Swans' best chance to bury Collingwood hoodoo

By Andrew McGarry

Updated September 21, 2012 16:37:31

A big crowd, a place in the grand final and a dangerous streak on the line - the Sydney v Collingwood preliminary final has it all.

The Sydney Swans have had the week off after beating Adelaide at Football Park and go into the match as strong favourites.

But Collingwood has the psychological advantage, with an 11-game winning streak over Sydney stretching back six years.

This includes the last seven games at the Olympic stadium, giving Pies' supporters even more to shout about.

Collingwood's hoodoo status was highlighted as recently as round 20, when the Swans went down by eight points at the same venue as tonight.

Despite losing contested possessions by seven, forward entries by eight, and hitouts by 22, the Pies managed to win where it counted.

Collingwood scored 10 more clearances, made nine more tackles and converted their chances with 12 goals, six behinds to Sydney's nine goals, 16 behinds.

The bottom line is that Collingwood beat Sydney at its own game, pressuring the Swans and making the most of their opportunities.

It is this history - coupled with Collingwood's excellent performance against West Coast a week ago - that points to a Magpies win.

There are also strong arguments to back a rare home victory, however.

While Dale Thomas (three goals) provided Collingwood's X-factor last week against the Eagles, the loss of Alan Didak (calf) will have an impact on the Magpies' forward play.

In addition, the decision to go with banged-up forward Chris Dawes as backup to Darren Jolly in the ruck could backfire badly, with serious question marks over Dawes' ability to survive four quarters of finals football with a knee injury.

The Swans' tandem of Shane Mumford and Mike Pyke will test Dawes out to the fullest, and if he is found wanting the Magpies could rue going against the conventional wisdom of not risking injured players in key finals.

On the other side of the ledger, the Swans will welcome back Heath Grundy to the back six, after he deservedly had a week off for his elbow smash on Geelong's James Podsiadly in round 23.

The Sydney defence - led by All-Australian Ted Richards, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Martin Mattner and Nick Malceski - shut down a talented Crows' forward line in Adelaide a fortnight ago without Grundy.

His return will make it even harder for Collingwood if Dawes cannot provide a solid marking and scoring alternative to key forward Travis Cloke, who has come back into scintillating form after a terrible couple of months.

The big battle will be in the midfield, with the likes of Dane Swan, Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury, Sharrod Wellingham and Steele Sidebottom facing off against the Swans group including Kieran Jack, Jarrod McVeigh, Josh Kennedy, Daniel Hannebery and Jude Bolton (in his 300th game for Sydney).

If Collingwood can pick off some of the taps from Mumford and Pyke, then the precious clearances may once again favour the visitors, and go a long way toward winning the game.

The second key for the Swans is their two game-breakers, Adam Goodes and Lewis Jetta.

As Sydney fell from first to first to third in the final weeks of the season - losing a first home final in the process - one clear concern for the Swans was the poor form of Goodes and Jetta.

That all changed in the first final against Adelaide, as Goodes (three goals) and Jetta (two) opened up the Crows on a number of occasions and showed that they were back to something like their best.

The Swans will need both of these players firing if they are to win.

Lastly, there are the contrasting preparations for the game.

Sydney has had the opportunity to rest up players and recharge the batteries after the win over Adelaide.

Collingwood comes off a morale-boosting win over West Coast, but the team will have to deal with the rigours of a six-day break and the emotions of attending Thursday's funeral of former team-mate John McCarthy before arriving in Sydney barely 24 hours before the game.

If Sydney is ever to break Collingwood's hold over the team, it has to be tonight.

The Swans are back in form, strengthened by Grundy's return and reassured by the knowledge that Adelaide had beaten them on 12 out of the last 14 meetings before Sydney won comprehensively at Football Park.

That said, the Magpies have the ability to repeat round 20's victory - and if they do, it will be a devastating psychological blow for the Swans.

Sydney by 10

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, nsw, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted September 21, 2012 12:02:32

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Magpies hoodoo continues for Swans

Updated August 12, 2012 17:27:34

Collingwood made an emphatic statement about its premiership credentials on Saturday night, downing ladder-leaders Sydney by eight points in a thrilling match worthy of September billing.

The Magpies were routinely challenged in a scrappy clash played under finals-like pressure, but held sway in a dramatic final quarter to win 12.6 (78) to 9.16 (70) at the Olympic stadium.

Sydney held a 17-point lead, the largest margin of the game, halfway through the third term and then had countless chances to regain the advantage in the final quarter.

