Collingwood have survived a massive scare brought about by their own woeful inaccuracy in front of goal and lost three key players to injuries in a tense nine-point AFL win over Sydney at the Gabba.
Will Hoskin-Elliott, Adam Treloar and Isaac Quaynor all failed to finish Thursday's match as the Magpies' almost kicked themselves to a third straight defeat.
Brayden Maynard was also treated for a shoulder complaint but returned to play an important role in defence as Nathan Buckley's men recorded an important 6.14 (50) to 6.5 (41) victory.
The positive result in Queensland came after a horror end to the Pies' time in Perth, where they lost games to West Coast and Fremantle and copped a hefty fine for coronavirus protocol breaches.
Hoskin-Elliott had his right knee accidentally stepped on and had the same leg caught under an opponent's body during the first quarter.
He has bone bruising and possible structural issues, with further tests to determine the full extent of the damage.
Treloar went to the dressing room with a mystery ailment at three-quarter time and Quaynor was taken off the field on a stretcher with a right ankle injury late in the final term.
Collingwood dominated clearances (19-7) and forward 50m entries (32-11) in the first half but managed just 2.10 to the Swans' five straight goals and trailed by eight points at the main break.
The weight of numbers eventually told late in the match as the Magpies reclaimed the lead with three third-quarter goals and held sway in the final quarter, despite being three men down on the bench.
"We largely were able to impose ourselves on the game and control the game for pretty much all of it," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said.
"There was probably 10 minutes in that last quarter where the Swans were able to get the ball forward a little bit more often but we totally controlled that.
"We could've lost it in the end and it wouldn't have been the way the game was played, but we do need to finish and that will come."
Treloar starred with 25 disposals as Steele Sidebottom (17 touches) - in his second game back from suspension - again underlined his importance in the absence of injured captain Scott Pendlebury.
Taylor Adams (29 disposals) was another prime mover and tall forward Ben Reid was one of six individual goal kickers for the Pies in his first AFL game since last year's preliminary final.
Jake Lloyd (25 possessions) was Sydney's most prolific ball-winner but the Swans had few winners in an undermanned midfield that was well beaten.
The result hung in the balance until Josh Daicos (25 disposals) evoked memories of his mercurial father Peter and nailed a goal with a superb checkside kick near the boundary line in the final few minutes.