THIS didn't look like a game between a team that has invited comparisons with the dying Fitzroy and a possible premiership contender.

Melbourne was better than it has been, Collingwood slightly worse. That Melbourne seemed inspired by the ghosts of Demons past irritated Mick Malthouse, who posed the question of why his opposition should regard this particular game as more significant than any other.

But given what preceded yesterday's game, should we be surprised that the Demons chose yesterday to display their better angels?

Consider the confluence of circumstances: they had celebrated their 150th anniversary — a reminder to current players of a rich heritage — had been appalling against St Kilda, were given a showpiece game at their home ground against the enemy.

They also had a record of performing well on the official birthday of Elizabeth Windsor, when as some wits had it, they would "draw a line in the snow" and raise a special effort.

Melbourne had won the previous four encounters on this day, a fact that was clearly the source of the commodity it has most lacked — confidence.

Adem Yze, nigh invisible during a club's annus horribilis that would put the Queen's scandal-riddled 1992 to shame, was a symptom of how the Demons searched within and discovered a desperation that either has been absent for most of 2008, or has been drowned in a deluge of skill deficiencies.

Yze had what was easily his best output for this year, reproducing the one-touch skills and awareness of his long-lost prime.

Yet, his performance still echoed that of the Demons in that while he did much better, cleaner work, it still wasn't good enough.

In the final quarter, Yze blotted an otherwise excellent afternoon when he attempted two highly ambitious attempts at goal from near the boundary. It was as though, having rediscovered some of his old skill, he forgot the Clint Eastwood maxim, that a man's gotta know his limitations, especially at 30.

Colin Sylvia and Brad Green, likewise, were solid contributors who ultimately undid some of their toil with crucial misses — Sylvia botched a regulation shot in the second term, while Green twice stuffed important shots in the third quarter, then sank the one that counted less on the siren; by then, the Magpies had wrested control of the contest.

Collingwood won simply because it did everything — tackling, the contested ball, finishing — slightly better.

The Pies went inside their forward 50 metres arc 56 times to 51, had 11 more possessions and converted more of the money shots.

Their edge was most evident in the third quarter, when a seven point half-time lead grew to a decisive 23 points.

Perhaps the difference between the teams can be seen in respective contributions of better players.

Scott Burns and Brock McLean each had 36 possessions and won nine clearances. Burns, however, was cleaner and more constructive by hand and foot; were there a "Healey-Adams" or "Barassi-Rose" medal given to the best warrior in this game (thankfully, there isn't), Burns would have got the gong.

Similarly, Collingwood's answer to Yze, Alan Didak, played like a gun in his middle 20s — sure in all that he did, and sometimes brilliant. The interventions of Dale Thomas, while less frequent and artful than Didak's, were typically spectacular: his three-bounce goal from the flank in the final quarter sealed the result.

If the Demons missed the aerial threat once posed by David Neitz and Russell Robertson, the upside was that the younger forwards applied more pressure than the Demons hitherto have managed this year, yesterday's slippery ball placing a premium on pressure.

Matthew Bate, one of few Demon forwards with the potential to kick the three or four goals, was snuffed out by Harry O'Brien, who has improved to the point that he can negate and rebound effectively.

For the reasons outlined, the Demons "got up" for the occasion, without being good enough to get up.

COLLINGWOOD 3.2 8.5 15.8 17.14 (116)
MELBOURNE 4.1 7.4 11.9 13.17 (95)

GOALS — Collingwood: Davis 2, Didak 2, Lockyer 2, H Shaw 2, Medhurst, O'Brien, Cox, Thomas, Brown, Wellingham, Fraser, Johnson, Swan. Melbourne: Sylvia 3, Wonaeamirri 3, Yze 2, Green 2, Jones, McLean, Dunn.

BEST — Collingwood: Burns, Didak, Lockyer, Wakelin, H Shaw, R Shaw. Melbourne: McLean, Jones, Green, White, Yze, Moloney.

INJURIES: Collingwood: Rocca (ankle) replaced in selected side by Cox, Pendlebury (back) replaced in selected side by Cook. Melbourne: Rivers (groin), Moloney (shoulder).

UMPIRES: Vozzo, Farmer, Meredith.

CROWD: 59,548 at the MCG.

THE UPSHOT WITH the crowd only a smidgen under the magic number of 60,000 set by AFL boss Andrew Demetriou, it looks like Melbourne lives to play another day on Queen's Birthday. But if Collingwood coach Michael Malthouse has his way, there is a chance it might not be against Collingwood.

TALKING POINT THE bloodied head of Matthew Warnock. According to Demons officials, Collingwood forward Travis Cloke headbutted the young Melbourne defender and should come under scrutiny by the match review panel. Warnock left the ground to have his head taped up by trainers but returned later.

HOT AND COLD COLLINGWOOD skipper Scott Burns had one of those unusual days where he got a lot of the ball but you almost didn't notice him. Sadly for the Demons, their injury woes continued, with Brent Moloney going down with a shoulder and Jared Rivers a groin strain.