Sydney has survived a big Collingwood scare in an epic second-half comeback as Brodie Grundy took full advantage against a Magpies side that lost ruckman Oscar Steene to a suspected ACL injury.

Collingwood led by as much 33 points during the second quarter, before Sydney responded in a “tidal wave” of momentum in the second half to run out six-point winners, 11.15 (81) to 10.15 (75), at the SCG.

The Swans made their charge in a dominant six-goal blitz in the third quarter to take the lead.

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Craig McRae’s side kept fighting in the final term including a Jamie Elliott goal that got the Pies back within six points with just over a minute left.

But a James Rowbottom tackle on Dan Houston in the dying stages denied Collingwood a final scoring opportunity as Dean Cox’s 9-1 side claimed its seventh-straight win to extend its lead at the top of the ladder.

Grundy (32 disposals, 24 contested, one goal, 12 clearances 47 hit-outs) was completely dominant to claim best-on-ground honours. The star ruckman capitalised against a Collingwood outfit missing Darcy Cameron and Steene, who suffered what looks to be a serious knee injury in the third term.

Brodie Grundy of the Swans poses with Michael O’Loughlin after winning the best-on-ground award (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

And Collingwood coach Craig McRae said post-match that the club was fearing the worst with Steene’s injury in a shattering blow.

“It’s not looking good, unfortunately. Early diagnosis is a full (ACL) reconstruction,” McRae said.

“We’ll have to get scans to confirm all that.

“That’s sad. To see what he was capable of against Brodie,, who clearly is one of the better ruckmen in the competition, he was really holding his own and we had a lot of ascendancy from that.

“I think we might’ve been 16 points up or close to around that time, and the game changes, because we just had to have the next man up.

“We’ve got Dan McStay, Jack Buller and Ned Long trying. But not many teams can cope when their number one ruckman goes down like that against an opponent like Brodie.”

Collingwood’s Oscar Steene went down with a knee injury (Photo by Phil Hillyard)Source: News Corp Australia

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It marked the Magpies’ second-straight loss to fall to 4-5-1.

Star Swans defender Nick Blakey was also superb for Sydney with a career-best 39 disposals to go with 10 marks and 893 metres gained.

“That’s huge, Friday night, packed crowd,” Blakey said post-match.

“It’s been the story of our games the last few weeks, we’re just not quite at our best.

“It is hard to stay up for so long. We started the season so well, but far out we just keep finding a way to win and I’m just so proud of this group.

“We were up against it (early) and could have easily folded over and thought it was a bit too hard, but never say die.

“It was Rowy’s (James Rowbottom’s) 150th and how fitting that the toughest bloke on the ground relays that last tackle (on Dan Houston in the dying seconds).

“I’m just so proud of him as he does all the grunt work and lets the rest of the boys flourish.

“Far out, I’m stoked with that.”

It sets up a mouth-watering top four clash between Sydney and Geelong, coming off a road win over reigning premier Brisbane, at GMHBA Stadium next week.

The 3-2-1 (what we learned) …

3. SWANS STAR TAKES FULL ADVANTAGE AFTER ‘DISASTROUS’ PIES BLOW

Already missing Darcy Cameron, a knee injury to Oscar Steene against Brodie Grundy at a wet SCG was some turning point on the night.

And Grundy took full advantage in a dominant performance against his old side.

Steene’s knee buckled during a contest in the third quarter in a shattering and costly blow for the black and white.

After being grounded for some time, Steene went straight down to the rooms in what looked like a serious injury. The young ruckman soon after was ruled out for the rest of the game.

“They can ill afford to lose him… this would be disastrous for the Pies,” Hawks great Jason Dunstall said.

Brisbane champion Alastair Lynch added: “Don’t like the look of that. It collapsed inside, that doesn’t look good.”

