Sydney has regained Charlie Curnow and Tom McCartin for Friday night’s clash with Collingwood at the SCG, giving the competition leaders a timely boost as they prepare to defend their strong home record. Jai Serong also comes back into the side, while Dane Rampe has been managed, Matt Roberts is out with a groin issue and Hayden McLean misses from the team.
The returns matter because Sydney has been the benchmark at home this season. The Swans are 8-1 heading into the match, have won all four games at the SCG and have scored triple figures in every one of them. Collingwood, by contrast, arrives at 4-1-4 after failing to reach 100 points for the eighth time this season against Geelong.
That gap in recent output is one reason this meeting has more edge than a simple top-versus-middle ladder clash. Sydney has had a stranglehold over Collingwood since 2019, and the Swans will be looking to extend that trend in front of a home crowd that has already seen them turn the SCG into a scoring venue this year.
The timing adds another layer. Sydney survived a scare to beat North Melbourne in its previous match, which kept it ahead of the pack and underlined that even the best sides can be forced into uncomfortable moments. Collingwood, on the other hand, was blown away by Geelong last time out, leaving it still searching for a win over a side currently sitting above it on the ladder.
For Sydney, the task is straightforward: keep the home momentum rolling and avoid giving a challenger any opening. For Collingwood, Friday night is less about the ledger and more about proving it can match a side that has been setting the pace all season. The Swans have the numbers, the recent history and now the returning names. The Magpies need a response that has so far eluded them against the teams ahead of them.
