AFL Live: Swans give up an early lead after strong start against ...

Both teams have so much to play for, the Swans are fighting to keep their premiership hopes alive, and Collingwood are fighting to keep their finals hopes alive.

As a result, we have a close, cagey and often scrappy game with plenty of stoppages and fumbles all over the ground.

Both teams have had their chances, but nobody has fully grabbed it.

The Swans have serious issues with the backline that haven’t been solved and Errol Gulden is being tagged out of the game.

Steele Sidebottom has not only shut him out of the game, he is also leading the game in disposals with Sydney’s James Rowbottom. This is anybody’s game at halftime.

Some key stats at half-time: Collingwood lead disposals 172 to 169, the Swans head the inside 50 count 25 to 24, the Magpies have dominated clearances 25 to 19 and stoppage clearances 19 to 13. Contested possession is tight - the Swans are ahead 70 to 69, and the Swans have had 33 turn overs to Collingwood’s 31.

The top seven possession winners on the ground are: James Rowbottom (15 disposals), Nick Daicos (15), Matt Roberts (15), Steele Sidebottom (15), Chad Warner (13), Scott Pendlebury (12) and Isaac Heeney (12). Luke Parker is the only multiple goalkicker with two.

As the clock ticks down to half-time, and the Magpies hold a narrow two-point lead, let’s have a look at the key possession winners.

The top six on the ground are: James Rowbottom (15 disposals), Nick Daicos (15), Matt Roberts (15), Chad Warner (13), Steele Sidebottom (13) and Isaac Heeney (12).

The Swans are looking shaky as ever in defence, interestingly they have moved their forward Logan McDonald back as a key defender to try and combat Collingwood’s bigger bodies such as Mason Cox.

The return of Lewis Melican cannot come soon enough. Nick Blakey is also having a difficult evening and looks to be in some serious pain with his left leg.

Collingwood took back the lead after a snap from Beau McCreery.

Magpies by two points with eight minutes remaining in the second term.

Just what the Swans fans ordered - a passage of play involving three of their stars, ending in a goal.

First James Rowbottom does some damn nice bullocking work before flicking the ball to one-time Brownlow Medal favourite Isaac Heeney who steps through a couple of Magpie defenders before shooting a long handball to Chad Warner. He was then able to nail a goal on the run to grab back the lead.

Sydney by three points, eight minutes into the second term.

The Swans have started the second term in the same fashion as they started the first - with two straight goals.

Luke Parker kicked the first, his second of the night, followed by a strong mark and goal from Hayden McLean. That’s the spirit. They are up for the fight.

The back-to-back goals see them close the gap to two points.

How good is it to see Luke Parker hitting the scoreboard? He has just nailed his second of the night.

This time he took a diving mark on the lead in the opening minute of the second term, and was able to kick a right-foot snap straight through the big sticks.

Luke Parker gives the thumbs up to Swans fans after an early goal against Collingwood.Credit: via Getty Images

Collingwood showed they were up for the fight in the first term, and that they want a slot in the top eight.

After conceding the first two goals, they turned the game around and led by 13 points at quarter time.

Swan Errol Gulden tries to spoil Magpie Isaac Quaynor in their clash at the SCG.Credit: via Getty Images

The man with the goggles, big Mason Cox has given Collingwood the lead.

The lanky American plucked a mark 25m from goal and despite growing up in another country, he is a damn fine kick of the Sherrin. He booted truly.

Collingwood forward Mason Cox asks for quiet after booting a goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

It came after a Swans turnover. And that proved costly.

The Magpies registered seven scoring shots from their first eight entries - four of them goals - before landing another blow on the cusp of quarter time when defender Isaac Quaynor snuck forward to kick Collingwood’s fifth goal.

The Swans won’t be too disappointed because this effort is a hell of a lot better than the dross they dished up in the first term against Port last week.

The Magpies lead by 13 points at quarter time.

The Magpies are working their way into this game.

After coughing up the first two goals of the game, they booted the next three.

The third came from an opportune moment. Small forward Jack Bytel roved a marking contest in the goal square and as the ball popped up off the ground, he drove his left boot into it and kicked it through for a major.

The Swans were quick to answer. Collingwood were called out for a deliberate out of bounds and Luke Parker made the most of the free kick. With a neat banana kick from the boundary he was able to slot a sweet goal.

The Swans lead by a point, five minutes remaining in the first term.