Brodie Grundy had his way with Collingwood (Photo by Phil Hillyard)Source: News Corp Australia

Grundy completely took over from that point and manhandled Collingwood’s undermanned ruck stocks. The Swans beast finished with 32 disposals, 24 contested, one goal, 12 clearances and 47 hit-outs to give his midfield first use.

And the Swans took full ascendancy by dominating contested possessions (+16) and inside 50s (+15) to constant put the Magpies under siege.

“Brodie Grundy just took over a game like you don’t see players do too often these days,” Melbourne legend Garry Lyon said.

Even prior to Buller’s injury, Grundy was a problem.

Dunstall noted Collingwood backup ruck Jack Buller was giving away too many free kicks to Grundy in a “big issue,” while Lynch noted the Swans star ruckman’s “dominance” was a “massive concern” for the Pies.

In the end it had a massive say on the game.

“When you told me they were 33 points up I thought, ‘woah, I didn’t realise it was that much of a head start’, so that’s disappointing and it put us on the back foot,” Grundy said post-match.

“But I thought we showed some good resilience, embraced the arm wrestle and I thought it was a really great contest in the end.

“At three quarter-time I said (to my teammates): ‘They’re not going to go away.‘

“I spent a lot of time obviously at Collingwood and I know the spirit they play with and they didn’t go away.

“We had to be at our absolute best and I thought it was a great contest in the end.”

2. SWANS ‘TIDAL WAVE’ ‘COMPLETELY FLIPPED’ GAME

The Swans went bang, alright.

Sydney’s dominant third quarter blitz “completely flipped” Friday night’s game in a frightening burst from the home side.

It was irrepressible.

“Just a tidal wave of momentum in Sydney’s favour,” Hawks legend Jason Dunstall said.

“Dominant possession, dominant territory and now they’re starring to take their opportunities.”

Tom Papley kicked two goals for Sydney (Photo by Phil Hillyard)Source: News Corp Australia

Dean Cox’s side had started to turn the game during the second term after Collingwood’s red-hot start.

But the third quarter was something else.

The hosts kicked six goals to two as they finally capitalised on their good play.

That included Sydney dominating in points from turnovers (+14), points from clearances (+9), contested possessions, (+2) and inside 50s (+17) in the period as it was all one-way traffic.

They aren’t the ladder leaders for nothing.

“We could see the game starting to turn late in that second quarter. And it completely flipped on its head in that third quarter,” Geelong great Cameron Mooney said at three-quarter time.

“Just had all the game in their half.”

1. ‘THEY WERE BRAVE’: YOUNG PIES IMPRESS

There was a lot made of Collingwood’s decision to manage Scott Pendlebury this week in addition to Darcy Moore, Darcy Cameron and Patrick Lipinski missing through injury.

But a youthful Magpies side was “brave” and only enhanced its reputation, if anything, against the benchmark of the competition on Friday night.

Collingwood, the most experienced side in the competition, had eight players with 20 games or less at the SCG as its youngsters got a proper chance to show what they could do.

The likes of Ned Long, Angus Anderson and Ed Allan showed great fight through the midfield, while sparkplugs Will Hayes and Roan Steele provided energy with some bright moments.

It had the early makings of a signature backs-to-the-wall Collingwood win on the road. But Sydney simply overwhelmed Craig McRae’s side in the second half.

Had the Pies kicked straighter during the periods they controlled in the second term, who knows?

“They took some beating, the Collingwood Football Club. They were brave,” Demons great Garry Lyon said post-match.

“They led by 33 points at the 17-minute mark of the second quarter — a quarter in which they kicked 1.7 — they’ll be ruing the missed opportunities.

“But the top-of-the-table Swans, like a vert good side does, found a way to win when they are nowhere near their best.”

Triple-premiership Cat Tom Hawkins says the Pies lost no admirers.

“They were terrific tonight,” he said.

“Their young kids, we lauded them in the first half. I thought they really stuck the game out really well.

“But in the end Sydney just controlled the game.”

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