Adam Goodes has dismissed any talk of a Collingwood curse or hoodoo for Sydney, but the childhood Magpies supporter has trouble remembering the details of their last win over the Victorian AFL club.
Veteran forward Goodes is one of just five current Swans who played in Sydney’s last win over Collingwood in 2005.
Since then, it has been an unrelenting tale of woe for Sydney, who have lost their last ten games to the Magpies.
Goodes, fellow co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Malceski, Ryan O’Keefe and Lewis Roberts-Thomson are the only present-day Swans who were part of the 2005 victory at ANZ Stadium, where the two high-flying teams meet again on Saturday night.
Sydney won by just one point in 2005, but don’t ask Goodes – who kicked two goals in the game – for a blow-by-blow description.
“I can’t remember anything about it to tell you the truth – 2005 was a long time ago,” Goodes told reporters on Thursday.
He was equally fuzzy about Travis Cloke’s six-goal haul against the Swans last season, though made light of his memory lapses where the Pies are concerned.
“My memory is not too good about the Pies, maybe that’s for a reason, maybe I’m scarred or something,” Goodes joked.
Sydney’s elder statesman was more serious when asked about the losing streak.
“I don’t think there is a curse at all, it’s another game of football and it’s against a side that we haven’t beaten (recently),” Goodes said.
“It’s no different to last week, it’s no different to a month ago, so whether it’s the Pies or whoever we play next week, I don’t think there is a hoodoo or anything.
With Sydney riding a nine-match winning streak, Goodes believed the time was right to end their miserable sequence against the Pies.
“I think if we work hard and stick to our game plan, we definitely can,” Goodes said.
“I used to barrack for Collingwood as a kid and I used to love playing Collingwood and winning.
“It has been a while between drinks.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to play a team that is around about where we think we are and it’s a good opportunity to put a win on them.”
While lamenting the loss through injury of Jude Bolton, Goodes felt it was neutralised by Collingwood’s suspension of Dane Swan.
“It (Swan’s suspension) is a bonus for us, he’s a fantastic player, he’s been in super form, and I think it just cancels out our injury with Jude hopefully,” Goodes said.