SYDNEY Swans co-captain Brett Kirk says a big Swans crowd could lift the team to victory when it clashes with Victorian powerhouse Collingwood next Saturday night, June 26 at ANZ Stadium, commencing at 7.10pm.

“As a kid I always dreamed of playing at the highest level in big games, ANZ Stadium provides that setting, where we’ve had massive crowds getting behind us, Kirk said.

“We’ve played finals there and done well, but in recent years when we’ve had these mid-season blockbusters against Collingwood, we’ve struggled.

“We don’t shy away from that, and it’s something we’re all really keen to re-dress. We would love as many Swans fans as possible at ANZ, all wearing red and white, because our home crowds always help us lift.

“This is our home town, and we want to make sure it’s packed with our Sydney supporters when we face a big test against Collingwood,” he said.

Currently sitting seventh on the AFL ladder, the Swans are just six points in arrears of third placed Collingwood, after back-to-back wins against Essendon and Port Adelaide.

The match shapes as a crucial one for both teams and the Swans are determined to snap a long run of outs against the Magpies. The Swans last win over the Magpies came in Round 13, 2005, by just a solitary point. 

Over the past seven years, the annual Swans versus Collingwood blockbuster has become one of the AFL’s biggest rivalry matches.

The first blockbuster match at ANZ Stadium in 2003 drew a crowd of more than 72,000 - the largest crowd for an AFL match played outside of Victoria.

Adding to the event, Grammy Award winning US band Train will perform live prior to the big match. Commencing at 6.40pm, the group will perform three tracks including their latest smash-hit Hey, Soul Sister.