The Result
Collingwood 11.6 (78)
Sydney 9.16 (70)
Goals - Cloke 3, Beams 3, Blair, Didak, Seedsman, Wellingham, Fasolo, Thomas
Disposals - Beams 34, Pendlebury 29, Wellingham 24, Maxwell 20, Reid 20, Seedsman 20
Collingwood has done it again. In 2012, the Magpies have been involved in five games that have been decided by 12 points or less. On each occasion, they have prevailed. The fifth such victory was recorded on Saturday night against a rampaging Sydney outfit that sat atop the AFL ladder after winning its past nine games. But the guts and determination of the Magpies meant that they refused to yield, holding on to an eight-point lead when the final siren sounded.
Click here to watch the CTV highlights.
The match was one of the most engrossing of the season with the two well drilled sides going step for step for four quarters. The margin never exceeded eleven points at any break in play, and Collingwood could thank its goal kicking accuracy as a key factor in its fifteenth win of the season. The Pies converted 11 of their 17 shots at goal, compared with the Swans' nine from 25.
Bucks’ take
“People outside the club like to look at permutations and combinations and percentage and ladder positions. It obviously matters to finish top four and beyond that it'd be nice to have a home final. There are a few interstate clubs floating around in Sydney and Adelaide and West Coast, after their win [against Geelong] last night, so it's something to consider, but in the end when you boil it down you've still got to play really good footy.” - Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley.
Hear more from Bucks in his post match press conference.
Over the fence
“I thought it was two teams having an absolute crack. If you go through all the stats, it was very even. In the end they did a few things right towards the end that meant they got over the line. We had 25 scoring shots to 18, missed a few chances that would've made a difference, but you need to do the right things for the whole game to beat a team like Collingwood.” - Sydney coach John Longmire.
Read the match report here.
Eleven in a row
Collingwood’s hot streak against the Swans continues. The Magpies have now won their past 11 matches against Sydney in a winning run that began back in round 12, 2006. Only Travis Cloke and Scott Pendlebury have been a part of all 11 victories. But it’s still five games short of the club’s longest winning streak against the Swans. Back in their South Melbourne days, the Bloods lost to Collingwood on 16 successive occasions between 1924 and 1933.
Jolly good
Is Darren Jolly in career best form? Granted that he did make the 40-man All-Australian squad in 2010, but the big man has turned in an outstanding past six weeks of football. He has averaged 38 hitouts per game in his last six outings and recorded a career-high 21 disposals against St Kilda last week. Further, his 42 hitouts and 11 possessions against the in form Shane Mumford and Mike Pyke were instrumental in getting the Pies over the line in one of the games of the year.
Nice to see you again
Every match throws up an interesting quirk or two. On Saturday night, former Magpie Rhyce Shaw stepped out against his old side for the fifth time since crossing to the harbour city at the end of 2008. The Racer averages 20.2 disposals against Collingwood and appeared to enjoy sharing a laugh with former teammate and good friend Alan Didak. Fortunately for the Magpies, it was Didak who was grinning at the end of the night when his side edged over the line.
The medical room
Magpie hearts skipped a beat when Dale Thomas hobbled off ANZ Stadium in the opening term after colliding with Swans ruckman Mike Pyke. They relaxed when he returned during the second quarter but the fact that he was substituted out of the match before half time meant that the Pies had to win without the influence of their ignitor. Fortunately, it appears that Thomas will be ready to tackle North Melbourne on Saturday night.
The complete package
Dayne Beams really is all that and more. We’ve written ad nauseum about his stellar 2012 but he really stamped himself on the competition with a best on ground display in Saturday night’s win. When it came to the crunch, Beams stood tall. He feasted on 34 disposals, laid five strong tackles and, most memorably, kicked three of the most important goals of the season. Each goal came at a crucial juncture in the match and none more so than his left footer around the corner with seconds remaining to ice the eight-point win.
Watch the CTV highlights, including Beams’ brilliance and the final minute, here.
Consider this
Collingwood has only lost to three teams in its past 60 games. Only Hawthorn (three losses), Geelong (three losses) and Carlton (two losses) have had the Magpies measure since the Pies took it up a cog midway through 2010
What does it mean?
- The Magpies' love affair with the Olympic Stadium continues. From 10 visits, the team has returned victorious on eight occasions.
- Sydney’s Lewis Jetta has been one of the players of the year. His rapid improvement has helped catapult the Swans into the competition’s top echelon. But Alan Toovey put the clamps on the speedy wingman, restricting him to 16 disposals and no goals. It was only the second time Jetta has been held goal less this season.
- The Magpie Army will travel high and low to see its team. They piled into ANZ Stadium on Saturday night, taking the crowd to 45,827 - the Swans’ biggest home crowd of the season and their most at the venue since 2008.
VFL
After last week’s win over Bendigo, the VFL Magpies crashed back to earth on Sunday in a 72-point loss to Sandringham. The highlight was the return of Ben Johnson who cut swathe through the midfield with 19 disposals including eight in the first quarter. Andrew Krakouer and Brent Macaffer continued to steadily build momentum as they return from knee injuries.
Looking ahead…
Another Saturday night, another Collingwood blockbuster. The Magpies are the masters of Saturday night football in the back end of the season. Their last five games of the year are all under the Saturday night lights across the country. This week, they face a resurgent North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. While the Roos are sure to have their tails up, Collingwood fans can enter the match with confidence that their team will continue to back itself to the hilt.
