When the Magpies take to the field for the preliminary final against Sydney in the Saturday twilight, the 22 men wearing red and white may not be their most formidable challenge.
The Swans have made their home base a fortress across many a year, with the dimensions of the ground and the point of difference it offers, one of coach John Longmire’s greatest assets.
Like Geelong, the Swans enjoy a quirky venue advantage that few teams share and after a home and away season that saw the bloods win nine and lose just two at home, the Sydney Cricket Ground once again looms as the 23rd man come Saturday afternoon.
In 2022, the Swans beat the finals bound Cats, Tigers, Bulldogs and Pies at the famous ground, losing only to a gutsy Brisbane Lions in Round 7 and inexplicably to the Gold Coast the following week. Outside that fortnight, Sydney have bossed their home venue with aplomb.
Jack Crisp of the Magpies celebrates kicking a goal. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Considerably short in comparison to the average ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground has been part of the AFL landscape since the early 1980s.
Yet the venue has always been something just that little bit different; a unique place where Melbourne teams have been hood winked on many an occasion and one the locals have used to chalk up the wins required to advance to finals’ play in 22 of the last 27 AFL seasons.
No club can boast the same record and the beautiful little ground in which the men with South Melbourne running their veins competes, has become emblematic of the unparalleled consistency of the Swans.
Sydney racked up 1064 points at home in 2022 and conceded a miserly 69.1 points per game. They scored just over 96 points on an average day and those numbers translated to a home percentage of 140 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Away from the venue, the numbers are vastly different, with seven wins from eleven matches and a percentage of 117 enunciating the difference between meeting the Swans on their home deck and facing the bloods on the road.
Still, the Swans’ away numbers stack up pretty well and to put all of the above into meaningful and contemporary context, Collingwood face an enormous challenge in this weekend’s prelim when it comes to finding ways to lessen Sydney’s advantage at home, particularly in light of their 50-77 loss at the same ground in Round 22.
The Pies averaged 83.5 points per game across the course of the regular season and their percentage at the completion of home and away play was the least convincing of the finals’ participants at 104.3.
Nail-biting and narrow wins saw them scrape across the line in an array of matches that could well have turned against them with a simple bounce of the ball.
That could well play into the hands of Longmire’s men, who love a scrap and fear no contest, no matter how tight it may be.
Should the animalistic Sydney defence that bore its teeth against Melbourne in the opening week of finals turn up again on Saturday, the Pies will face a physical and confrontational challenge to go along with the task of finding a way to move the ball aggressively and threateningly against potentially the most well organised and efficient defence in the competition.
Most crucial for Collingwood will be their ability to be daring and bold with the ball through a corridor that the Swans have been skilled in denying teams via an intricate knowledge of their home home ground and an ability to close the space required to do so.
Crowds at the SCG have been superb after the Swans found some success. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Should the Pies be unable to move the ball at anything other than express pace, Sydney will deny them the aggressive option and potentially drive them towards contest on the wings; thus lessening the scoring potential of Collingwood and increasing the chances of Longmire’s team triumphing across a full four quarters.
Jordan De Goey, Jack Ginnivan and Jamie Elliott will be crucial for the Pies, should they hope to disrupt the defensive control generally achieved by the Sydney Swans at the SCG. Engaging in an arm wrestle will do no favours for Collingwood and throwing x-factor talent and moments at Sydney may well be the best way to rock their solid defensive foundations that have rarely wavered in 2022.
Should both teams bring their best, the second prelim of 2022 could well be one of the most brutal and competitive games of the season. There will be a little less room to move, the tackling will be ferocious and the Pies will keep coming all day long.
However, it could well be that the Sydney Cricket Ground itself decides the second participant in the 2022 grand final, with the Swans mighty tough to beat at home and the Pies knowing that all too well.
