A final-quarter rally by Collingwood saw the Magpies pip Terry Wallace's new-look Richmond by seven points in a Wizard Cup thriller that kicked off the AFL season at Telstra Dome.

A nine-point super-goal by oft-maligned Magpie Andrew Williams 26 minutes into the final quarter sealed his team's 3.12.16 (115) to 5.9.9 (108) victory, leaving fans of both teams with frayed nerves in mid-February.

Richmond led by 25 points at the 10-minute mark of the final quarter and looked to have done enough to kick off the Wallace era with a win.

However Collingwood had been the better side for much of the night, and reduced the deficit to just four points entering time-on before Williams proved the hero.

The former West Coast man marked just outside 50 on a tight angle, with his shot just clearing an army of players on the goal line.

A crowd of 33,639 looked on for the first AFL action of the season, with much interest on Richmond under Wallace and with new boys Richard Tambling and Brett Deledio, along with recruits Troy Simmonds, Trent Knobel and Mark Graham.

Tambling particularly showed more than a few glimpses of his precocious talent, but Deledio was the pick of the new men, winning his own ball and showing decent composure in his debut.

Kane Johnson, a candidate for the Tigers captaincy this season, was instrumental in giving the Tigers a 12-point lead at quarter time.

But the second quarter was all Collingwood, with Paul Licuria and Shane O'Bree - who was moved onto Johnson - prominent and Chris Tarrant making hay up forward against inexperienced opponent Daniel Jackson.

The Magpies kicked the first four goals of the quarter, but it could and probably should have been seven or eight to punish their opponent.

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