OMEN
The Pies stranglehold over the Swans is impressive reading. You have to turn back the clock to round 13, 2005 for the last time the Swans recorded a win against the black and white army. Going by the head-to-head stats, the result was never in doubt.

HERO
Growing up in Milwaukee and playing both American football and basketball, Collingwood rookie Shae McNamara can now add AFL to his resume. The young Magpie ruckman proved he is comfortable wearing the black and white stripes, showcasing his sensational foot skills before taking a big grab and kicking his first goal, to the delight of his Magpie teammates.

GOAT
It wasn’t a happy homecoming for Swans defender Andrejs Everitt. The dashing defender, seeking a fresh start after crossing from the Western Bulldogs last season, had a night to forget. An errant kick across goal summed up his evening, as Dane Swan swooped in to kick another Magpie major.

BY THE NUMBERS
11 - minutes it took for the Swans to break down the Collingwood zone and score.
8 - free kicks paid to the Swans in the third-quarter, compared to the Magpies three.
11 - clearances to Swan Josh Kennedy, to add to his 30 possessions.
10,773 - fans who turned up on Friday night to watch the reigning premiers. 

THE DECISION
Heath Grundy, under extreme pressure deep in the Magpies forward-line, ran out of space as he was pressured across the boundary line. The result? Deliberate out of bounds, according to the man in green, Ray Chamberlain. With the resulting free kick, Dane Swan slotted home a sensational goal from the boundary to rouse the vocal cords of the Magpie supporters.

THE MOMENT THEY’LL REPLAY
Running into a bevy of Swans, Ben Sinclair saw teammate Jye Bolton out of the corner of his eye. With the outside of his foot, Sinclair toe poked it to an unmarked Bolton, who in turn hit Shae McNamara on the chest to set up another major for the Pies as the seconds counted down late in the second quarter.  

THE MOMENT THEY SHOULD REPLAY
At the 26th minute mark of the first quarter, the former Canadian rugby player Mike Pyke found himself locked in arms with former American football and basketball player Shae McNamara at a boundary throw-in. Yes, we were watching AFL.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL