Australian Football

Match Report

Collingwood has maintained its remarkably successful recent record against Sydney, defeating the Swans by 20 points at Stadium Australia on Saturday night. The Magpies have now won nine of their last 10 matches at the venue, a statistic made all the more impressive by the fact that the wins have come during Sydney's most successful ever era.

Sydney made the early running in this match. After Jamie Elliot opened proceedings with a goal for Collingwood at the seven-minute mark, the Swans gradually got on top, with Sam Reid, Dane Rampe and Nick Malceski kicking the remaining goals of the term to give Sydney an 11-point buffer at the first change.

The Swans also dominated the early part of the second quarter, and goals to Mike Pyke and Ben McGlynn saw the lead blow out to 23 points after five minutes. That was to be the high point of the match for Sydney as Collingwood slowly turned things around from that moment. A mark and goal from outside 50 by Tyson Goldsack set the ball rolling at the seven-minute mark and another mark and goal, this time to Travis Cloke, reduced the deficit to 11 points two minutes later.

Collingwood attacked relentlessly for the next 10 minutes bit could only convert that into three behinds and there was a danger that the wind might be taken from the Pies' sails when Dan Hannebery goaled to take the margin back out to 15 points at the 21-minute mark. But the Magpies continued to come and a magnificent running goal from skipper Scott Pendlebury reduced the lead to nine points deep into time-on. Buddy Franklin responded for the Swans but Ben Sinclair kicked the last of the half to see Collingwood within two goals at the long break.

The Magpies dominated the first 20 minutes of the third term, kicking 3.4 to just three behinds to the Swans, to take a 10 point lead into time-on. Franklin then made his presence felt, kicking a goal himself and then passing one off to Harry Cunningham. But a goal in between to Cloke allowed Collingwood to turn for home three points ahead.

The home crowd expected a strong finish from the Swans and appeared likely to receive it when Lewis Jetta kicked the first goal of the last term but it was to prove to be Sydney's last hurrah. The Pies attacked again and again, rewarded only with behinds that saw the scores become level but a goal to Dayne Beams after 15 minutes saw the Pies take a lead that they would not relinquish. Majors to Elliott and Clinton Young closed out the match, Collingwood the victors by 20 points.

It was an encouraging performance from the Magpies, who had been 'touched up' by Fremantle in round one, and they will head into their next match against Geelong next Saturday night with restored confidence. The Swans are in unfamiliar territory, 14th on the ladder with a zero-two record, and they face another tough match at the Adelaide Oval next Saturday against the Crows.

GOALS
Sydney: Franklin 2; Rampe, Malceski, Pyke, McGlynn, Hannebery, Reid, Cunningham, Jetta
Collingwood: Elliott 3; Goldsack, Cloke 2; Pendlebury, Sinclair, Swan, Beams, Young

BEST - SMH.COM.AU
Sydney: Kennedy, Hannebery, McVeigh, Mitchell, Richards
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Beams, Elliott, Frost, Maxwell, Lumumba

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Sydney: Hannebery, Kennedy, McGlynn, Jetta, Mitchell, McVeigh
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Beams, Lumumba, Elliott, Macaffer, Grundy

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Collingwood: Witts (tactical) replaced in selected side by Dwyer, Brown (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Craig Bird replaced Gary Rohan at three quarter-time.
Collingwood: Taylor Adams replaced Nathan Brown at three quarter-time

UMPIRES: Farmer, Rosebury, Foot

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling