The Sydney Swans have breathed life back into their season by staging a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback against Collingwood to win a thrilling contest 13.11 (89) to 12.14 (86).
The stage was perfectly set at the SCG for the Swans to rebound from their disastrous 112-point loss to Port Adelaide last Saturday, including welcoming back heroes from the 2012 premiership.
Luke Parker celebrates against CollingwoodCredit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
One of the members of that esteemed group, Luke Parker, was on the field, inspiring his side with two goals and a reminder of the never-say-die Bloods culture.
For the majority of the game, the Swans had looked second best to a Collingwood side desperate to fight their way into finals football.
The strain of the latter stages of the season has unfairly fallen on the Swans’ vaunted midfield trio of Errol Gulden, Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney, who have been unable to recreate the early season form they displayed when their side set the pace in the competition.
Throughout the majority of the game, the trio were shut down by a determined Collingwood side, marshalled superbly by former Swan Darcy Cameron in defence.
Gulden in particular suffered from excellent tagging from Steele Sidebottom, but scored the game-winner exactly when it mattered with his team’s premiership hopes potentially on the line.
Three rapid successive goals from Will Hayward, Logan McDonald and Warner led to an unlikely comeback and turned the game on its head.
Longmire demanded a response from his team and he initially got it. Brodie Grundy was revitalised in the ruck and set the tone for his midfield who threw themselves into every contest, spearheaded by the ever-committed James Rowbottom.
The Swans’ first major from Hayward typified the desire to relish any physical challenge; after being hurled to the ground in a heavy tackle from Jeremy Howe, he exhaled and nailed his shot straight in front to settle his side’s nerves.
John Longmire suffered the worst loss of his coaching career at the weekend.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
A snap from James Jordon reassured the SCG that the first-quarter alarm clock looked to have finally sounded for the Swans. It wasn’t to last.
Collingwood’s ability to win ground balls and match the Swans’ early physicality was rewarded on the scoreboard with Mason Cox and Isaac Quaynor scoring successive majors to end the first quarter to give a deserved 13-point lead.
The Swans’ continued frailties in defence without Lewis Melican were highlighted with key forward McDonald forced to the backline to deal with Collingwood’s bigger bodies such as Mason Cox.
In the third quarter, Collingwood’s small forward Bobby Hill scored two excellent goals to help extend his side’s lead to 21 points and left a small mountain for the Swans to climb moving into the final quarter.
The Swans’ ability to win a game largely against the run of play banished the nightmare of Port Adelaide and gave them fresh hope in their quest for a premiership.
