A TOP two spot and two home finals are now in Sydney’s hands after the Swans ended Collingwood’s 11-game winning streak in emphatic fashion at the SCG on Sunday.
On a day where Sydney celebrated 40 years since relocating from South Melbourne to the Harbour City, where Josh Kennedy completed a lap of honour after he announced his retirement on Tuesday and where poster boy Isaac Heeney played game No.150, John Longmire’s side enhanced its premiership credentials with a comprehensive 27-point win over the Magpies.
The Swans have now won six games on the trot – nine of 11 – and will finish second on the ladder if they beat St Kilda at Marvel Stadium next Sunday night, after defeating Collingwood 11.11 (77) to 7.8 (50) on the penultimate Sunday of the home and away season.
SWANS v PIES Full match coverage and stats
After finishing in the bottom four in 2019 and 2020, Sydney has risen again after a brief September dalliance last year.
And the SCG is absolutely rocking again.
When Dane Rampe desperately ran down Brody Mihocek to stop a certain goal halfway through the last quarter, a packed house erupted for the loudest cheer on a day of celebration.
There would be no fourth quarter heroics for Collingwood this week. No last gasp miracles. Not another single digit victory after six in a row.
With Collingwood midfielder/forward Jordan De Goey a late out, the Magpies struggled to match the intensity and potency of a Sydney outfit who has emerged as a genuine premiership threat in the past month.
Much like most of the season in this neck of the woods, Sydney had an even spread of contribution across the ground. James Rowbottom, Callum Mills and Chad Warner got the job done around the ball. The McCartin brothers – Paddy and Tom – were enormous behind the ball, as was Robbie Fox and Rampe.
And then it was the rockstar trio of Lance Franklin (three goals), Isaac Heeney (two goals) and Tom Papley (two goals) who terrorised an undersized Collingwood backline that was rattled into uncharacteristic turnovers and nervous moments.
Sydney made a fast start and dominated the opening quarter, kicking four goals to two but should have led by more at the first break. They hit the post twice and had another goal overturned in the ARC. The margin was only 15 points at half-time, but the gulf between the two flag contenders felt like more.
Collingwood briefly threatened to do what they have done so often under Craig McRae in the past three months: Just find a way. But when Jeremy Howe turned over the ball coming out of defensive 50 just after half-time, Franklin capitalised, kicking his second goal to draw level with Tony Lockett on 462 goals – the equal fifth most in club history – and then go past Plugger.
Heeney, Papley and Errol Gulden all added goals before Ash Johnson and Mason Cox kicked two late goals before three-quarter time to create an element of doubt. They couldn’t again, could they?
No, they couldn’t. When James Rowbottom slotted a goal two minutes into the final game, Sydney was home.
They will have to win next weekend to ensure Brisbane or Melbourne don’t pinch second spot, but they are in the box seat now.
With the NRL about to unwrap its shiny new gift – Allianz Stadium – next door next month, Sydney might have two finals at the SCG this September. And from there, anything is possible.
SYDNEY 4.4(28) 5.7(37) 9.10(64) 11.11(77)
COLLINGWOOD 2.3(15) 3.4(22) 6.5(41) 7.8(50)
GOALS
Sydney: Franklin 3, Heeney 2, Papley 2, Gulden, Hayward, Rampe, Rowbottom
Collingwood: Cameron, Cox, N. Daicos, J. Daicos, Ginnivan, Johnson, Mihocek
BEST
Sydney: Mills, Rowbottom, Fox, T. McCartin, Parker, Franklin, Warner
Collingwood: J. Daicos, Pendlebury, Cameron, Maynard
INJURIES
Sydney: None
Collingwood: Ginnivan (hamstring), Hoskin-Elliott (nose)
MEDICAL SUBS
Sydney: Braedan Campbell (unused)
Collingwood: Callum Brown (replaced Jack Ginnivan in third quarter)
CROWD: 44,659 at the Sydney Cricket Ground