Lewis Jetta, Ben McGlynn, Tony Armstrong, Josh Kennedy and Adam Goodes all missed shots in the fourth term, with Goodes having a forgettable night on the whole.

The Magpies' win, achieved largely without star wingman Dale Thomas who was substituted early in the second quarter with a leg injury, extended Collingwood's winning streak against Sydney to 11 matches.

It also laid the platform for a thrilling end to the season, with the Magpies, Swans and Adelaide all on 60 points and tussling for top spot on the ladder.

Fittingly it was best-on-ground Dayne Beams who kicked the sealer in the dying stages.

As predicted by Swans coach John Longmire on Friday, Beams took up the slack left by star midfielder Dane Swan, who copped a club-imposed two-game ban for drinking.

While Beams' influence was quelled somewhat by Kieren Jack, who was shifted onto him after halftime, he still finished the game with impressive numbers - 34 disposals, 11 clearances and three goals.

In a match where both sides struggled to create goals or much free space, Swans on-baller Kennedy worked the stoppages in Brett Kirk-like fashion.

Kennedy had a game-high 40 possessions, eight tackles and nine clearances.

Thomas's injury was worked on for the duration of quarter-time, he returned to the field in the second term but was still restricted.

It meant coach Nathan Buckley had to turn to veteran goal-sneak Alan Didak earlier than expected.

Didak, who returned for his first AFL game since sustaining a groin injury while playing against Melbourne on June 11, showed his spark was still there with the last goal of the first half.

Swans utility Lewis Roberts-Thomson was involved in a heated wrestle with former teammate Darren Jolly in the second term, while Collingwood spearhead Chris Dawes could face sanction after hurling his mouth guard in anger at Swans defender Alex Johnson.

The Swans were inaccurate in front of goal and guilty of turning the ball over far too often in a low-scoring game played in front of a crowd of 45,827 - Sydney's biggest since 2008.

The match was marred by windy conditions, best typified by the fact Sydney's banner collapsed before 100-gamer McGlynn could run through.

Buckley paid tribute to his charges' decision-making and attack on the ball in the "excellent win".

"I thought the boys showed really good concentration, intensity, ticker, hunger - whatever you want to call it," he said.

"It was a very strong four-quarter performance. Especially when there were things that weren't going our way at some times."

Longmire was disappointed with the loss that ended his club's nine-game winning streak, but took heart from how close they came to victory in the September dress rehearsal.

"I thought that it was just two teams having an absolute crack. You go through the stats and it was very even," he said.

"I think we had 25 scoring shots to 18, we missed a few chances that would have made a difference at important times."

Collingwood: 12.6 (78) - Goals: Beams 3, Cloke 3, Blair, Didak, Fasolo, Seedsman, Thomas, Wellingham.

Sydney: 9.16 (70) - Goals: Roberts-Thompson 2, Bird, Dennis-Lane, Goodes, Kennedy, McGlynn, O'Keefe, Pyke.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, sydney-2000, collingwood-3066

First posted August 11, 2012 22:30:57

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No Pies hoodoo for Swans: Goodes

Updated August 09, 2012 15:46:00

Adam Goodes has dismissed any talk of a Collingwood curse as Sydney looks for its first win over the Magpies since 2005 on Saturday night.

Since then, it has been an unrelenting tale of woe for Sydney, who has lost its last ten games to the Magpies.

Goodes, fellow co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Malceski, Ryan O'Keefe and Lewis Roberts-Thomson are the only present-day Swans who were part of the 2005 victory at Olympic stadium, where the two high-flying teams meet again this weekend.

Sydney won by just one point in 2005, but do not ask the childhood Magpies fan Goodes - who kicked two goals in the game - for a blow-by-blow description.

"I can't remember anything about it to tell you the truth - 2005 was a long time ago," Goodes said.

He was equally fuzzy about Travis Cloke's six-goal haul against the Swans last season, though made light of his memory lapses where the Pies are concerned.

"My memory is not too good about the Pies, maybe that's for a reason, maybe I'm scarred or something," Goodes joked.

Sydney's elder statesman was more serious when asked about the losing streak.

"I don't think there is a curse at all, it's another game of football and it's against a side that we haven't beaten (recently)," Goodes said.

"It's no different to last week, it's no different to a month ago, so whether it's the Pies or whoever we play next week, I don't think there is a hoodoo or anything.

With Sydney riding a nine-match winning streak, Goodes believed the time was right to end their miserable sequence against the Pies.

