Jack Higgins responds to a controversial goal during the Saints’ 15-point victory over the Magpies in the AFL.

Jack Higgins downplays the controversy surrounding his pivotal goal in St Kilda’s 15-point triumph over reigning premiers Collingwood at the MCG on Thursday night. The disputed moment raised questions about whether Higgins was out of bounds when he took his shot from 40 meters out. Drawing comparisons to a notorious incident in Collingwood’s history when Carlton’s Wayne Harmes similarly affected play in the 1979 grand final, Higgins lightened the mood during a post-match interview with the Seven Network. He humorously likened his goal to jockey Craig Williams receiving a poor barrier draw at Caulfield Racecourse, quipping, “I felt like Craig Williams, I was in the Monash Uni car park out at Caulfield. So it wasn’t bad, so I’ll take it.” Collingwood coach Craig McRae, however, chose to redirect attention to his team’s performance during the media briefing after the match. He expressed concern over fundamental skill errors, attributing them to experienced players and emphasizing the collective responsibility to address these shortcomings.