Collingwood travel to Sydney on Friday night for a blockbuster Round 22 clash in a bid to keep their finals chances alive.

The Pies are sitting in 11^th position on the ladder, just a game outside the top 8, after their narrow three-point win over archrivals Carlton. The Black and White army will descend on a packed SCG hoping to upset the ladder-leading Swans who are in a form slump of late.

Against Carlton, 400-gamer Scott Pendlebury collected 27 disposals while Nick Daicos continued his strong season with 28 touches of his own. Will Hoskin-Elliott, Mason Cox and Jordan De Goey all booted two goals for the Magpies, however the visitors will be missing the latter for the Swans clash after suffering a season-ending hamstring injury in the same match.

The Swans form-slump has been stark, highlighted by a 112-point loss to the hands of Port Adelaide in Round 21. Errol Gulden was a rare shining light for the Swans, collecting 25 disposals in an otherwise poor performance. The home side welcome back experienced defender Dane Rampe from a soft tissue injuries who is one of three changes to the line up. Forward Joel Amartey returns after being managed against Port while Caiden Cleary and Braeden Campbell have been recalled to the line up. The four Swans replace Aaron Francis, Peter Ladhams, Sam Wicks and Corey Warner.

Sydney have already gotten the better of Collingwood once this season back in Round 1 at the MCG. On that occasion the Swans pressure got the better of the Magpies, winning by 33 points with Chad Warner, Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden starring. Nick Daicos was a shining light for the home side gathering 37 disposals and a goal in a losing side.

Ahead of Friday night’s clash, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said his side can’t take anyone lightly, especially given the Swans form slump.

“This is the competition isn’t it, every team seems to have gone through it,” McRae said.

“We lost four games in a row, Geelong lost six or seven and you look at Sydney going through that now its such a tight competition.

“We respect those guys, but we go up there with a purpose this is going to be a huge game there is a lot at stake, so tune in Friday night should be a big one.”

Round 22 coincides with our Hall of Fame Game, an opportunity to honour our recent Hall of Famers on the main stage. The inductees will complete a lap of honour from 7:10pm ahead of first bounce at 7:40pm. 

Heading to the game? Visit the Match Day Hub for everything you need to know. The game will be available watch live on Channel 7, Kayo and Fox Footy.

SYDNEY has reignited its season as young gun Errol Gulden put a quiet night behind him to boot the match winner in a three-point, come-from-behind victory over Collingwood on Friday night.

The Swans trailed by as much as 27 points in the final term as they looked to bounce back from a tough defeat last week, but then booted the last five goals of the game to snatch a 13.11 (89) to 12.14 (86) triumph at the SCG.

The Magpies appeared to be cruising towards a third straight win to keep their finals hopes alive before coming to a standstill in the dying stages for a second consecutive week – and this time paid the price.

The Swans had booted four goals in quick succession when they forced a boundary throw-in deep in their forward pocket, the tap falling to an unmarked Gulden with plenty of time to swing onto his trusty left boot.

Gulden's snap went through to put his side in front for the first time since halfway through the second term, and help get the ladder leaders' campaign back on track after five defeats in their previous six matches.

The masters of the close finish were never likely to give up without a fight and almost reclaimed the lead as Jamie Elliott only just missed with a shot on the run from the boundary line, but the Swans' defence knuckled down from there to hold out the last attacks.

Gulden had little impact on the match before his decisive moment, restricted to a season-low 14 disposals and his smallest tally since early 2022.

Steele Sidebottom put on a midfield masterclass after lining up on a wing next to the Swans starlet from the opening bounce, and gathered 21 touches to be one of the best afield until Gulden's goal turned the result.

Swans coach John Longmire threw the magnets around with Logan McDonald sent to defence for the third straight match while Luke Parker spent plenty of time playing out of the attacking goal square.

The former co-captain made the most of his recall to the starting 22 by limiting Magpies high-flyer Jeremy Howe's aerial and rebounding prowess in his 250th match while also slotting two goals himself. 

But Parker and McDonald were back in their more familiar roles as the Swans made a late charge.

The narrow defeat puts a huge dent in the Magpies' hopes of taking their premiership defence into September, already a win and significant percentage outside the top eight and now needing two huge victories and other results to fall their way.

Parker's bag of tricks is filled with forward craft
Sydney stalwart Luke Parker had started as the substitute in three of his four matches this season before being called into the starting 22 for a surprise role as a deep forward against the Magpies. The three-time club champion added familiar power and pressure whenever around the coalface, but also reminded us that he has plenty of forward craft. Parker was awarded a free kick deep in the pocket when the Pies' defence failed to show enough intent to keep the ball in play, casually took three steps to open up the angle then slotted a right-foot banana through to give the Swans a lift late in the first term.

SYDNEY                    3.3     6.5     8.9        13.11 (89)
COLLINGWOOD        5.4     6.8     11.12     12.14 (86)

GOALS
Sydney: Hayward 3, Parker 2, Warner 2, Jordon, McLean, Florent, McDonald, Heeney, Gulden
Collingwood: Hill 2, Crisp, Elliott, Bytel, Cox, Quaynor, McCreery, Lipinski, McStay, Cameron, Long

BEST 
Sydney: Rowbottom, Roberts, Heeney, Warner, Blakey, Jordon
Collingwood: Sidebottom, J.Daicos, Quaynor, N.Daicos, Crisp, Cameron

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Caiden Cleary (replaced Robbie Fox in the fourth quarter)
Collingwood: Joe Richards (replaced Billy Frampton in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 37,854 at the SCG