"I think if we work hard and stick to our game plan, we definitely can," Goodes said.

"I used to barrack for Collingwood as a kid and I used to love playing Collingwood and winning.

"It has been a while between drinks.

"It's a great opportunity for us to play a team that is around about where we think we are and it's a good opportunity to put a win on them."

While lamenting the loss through injury of Jude Bolton, Goodes felt it was neutralised by Collingwood's suspension of Dane Swan.

"It (Swan's suspension) is a bonus for us, he's a fantastic player, he's been in super form, and I think it just cancels out our injury with Jude hopefully," Goodes said.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, collingwood-3066

First posted August 09, 2012 15:46:00

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Sanderson ignoring Crows' hoodoo

Updated May 19, 2012 10:51:27

Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson is ignoring his club's losing streak in Melbourne ahead of Sunday's clash against Carlton at Docklands.

The Crows have not won in the Victorian capital since 2009, when they beat the Blues in round 22.

But Sanderson, who has Adelaide in third spot with six wins and a loss in his debut season as a head coach, said the past record was irrelevant to him.

"Not winning in Melbourne is a tricky one for me because I have just come into the job," he said.

"And we have had good wins on the road already - we have beaten Sydney away, we beat Gold Coast away in round one.

"So it doesn't matter which border you cross, it's still an away game and we would like to think we go well on the road.

"The Melbourne hoodoo, I won't be talking about it with the players.

"We don't play too many games at Etihad but you would think it would suit our game style - the way that we're playing at the moment, that won't hold too many fears for us."

Sanderson was more concerned with quelling a star-studded Carlton, who sit in fourth place after last week's loss to St Kilda.

"Their best is almost unbeatable," he said.

"The Carlton side when they're up and about, their ability to win inside ball and get you on the outside with speed - that is the main area that we're looking to focus on."

The Crows, who lost the competition's leading goal kicker Taylor Walker to suspension, enter the match with an extra two days rest than the Blues.

"Once they bounce the ball, it doesn't mean much," Sanderson said.

"But what we have been doing is running games out really well.

"We have been scoring heavily in the back half of quarters so you would think if we keep putting speed on the game, that has been suiting and hopefully we can exploit that again on the weekend."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, carlton-3053, adelaide-5000, sa

First posted May 19, 2012 10:48:31

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Eagles primed to break Derby hoodoo

Updated May 11, 2011 18:29:00

West Coast skipper Darren Glass is adamant the Eagles now possess the weapons needed to break their demoralising losing run against AFL arch-rival Fremantle.

The Eagles made life miserable for Fremantle in the early days, regularly playing the role of bully both on the scoreboard and in the physical stakes as the Dockers were handed a series of painful Western Derby losses.

But the tide has turned since Mark Harvey took the reins of Fremantle in late 2007, with the Dockers winning the past seven Derbies to narrow the ledger to 18-14 in West Coast's favour.

Although Fremantle is expected to push for a top-four berth this season and West Coast is still in rebuilding mode, Glass is confident the rejuvenated Eagles will be able to more than match it when the two teams meet at Patersons Stadium this Sunday.

"It's probably our best chance in a while," he said on Wednesday.

"I think over the last couple of years they've clearly been the better side.

"I don't think they've got the wood on us.

"I think this side has changed a lot over the last three years.

"Clearly we are a different side to last year so hopefully it can be a different result.

"There's certainly an element of wanting to win the derby.

"It's a big disappointment not having won one for quite some time, so we are keen to rectify that."

West Coast midfielders Andrew Gaff and Chris Masten are in line for a recall after starring in the WAFL last week.

Gaff, who has been used as West Coast's nominated sub for much of the season, tallied 34 disposals for South Fremantle last week, while Masten has now played two WAFL games since recovering from the knee injury he suffered in round one.

"I'd expect them both to be in the mix," Glass said.

"Gaffy was a good contributor for us coming on as a sub anyway ... and Masto has been in great form as well. I'd expect both of them to be thereabouts."

The Dockers will assess the fitness of goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring) on Saturday, but Fremantle coach Mark Harvey declared Kepler Bradley (shin) and Nat Fyfe (shoulder) certain starters.

West Coast (3-3 record) has enjoyed a bright start to the season and Glass was confident the side's young guns would stand tall in the heat of Derby battle.

"We've got some game breakers like Luke Shuey (and) Scotty Selwood's a ferocious tackler," he said.

"I think we've got the mix in there for guys to play well in big games."

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, fremantle-6160, perth-6000

First posted May 11, 2011 18:12:00

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