Great labels epic grand final 'best game I've ever seen'

Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has ranked the 2023 grand final as "the best game" (he's) ever seen", after Collingwood held off Brisbane by four points in a thriller.

The Magpies won their 16th V/AFL flag, with goal sneak Bobby Hill, who was traded from the Giants at the start of the season, collecting the Norm Smith medal with four goals.

"I thought it was the best game that I've ever seen, let alone a Grand Final," Cornes said on Nine's Sunday Footy Show.

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"It's going to go down in history."

Matthew Lloyd echoed Cornes' sentiment, confident that the 2023 grand final was as good as an all-time classic, Hawthorn 1989 premiership over the Cats.

"I always talk about 1989 when I fell in love with footy watching Hawthorn v Geelong. It was just brutal that game. But I think it's (2023) the best one I've seen since then," Lloyd told the Sunday Footy Show.

Lloyd pinpointed how he believes Collingwood reached the ultimate success, leaning on their veterans to stand up on the biggest stage of the year.

"Too many coaches tip out veterans and think they need to move on with youth. But what (Scott) Pendlebury, (Steele) Sidebottom, (Jack) Crisp, (Tom) Mitchell and (Jeremy) Howe did for Collingwood yesterday, I think other coaches could take note.

"Keep good people around and it can take you a long way."

But Cornes did have a bone to pick with the umpires, after a nightmare start with the opening bounce of the grand final, that had to be recalled and thrown up.

"Yesterday signalled, finally, the death of the bounce," Cornes said.

"Goodnight to the bounce, it will not be there next year.

"You can't start the grand final with that anti-climax.

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"So many times in big moments, after a big goal, you go back to the centre bounce and the umpire butchers it to the right and you've got to thrown it up again."

However, Cornes believed the ball up method worked in the Magpies' favour and helped them win their premiership.

"I think it gave Collingwood an advantage when Mason Cox was in. The recall and the throw up favoured him."

Collingwood have celebrated their flag in style on Sunday, presenting the team, coach Craig McRae and the premiership cup to near 15,000 fans at AIA Vitality Centre.