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AAP
AAP
Roger Vaughan

Hot Pies storm Adelaide for big AFL win over Swans

Darcy Cameron, after his 100th AFL game, leads Collingwood's celebration of the win over Sydney. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Collingwood continue to make themselves at home at Adelaide Oval, out-pressuring Sydney for a 31-point win in the AFL's Gather Round.

Cheekily declaring "We are the Pies of South Australia" on their banner, Collingwood broke clear in the second term and were in control for much of the game, winning 16.13 (109) to 12.6 (78) in front of 47,649 fans.

It is Collingwood's fourth-straight win and their 10th in a row at Adelaide Oval.

With Dan Houston suspended and Jordan De Goey and Lachie Schultz injured, the Magpies could have been vulnerable.

But Jamie Elliott and Beau McCreery stepped up superbly in attack, while veteran Steele Sidebottom and fellow midfielder Ned Long were prolific.

It sets up a massive clash at the Gabba next Thursday night, when Collingwood take on reigning premiers Brisbane.

Brody Mihocek.
Brody Mihocek contributed three goals as the Magpies safely held the Swans. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

"Our contest was really strong - we had some big numbers around that part of the game. Contested marks were really strong," said Collingwood coach Craig McRae.

"We took some uncontested marks away from them, which is really important.

"They're such a hard team to play against. We've had years of struggle to beat them. It was a great performance by our guys."

Captain Darcy Moore led an ironclad Collingwood defence that shut down the Swans, who had impressed in last week's emphatic win over North Melbourne.

Harry Perryman went from the midfield into defence and effectively filled Houston's role.

As expected, Swans tagger James Jordon kept Collingwood star Nick Daicos company for much of the night and went some way to quelling his influence in the first half.

But the younger Daicos worked his way into the match and racked up a game-high 34 disposals. 

McRae noted that Daicos also had a team-high nine tackles.

Collingwood's Darcy Cameron marked his 100th AFL game by winning his ruck duel against Brodie Grundy, who had been influential early.

Collingwood's banner was a dig at the theme song of the Crows and also at Port Adelaide, who are the Magpies in the SANFL.

After an even first term, Collingwood had a six-minute purple patch early in the second that yielded four goals.

Had a Brody Mihocek snap not been touched by a desperate Swans defender, the Magpies would have broken out to a 30-plus lead.

Instead, Sydney responded with a three-goal burst that brought them back to within nine points.

Then Elliott's excellent roving of the pack gave Collingwood the last goal of the half and they led by 17 at the main break.

Adding to Sydney's issues, they lost key forward Joel Amartey in the second quarter to a hamstring injury.

Mature-age recruit Riley Bice, the focus of attention after his excellent game last week against North, was again setting up Sydney attacks with his long passes off half-back.

But too often the Swans' system broke down under relentless Magpies pressure.

Three players clash in a contest for the ball.
The action was thick and fast early before Collingwood asserted their superiority. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Collingwood broke out to a game-high lead of 32 points in the third quarter before Sydney brought it back to 25 at the last change.

Swans star Isaac Heeney played something of a lone hand, with 28 possessions and two goals.

"The basic fundamentals - Collingwood were cleaner, tougher, they put on enormous pressure that was really efficient. We couldn't fight our way through it," said Swans coach Dean Cox.

He added that Collingwood's 11 contested marks to Sydney's one was "a pretty telling story - that's an area we have to work on".

Elliott and Mihocek kicked three goals apiece and McCreery added another two, while Sidebottom had 28 possessions.

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