Friday’s final a test for Swans
By Michael DiFabrizio
The Sydney Swans will have a couple of hoodoos to overcome against Collingwood this week if they are to advance to the Grand Final.
The Swans have lost their last 11 matches against the Magpies, which is the longest losing streak that any side has to another in the entire competition.
Perhaps more worryingly, seven of those games have taken place at ANZ Stadium, taking away from Sydney’s hard-earned home ground advantage.
But Collingwood’s form has been up and down of late, and the week off will benefit the Swans.
Plus, in the past two meetings between these sides, the final margins have been only eight and six points.
Sydney and Collingwood finished third and fourth on the ladder respectively, with only percentage separating them.
The Swans were successful in overcoming their first-week finals opponent Adelaide, winning by 29 points, however the Magpies were forced to do things the hard way after losing a physical contest to Hawthorn.
As the Swans playing group rested, on Saturday night Collingwood hosted a West Coast Eagles side determined to cause an upset. In a momentum-swinging game, the Magpies eventually ran out 13-point winners.
The key players were ex-Swan Darren Jolly (who handled the tough assignments of Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui well) and the midfield trio of Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan (who all surpassed 28 disposals). Dale Thomas also reminded us what he was capable of with three third-quarter goals.
Like the Hawthorn game a week earlier, it was the sort of game that would’ve taken its toll on the players’ bodies. Indeed, Chris Dawes (leg) and Alan Didak (calf) both had serious injury concerns towards the end and will be in doubt for this week’s game.
A week earlier, it was a massive Adam Goodes performance that helped set up the Swans’ win over Adelaide, as well as big games from Ted Richards, Ryan O’Keefe and Josh Kennedy.
The Swans will have to replace Ben McGlynn after his hamstring injury, but Trent Dennis-Lane managed to put his hand up over the weekend by kicking five goals for the Swans reserves in their NEAFL Eastern Conference final.
Overall, the week off and the fact they won’t have to travel means many of the niggles players have at this time of year won’t be as much of a factor.
In terms of key match-ups, the battle between Richards and Collingwood star Travis Cloke looms large. Cloke had found form leading into the West Coast game but was kept quiet by Eric Mackenzie. If Richards can repeat Mackenzie’s efforts it will go a long way to nullifying a major threat.
The man the Magpies will need to manage is another gun who’s found form at the right time of year, Goodes. He was still finding his feet after an injury-interrupted campaign when these sides met in Round 20, but his versatility should prove a huge test this time around.
Despite their widely-reported losing streak, the Swans are expected to enter the game as favourites.
All streaks must come to an end at some point, perhaps that time for the Swans is now.