Pies prevail over Swans in a matter of centimetres

Sydney midfielder George Hewett (No.29) feels the full force of the pack. The Swan was left concussed. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Life is certainly never dull around Dane Rampe. The Sydney co-captain almost inadvertently cost his team a win over Essendon by climbing a goal post a fortnight ago. On Friday night, another misjudgement may have ended the Swans’ chances against Collingwood.

In another entertaining SCG stoush between these two sides, the last three clashes now decided by an aggregate of just 10 points, Sydney trailed by only two points with three minutes left, when Magpie Chris Mayne marked around 40 metres from goal.

He missed the gettable shot. Fortunately for he and the Pies, not so the Swans, Rampe, in his attempt to distract the Collingwood player, had charged at the mark from some distance away, finishing well past the point he should have, a 50-metre penalty the considerable price.

It was a pity, for Rampe had played a terrific game on Magpie forward Jaidyn Stephenson, clearly one of the Swans’ best. But Sydney should know after winning its last two games by a collective 10 points that the difference between victory and defeat can be a matter of centimetres. And this time it was. Literally.

Collingwood hadn’t lost a first quarter all season, but did this time thanks to a quick start by the Swans.

It was Sam Reid who got them going with a strong mark in front and conversion just under five minutes in. Then Lance Franklin made it two with a typically exciting Franklin burst inside 50 and straight kick.

Eyebrows began to be raised by the time Reid had his second, a nice piece of crumbing but poor defending from the Pies, three men flying for the one high ball, Reid perfectly placed at the foot of the pack.

Even then, though, Collingwood had a good reason not to be prematurely alarmed. It might not have been the scoreboard, but the Pies, still goalless, had had more inside 50 entries and were comfortably winning the contested ball. Brodie Grundy was also playing a ripper in the ruck. And soon enough, those advantages were converted into something more tangible.

Daniel Wells, playing his first game since June 11 last year, opened Collingwood’s account with the benefit of a 50-metre penalty shortly before quarter-time. And that was just the start. Before the 10-minute mark of the second term had been reached, Wells had three, and the Pies led by 11 points.

Skipper Scott Pendlebury dribbled a miracle goal through from the boundary line. From the next centre bounce, Wells was in perfect position to mark a quick kick off the ground by Callum Brown. His own quick boot off the ground a couple of minutes later put the Pies well on top.

Sydney wasn’t done yet, the Swans stringing together a couple of quick goals of their own. Tom Papley on the board and Reid with his third. But a beautiful pass from James Aish set Jaidyn Stephenson up to restore the ledger.

By half-time, Collingwood might have led by only nine points (or nine behinds to be more specific), but those important numbers read domination, 37 inside 50s almost doubling the Swans’ 19. The hit-outs were 29-11 and it was eight marks inside 50 to just three, Magpie defender Jordan Roughead having Franklin under control.

He wasn’t the only star having a quiet one. Swan tagger Ryan Clarke had done a brilliant job on the normally prolific Steele Sidebottom, statless in the first term and with just three touches to the long break.

But Pendlebury, who was being looked after by Sydney’s No.1 shutdown man George Hewett, was getting right off the chain, the Pies’ leading possession getter with 15 in just a half. Levi Greenwood, too, seemed to be everywhere, continually mopping up behind the contest.

It was all set up for Collingwood to pull away. Instead, it was Sydney which came charging out of the blocks after half-time, the Pies at the same time losing the goal productivity of Wells, who, sadly, limped off early in the third term with a knee injury.

Sam Reid’s fourth made it just two points the difference. His brother Ben missed at the other end moments later for the Pies. Brown, however, made no mistake. A free and goal to Robbie Fox was answered by a lovely spin and snap by Brody Mihocek.

But it was the Swans who dominated the rest of the third term, with Sam Reid on fire. His fifth goal was a superb checkside snap from the boundary line. Franklin escaped the clutches of Roughead long enough to snap another, then Reid put No.6 on the board, three goals in time-on giving Sydney its biggest lead since the opening term.

Now, though, injuries would conspire against the home side. Hewett was already off concussed. Losing Josh Kennedy on top of that was perhaps for the Swans a fatal blow.

Collingwood resumed its dominance around the ball and the goals duly followed. A beauty to Chris Mayne, lying flat on his back in the goalsquare. From the next centre bounce, Grundy rose again, won the tap, then a clearance, his handball setting Brown on path to goal. A free to Ben Reid put the Pies 10 points up with under 10 minutes left.

Still Sydney wouldn’t quit, Nick Blakey out-marking a pack which seemed to make way for him, back to two points the difference with still more than five minutes on the clock.

The Swans are used to these nail-biters. But after the last few weeks, perhaps they’re also getting used to Rampe pulling an odd manoeuvre or two. Either way, Mayne’s goal came with only two minutes 30 remaining, and the Pies ran the final seconds out without too much fuss.

That’s seven wins on end, with the Pies arguably still not at 100 per cent. The last five victories now have seen them deliver in patches. But when the good spells are the sort of quality Collingwood can deliver, more often than not that’s still going to be enough.

SYDNEY 3.1 5.1 10.2 11.7 (73)
COLLINGWOOD 1.4 5.10 7.12 11.14 (80)