Click here to watch CTV's Week One Finals Feature with Geoff Walsh

The word coming out of the Lexus Centre all season has been that our main aim after 22 weeks was to hold ground from the gains made last season. So far, so good. We’re one place lower on the ladder than we were 12 months ago. A tick in that box.

However, the season starts again. From here on in, it’s a cutthroat situation. It’s simple: win, we progress. Lose, and the summer haze descends upon us. I’m not ready for that yet.

I’m sure that last year’s seven-goal loss to the Western Bulldogs will be the last thing on the minds of the players this week, though as a supporter who sat through a difficult Sunday afternoon last year, it is time for atonement. We must make a statement from the first bounce on Saturday night, just as we did the last time we met Sydney a fortnight ago in round 21.

We all know how the Swans play, and how they simply know how to finish in front at the final siren in September. That said, we are just as adept at playing ‘lockdown’ football. In comparison to last year’s opponents, the high-speed Bulldogs, we take on the exact opposite in the tight, tough and uncompromising Sydney, a Grand Finalist of the past two years.

The flag is far from a foregone conclusion, as Geelong fans from down the highway may have you believe. It’s time to make our mark on the year.

The Match Ups:
He’s barely put together 14 games, but already Tyson Goldsack has a ‘bunny’ attached to his belt. In our past two meetings, the boy from Pakenham has taken his veteran opponent to the cleaners, culminating in a 25-possession effort in round 21 which saw him collect a NAB Rising Star nomination for his troubles.

Speaking of Rising Stars, Scott Pendlebury may consider himself slightly stiff to miss out on the Ron Evans Medal (taking nothing away from overall victor Joel Selwood), for his form throughout the season was nothing short of excellent. Pendlebury was another of the youth brigade to put in a strong showing a fortnight ago, his class reaping 22-disposals.

Swans co-skipper Barry Hall returns this week, and is likely to be matched by the wily old fox, Shane Wakelin, who has had the measure of his former St Kilda teammate in recent times. In other defensive match up speculation, meanwhile, our old friend Nick Davis may square off with James Clement, who kept his former teammate in check in round 21.

For a change, Nathan Buckley will have face off with a different tagger, with Paul Roos’ nuggetty stopper Luke Ablett’s season derailed by a knee injury suffered against Hawthorn last week. Depending on where he plays, Buckley is likely to be shadowed by veteran Jared Crouch.

The form guide:
Against an Adelaide side with its September hopes flashing in front of their very eyes, Collingwood were gallant yet overwhelmed by a hard-running Crows outfit determined to conquer all before them en route to an Elimination Final match up with Hawthorn. Pendlebury and Tarkyn Lockyer were solid on ball, while Anthony Rocca took the honours against the similar-sized Ben Rutten at full forward.

Sydney, on the other hand, returned to form with a bang in the form of a 72-point demolition of Hawthorn at the SCG on Sunday afternoon. Forwards O’Loughlin and Davis starred with four apiece, while ruckman Peter Everitt ominously hit his straps around the ground.

Head to Head since 2000:
Collingwood: 6
Sydney: 5

Saturday’s clash will be the first between the two sides in September since September 15th, 1945 in the semi-final, which saw Collingwood go down by 11 points at Princes Park, the Swans going on to lose to Carlton in the Grand Final.

Prior to round 21, our most recent win over Sydney at the MCG was in the 1936 Grand Final, when we thumped South Melbourne to the tune of 55 points.

The X-Factors:
Collingwood: – Alan Didak: Even a half-fit Didak is still of great value to the Magpies, for his ability to engineer a handful of goals per game through sheer cleverness is unparalleled in the competition.
Sydney: – Adam Goodes: The dual Brownlow Medallist tore the Woods apart onball two weeks ago, prompting calls for Ryan Lonie to resume senior duties with the sole duty of shutting down Roos’ agile powerhouse.

Broadcast guide:
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The tip: Collingwood have not won a final since the 2003 Preliminary Final victory over Port Adelaide. We have played twice since, and lost dismally on both occasions. We may be a young team, with much ahead of us; however it must not be lost on us that the likes of Buckley, Burns, Licuria, Wakelin and others do not have forever to receive the flag they deserve. The challenge starts now. We’ve put too much work in to let it slip. Go Pies. Collingwood by 8 points.

Please note: the views expressed in the above article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Collingwood Football Club or employees of the club. The Collingwood Football Club would like to acknowledge the tireless work of its supporters who contribute to collingwoodfc.com.au.