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ChrisH
Roar Rookie
Mentioning a lot of things looks like worrying to me. He also publicly bagged his own players because of their body language after a loss. I think that should have stayed private. I actually think he's just not media savvy yet. He still speaks his mind. In a year or two, I think he'll be more careful in what he says. I'm sure all coaches have a laundry list of worries around every game, but the season ones have learnt talking about them, esp publicly, just gives them power.
wyalurch
Roar Rookie
Last time I checked there was (still) a distinction between mentioning something and 'worrying' about it. Then again perhaps you're right: maybe this particular coach DOES have a particularly strong tendency this season to let all manner of things get to him - and his team. Or is a smoke screen going up, you think? Getting worried?
ChrisH
Roar Rookie
This game is really getting into McRae's head!! - he's worried about the ground size - worried about his coaching last time - worried about fans booing Ginnivan - worried about ump missing Swans' short kicks Meanwhile, the seasoned coaches - Longmire, Scott and Fagan - are focussing on the footy. But at least McRae will have a ready made list of excuses if Pies lose.
Greg
Roar Rookie
Football grounds have a feel to them. Having said that, I think Sydney should be called the Stranglers because they seem to close down every game with relentless pressure taking away time and space. Excellent coach as well. This biased supporter wants Collingwood to find a way.
Hoolifan
Guest
MCG tenants should all be required to play half their fixtures away from the MCG. This is yet another reason why the selling of VFL Park at Mulgrave was a massive strategic blunder by the AFL administration. Instead of having billions in assets, they are now billions in debt. Yet nobody in the AFL, arse licking media discusses this. Would anybody be surprised to know that most 'journalists' covering the game for the AFL are actually paid by the league and not by the media companies?
Ross
Guest
Lazy reporting- the SCG hasn't been considerably shorter for some time, only 5m shorter than the MCG these days. More effect would be the totally parochial homefield crowd
Glenn
Guest
Good thing the Swans have you to point out the game could be different. Pies might be playing better, but the Swans haven't gone backwards and should have won by more last time. And there won't be a new game plan because you don't implement a change in a week. All I am hearing is Mcrae giving the players things to blame for their inadequacies. The only thing in Collingwood's favour is Sydney having last week off. Without that, Sydney would be raging hot favourites. All the press is just noise to get Pies fans over confident, without said confidence being grounded in reality.
XI
Roar Guru
I'd say Pies are more likely than Lions. I just don't see how Brisbane's defence can stop Geelong's forward line
.kraM
Roar Rookie
Shhhhhhhhh. Nerves are already kicking in.
.kraM
Roar Rookie
Suck eggs
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
Be careful Sydney. Collingwood are playing better than a few weeks ago. They have De Goey back who has been in red hot form. Plus the Magpies have a very sharp new coach, who's bound to have a different game plan than last time. Sydney are favorites, but this has all the signs of an upset.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Going to be tough but some wise Roarer in here last week mentioned the odds are an upset would occur and most thought it might be Freo if so - go figure - a huge upset with the Lions. Which is the most likely upset this week? Lions or Pies? What's the weather forecast? That can change things too.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
The SCG was actually lengthened when they built the new Noble/Bradman Stand a few years ago. I think the dimensions thing has been overhyped. But hey, if it gets in the minds of the Magpies, then let's keep talking it up!
Davico
Roar Pro
Rubbish
Patax
Roar Rookie
No more so than the advantage provided by the mcg to mcg based teams when playing non mcg based teams.
penguin
Roar Rookie
Why? There is no logic in that statement. If you support the Pies, go for them. If you support the Swans, go for them. If you don't like the ticketer then complain to them. If you don't like the SCG then give me your membership.
Glenn
Guest
Ahhh, so a I-just-go-because-it-is-the-place-to-be-seen member. How about you support the team and colours. How sad.
Glenn
Guest
And yet it is only Pies supporters that mention sick players last time. The coach and players never have, a bit overblown methinks, but excuse away.
The real SC
Roar Rookie
I find the Brisbane's win over Melbourne to be great. Brisbane Lions have won at the MCG for the first time since 2014. AFter a slow start, Brisbane was able to gain more momentum during the match.
JGK
Roar Guru
As a very annoyed SCG member who didn't get tickets for this match despite logging on at the second they became available, I am now hoping the Pies win.