AFL Gather Round 2025 LIVE updates: Magpies flex their muscles, outclass Swans in front of packed house for Gather Round
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No De Goey, Schultz and Houston – no worries
By Peter Ryan
Nick Daicos had a match-leading 34 touches.Credit: AFL Photos
Collingwood were depleted by injury and suspension when Jordan DeGoey, Lachie Schultz and Dan Houston were sidelined ahead of this match.
Fortunately for the Pies, they faced an opponent who has shown their Medicare card more often than most in 2025 with Errol Gulden, Tom Papley and Callum Mills the biggest names of the eight players missing from last year’s grand final side.
It gave the Magpies confidence they could defeat Sydney to make it three-from-three from Gather Rounds, and a perfect 10 out of their past 10 at the Adelaide Oval. And they began with a certain arrogance – using their speed at ground level to create opportunities before building the pressure to a level Sydney got nowhere near to matching.
The Pies were simply better and stronger for longer to win comfortably by 31 points. Such was Collingwood’s belief in their front half game, they initially pushed too high and left doors open for Sydney to score, which they did with three of the first four goals of the game.
Brayden Maynard, pictured here laying a tackle on Braeden Campbell with teammate Lachlan Sullivan, had a standout game.Credit: AFL Photos
But all that did was snap the experienced Magpies into action, aware – due to their dominance around the ball – they only needed to stifle Sydney’s ball movement to win the game.
Like a python, they began to strangle their prey, with the Swans unable to match the Magpies’ pressure and intensity.
Sydney began to force the issue and made mistakes, which led to Collingwood scores.
Occasionally they would open the Magpies up, but it was rare. The ball either lived in Collingwood’s forward half or was repelled by an intercept mark or spoil – a dominance accentuated when Joel Amartey hurt his hamstring just before half-time.
As the Magpies pressed home their advantage during the third quarter, Sydney moved Tom McCartin forward in a desperate attempt to win a contest inside 50, but it made no difference.
Collingwood did it without Nick Daicos making as much of an impact as usual, with James Jordon arriving, as expected, with his clamps in hand. The superstar onballer still worked hard to finish with 34 disposals.
Brayden Maynard and Beau McCreery played their best games for the season, while Steele Sidebottom and Darcy Cameron continued their outstanding early season form.
Ned Long was a revelation in the middle after being the sub against Carlton a week earlier, and is beginning to establish himself as a permanent member of the midfield.
In the end – having won their past six matches at Adelaide Oval by a goal or less – they won comfortably, having 29 scores from just 55 inside-50 entries. By contrast Sydney ran into dead-ends and one-way streets as though they were tourists driving around harbour town.
The Swans only managed 18 scoring shots from their 56 entries and their season is hanging by a thread as they wait for reinforcements. Collingwood, meanwhile, head to Brisbane to take on the Lions on Thursday night in good shape with four wins from five matches, while the Swans play Port Adelaide in a preliminary final rematch that sees both sides in strife so far in 2025.
McRae praises Magpies defence; Long’s contests
Magpies coach Craig McRae saw the Swans in full flight last week and he was happy his side denied them from making a similar performance tonight.
The Swans dominated North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium last round and McRae saw it live.
Magpie Ned Long and Swan Chad Warner do battle.Credit: AFL Photos
“I went and watched them live last week against North and defending those uncontested chains was really important. If you didn’t defend the ground, you were going to be chasing tail,” McRae told Fox Footy.
“You saw how dangerous they are when they bounce off half-back.
“Our pressure was low and we saw we had to dial in up and we did that in the second quarter.”
McRae also praised the midfield work of Ned Long and Steele Sidebottom with Long getting all his roses.
“Geez he looked good didn’t he?” McRae told Fox Footy.
“He really trained well and it’s been hard to keep him as the sub and he showed tonight he won’t be the sub too often now
“The contest to contest and he is ferocious around the ball. If he isn’t winning the contest or getting the ball back then his pressure has been amazing for us.
“Tonight he went to another level.”
The Magpies’ incredible SA record
Collingwood made it 10 wins in a row in South Australia with tonight’s victory, but they still have some work to do to catch Hawthorn’s record of 19 in a row in Tasmania.
Soreness fires up Mihocek
Magpies forward Brody Mihocek has revealed body soreness that fires him up for matches.
The Magpies premiership forward kicked three goals and made some strong contributions in the win over Sydney.
Magpie Brody Mihocek celebrates a goal.Credit: AFL Photos
When asked by former coach Nathan Buckley if he still bounced back well from the bumps and bruises of footy, he spoke honestly.
“No not really – I battled through, going in sore gets me more fired up than feeling good,” Mihocek told Fox Footy.
“If I’m that little bit sore, it makes me not think of those other things and just chase the ball.”
Mihocek also praised the fit of new recruit Tim Membrey who kicked a goal and took some telling marks.
“He’s working well with us, Dan [McStay] and I are so happy to have him down there, he comes straight into the forward line and he’s team-first which is what we are all about down there,” Mihocek told Fox Footy.
This was bigger than a 31-point win
By Jake Niall
Darcy Cameron, pictured here coming up against former Collingwood star Brodie Grundy, finally recorded his first win over his old team, Sydney.Credit: Getty Images
Collingwood’s supremacy in this game was significantly greater than the margin of 31 points.
They were far better behind the ball and in attack, where Jamie Elliott, Bobby Hill and Brody Mihocek each booted three goals, and Dan McStay provided the kind of tall target that the Swans lacked, even though Hayden McLean booted three goals.
Isaac Heeney was threatening throughout, without taking charge. Steele Sidebottom was close to best afield, in another age-defiant effort, while Isaac Quaynor and Brayden Maynard were both defensively excellent and able to launch effective counter-attacks.
Nick Daicos, who had James Jordon applying a reasonably effective tag for maybe a half, managed to get away in the second half, finishing with 34 disposals, while Ned Long had surely the standout game of his career to date (29 disposals, eight clearances, 17 contested possessions).
The Pies will travel to the Gabba for a 2023 grand final reunion/rematch, in what will be a challenge for them – but on this performance, sans Jordan De Goey, Dan Houston and Lachie Schultz, the same could be said of the Lions.
No De Goey, Schultz and Houston – no worries
By Peter Ryan
Nick Daicos had a match-leading 34 touches.Credit: AFL Photos
Collingwood were depleted by injury and suspension when Jordan DeGoey, Lachie Schultz and Dan Houston were sidelined ahead of this match.
Fortunately for the Pies, they faced an opponent who has shown their Medicare card more often than most in 2025 with Errol Gulden, Tom Papley and Callum Mills the biggest names of the eight players missing from last year’s grand final side.
It gave the Magpies confidence they could defeat Sydney to make it three-from-three from Gather Rounds, and a perfect 10 out of their past 10 at the Adelaide Oval. And they began with a certain arrogance – using their speed at ground level to create opportunities before building the pressure to a level Sydney got nowhere near to matching.
The Pies were simply better and stronger for longer to win comfortably by 31 points. Such was Collingwood’s belief in their front half game, they initially pushed too high and left doors open for Sydney to score, which they did with three of the first four goals of the game.
Brayden Maynard, pictured here laying a tackle on Braeden Campbell with teammate Lachlan Sullivan, had a standout game.Credit: AFL Photos
But all that did was snap the experienced Magpies into action, aware – due to their dominance around the ball – they only needed to stifle Sydney’s ball movement to win the game.
Like a python, they began to strangle their prey, with the Swans unable to match the Magpies’ pressure and intensity.
Sydney began to force the issue and made mistakes, which led to Collingwood scores.
Occasionally they would open the Magpies up, but it was rare. The ball either lived in Collingwood’s forward half or was repelled by an intercept mark or spoil – a dominance accentuated when Joel Amartey hurt his hamstring just before half-time.
As the Magpies pressed home their advantage during the third quarter, Sydney moved Tom McCartin forward in a desperate attempt to win a contest inside 50, but it made no difference.
Collingwood did it without Nick Daicos making as much of an impact as usual, with James Jordon arriving, as expected, with his clamps in hand. The superstar onballer still worked hard to finish with 34 disposals.
Brayden Maynard and Beau McCreery played their best games for the season, while Steele Sidebottom and Darcy Cameron continued their outstanding early season form.
Ned Long was a revelation in the middle after being the sub against Carlton a week earlier, and is beginning to establish himself as a permanent member of the midfield.
In the end – having won their past six matches at Adelaide Oval by a goal or less – they won comfortably, having 29 scores from just 55 inside-50 entries. By contrast Sydney ran into dead-ends and one-way streets as though they were tourists driving around harbour town.
The Swans only managed 18 scoring shots from their 56 entries and their season is hanging by a thread as they wait for reinforcements. Collingwood, meanwhile, head to Brisbane to take on the Lions on Thursday night in good shape with four wins from five matches, while the Swans play Port Adelaide in a preliminary final rematch that sees both sides in strife so far in 2025.
Full-time stats
Long pays tribute to Pies
Magpies midfielder Ned Long is a man on a mission and he sounded like it during a post game chat with Fox Footy.
Long had 29 disposals and nine clearances in a break-out game for the former Hawthorn player with his contested possessions a highlight in an impressive Magpies win.
Ned Long of the Magpies is tackled by Caiden Cleary of the Swans.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“I always had a bit of belief but didn’t envisage this, I have great experience around me and great team around and they make it easy for me,” Long told Fox Footy.
“I’m surrounded by elite players and elite experience.
“The coaches and players have a lot of belief in me and value what I do, all their support really helps.”
FT: Collingwood 16.13 (109) d Sydney 12.6 (78)
Beau McCreery in the thick of the action with his Magpies teammates.Credit: Getty Images
The Magpies were missing some stars but they found some new and not-so-new heroes to claim a convincing win over the Sydney Swans tonight.
Little-known midfielder Ned Long had 29 disposals, most of them before half-time while Bobby Hill, Brody Mihocek and Jamie Elliott kicked three goals a piece as the Magpies saluted for a fourth-straight win.
The Swans lost Joel Amartey to a hamstring injury but they are hoping it will just be a cork, rather than a more serious injury.
Bobby brilliance: Hill puts the cherry on top
By Jake Niall
If there’s a player you can’t allow goal-side, it’s Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill, who has been the kind of ground-level livewire that the Swans haven’t had, without Tom Papley. We’re in junk time now.
Hill is just showing off now
Bobby Hill celebrates a late goal.Credit: AFL Photos
Bobby Hill has sprinted into an open goal and bounced the ball in for his third major.
Dan McStay deserves his roses for a handball over his head while his backside was on the ground, it landed temptingly in front of the goal sneak.
That was a brilliant finish for the Pies.
Pies 108, Swans 72 with three mins to go.
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