SYDNEY 15.12 (102) d COLLINGWOOD 10.9 (69)
Scott Pendlebury of the Magpies passes is tackled by James Rowbottom of the Swans.Credit score: Getty Pictures
KEY POINTS
IS THIS A PREMIERSHIP HANGOVER? This can be a query that’s certain to be fiercely debated till the Pies wake from their early season slumber. A hangover implies the Pies over-celebrated their premiership success on the expense of getting ready for the season. At face worth, the optics don’t look nice.
To have two meek losses comply with the discharge of a film into their premiership provides to the narrative. So to the unfurling of a flag earlier than a 33-point loss. The margin, like final week, flattered the Pies.
This aspect included 19 members of their grand remaining aspect from final yr, so reinforcements alone is not going to make up the numerous hole between the Pies and their rivals.
Aside from Nick Daicos and Darcy Cameron, there have been few different Pies to reinforce their reputations over the primary two rounds.
The Swans’ capacity to run the ball by way of the Pies’ defensive system might be a priority for Craig McRae, who watched the Giants do the identical factor final week.
Nor are they enjoying with the starvation they confirmed final yr after they had not tasted the candy style of champagne from the premiership cup.
If there was a play that confirmed the gulf in depth, it got here within the second time period when Robbie Fox, outnumbered one to a few, attacked the ball within the air with extra gusto than his opponents to kill the competition.
It’s solely two weeks in however the Pies, as Geelong did final yr, begin their defence with two losses. The one saving grace is they could have come throughout the 2 finest sides within the league. They’ve plenty of work to do.
New territory: The footy hits the MCG Spidercam.Credit score: Channel Seven
SPIDERCAM: There was excessive drama throughout second quarter when Errol Gulden’s lengthy kick inside 50 hit Spidercam. The contact affected the trajectory of the ball, the drop favouring Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard. It allowed the Pies to win the bottom ball and ferry the ball to the opposite finish although, thankfully for the AFL, it didn’t result in a rating. The AFL is pleased with how the umpires dealt with the incident. The rules say if the umpire sees the contact they need to name a ball-up, however as they didn’t play on was the right name. One may say Spidercam had extra impression on the sport than the Pies’ defence, coming amid a run of 5 unanswered objectives for the Swans.
Sydney’s Isaac Heeney kicks towards Collingwood.Credit score: Getty Pictures
HEENEY’S TIME HAS COME: That is shaping because the yr the place Isaac Heeney can go from a participant who often hits the heights of the perfect to a bona fide elite footballer. With Lance Franklin retired, Heeney is now the Swans’ pin-up participant, and enjoying like a person who enjoys being the face of the membership.
Pretty much as good as he has been in his 178 video games, Heeney has performed his finest soccer as a ahead however is relishing elevated publicity within the midfield. These are alternatives he could not have had if the midfield grunt of Callum Mills, Luke Parker and Taylor Adams have been accessible.
Although not a famous clearance participant, Heeney had 13 clearances towards the Demons, and was once more a key determine on the within with 18 contested possessions and a purpose towards the Pies.
It’s a massive ask to anticipate him to turn into the dominant participant Dustin Martin was at his peak, however there is no such thing as a purpose why he can’t play an analogous position for the Swans as a ball-winning midfielder who can kick near 40 objectives.
Within the first two weeks, Heeney has been a central determine in a younger Swans midfield which seems more durable and stronger than the unit vulnerable to being bullied by bigger-bodied on-ball brigades since their coming of age in 2021.
The query for John Longmire might be how he manages the returns of Parker and Adams within the coming weeks.
They are going to add additional midfield muscle however it might come on the expense of the slicker mixture they at the moment have with Heeney, Chad Warner and James Rowbottom.
Parker will present Longmire with the flexibleness of getting both he or Heeney to separate their time between the midfield and ahead line.