ali late in the rounds, he used to jump all over his opponent in the last 20 seconds so he’d get the judges scorecard for that round.”
Jordan Lewis said: “He’s got the three votes already.”
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