Watch Travis Cloke speak to CTV in the rooms after the win about his six-goal performance.

COLLINGWOOD has survived some wayward kicking and a brave Sydney Swans fightback to prevail 13.21 (99) to 14.9 (93) in an epic AFL contest at ANZ Stadium.

It is the Magpies' 10th straight win over the Swans, but they had to dig deep after the home side roared back from a five-goal deficit to take the lead 10 minutes into the final term.

Late goals to Sharrod Wellingham and the best-on-ground Travis Cloke, however, allowed Collingwood to claim its 11th win from 12 games this season.

Cloke finished with six goals for the reigning premiers and Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury were prominent as they narrowly avoided their first defeat to the Swans since round 13, 2005.

Co-captain Jarrad McVeigh kicked four goals and had 17 possessions for the Swans, while Ryan O'Keefe impressed and Adam Goodes lifted after half-time.

It was an admirable effort from the home side, but it is still left with a fifth loss from as many attempts against top-four sides in 2011.

The Swans received a blow before the game with key defender Ted Richards ruled out with an ankle injury, giving youngster Lewis Johnston his second AFL game.

Richards' loss meant the home side lacked experience in their attempts to combat Collingwood's tall forward line, with Cloke taking full advantage.

There were worrying signs from the start for the Swans, with Kieren Jack forced from the ground in the opening minute following a head clash with teammate Jude Bolton.

Swan then showed the benefits of some Arizona air by kicking the game's opening goal.

But the Swans responded, using quick ball movement to hit the front courtesy of goals to the returning Jesse White and O'Keefe.

The home side held sway for much of the first term, but Cloke was hammering Heath Grundy in their duel and the Magpies gradually took control.

If not for some poor set shots, Collingwood would have led by more than eight points at the first break.

After a reasonably free-flowing first quarter, the Swans tried to close the game down in the second term, but Collingwood still extended its lead to 17 points at half-time.

The Swans kicked three straight goals to end the third quarter to reduce the margin to just nine points and then found themselves in front in the final term.

But the Pies steadied to continue their dominance over the Swans.

Key moment
With scores level late in the final term and the Swans boasting plenty of momentum, defender Tadhg Kennelly attempted a handball out of defence. However, he only succeeded in gifting possession straight to Sharrod Wellingham, who faked and kicked truly to put the Magpies back in front.

MATCH DETAILS

Sydney Swans    4.3   5.5    11.6     14.9    (93)
Collingwood       5.5   7.10   11.15  13.21  (99)

GOALS
Sydney Swans: McVeigh 4, Goodes 3, O'Keefe 2, Bolton 2, Jack, White, Mattner
Collingwood: Cloke 6, Pendlebury, Blair, Ball, Wellingham, Sidebottom, Dawes, Swan

BEST
Sydney Swans: Goodes, Bolton, O'Keefe, McVeigh, McGlynn, Mattner
Collingwood: Cloke, Pendlebury, Swan, Dawes, Reid, O'Brien

INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Richards (ankle) replaced in selected side by Lewis Johnston, Jack (ankle)
Collingwood: Didak (calf soreness)

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney Swans: Kieran Jack replaced by Andrejs Everitt in the second quarter
Collingwood: Alan Didak replaced by John McCarthy in the third quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Farmer, Rosebury, Mollison

Official crowd: 38,053 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily the AFL or their clubs