IT TOOK 21 rounds, but Collingwood haswrapped up a finals berth in the best possibly fashion when it outplayed Sydney 15.11 (101) to11.10 (76) at the MCG on Saturday night.

In an effort that was reminiscent of itsearly season form, the Pies took control of the game early in the second termthrough the agency of dominant forward set-up, a hard running midfield and afrugal defence that refused to concede an inch to the Sydney line up.

Sean Rusling starred with four goals,Anthony Rocca added three while Tyson Goldsack, James Clement and Shane Wakelinwere impassable in the back half as the Pies recorded win number 13 for season2007.

The only downside was Anthony Rocca beingreported after an incident with Adam Goodes midway through the third term.Rocca will have some anxious moments awaiting the findings of Monday’smatch-review panel given his previous record.

Collingwood’s start was one scripted inheaven when skipper Nathan Buckley, playing his first game in 50 weeks, drilleda 40-metre pass to set up Dale Thomas for the opening goal one-minute in.

Inspired by the presence of their spiritualleader, Collingwood opened at a frenetic pace.

With Scott Burns, Scott Pendlebury, DaneSwan and Guy Richards winning the ball out of the centre, Thomas lookingdangerous across half forward and Rusling proving a nightmare match up for LukeBrennan, the Pies dominated the play.

Rusling took five marks inside 50 in theopening term but ironically scored his only goal for the quarter after acceptinga Pendlebury handball nine minutes in.

The 20-year-old kicked 1.3 for the term asthe Pies posted an inaccurate 3.6 in reply to the efficient Swans who scroungedfour goals from as many shots to leave the scores level at the first change.

With both sides winning their share of theball it was the Swans who broke the deadlock with two of the second term’sopening three goals.

Momentarily, the Pies lost their way asAdam Goodes was making life hell for Harry O’Brien and Barry Hall likewise forShane Wakelin.

As if sensing the danger, Rusling steppedin again.

He kicked his second at the 12-minute markand from the re-start exploded out of the goal square to drag down a brilliantcontested mark and kick his third.

Collingwood visibly lifted from that point.

Anthony Rocca, who was dragged early in thematch for giving away a 50-metre penalty, found form to kick two goals in threeminutes, the second of which was a cracking set shot from tight in the forwardpocket.

However, both Rusling and Rocca wereupstaged at the 25-minute mark when James Clement drifted down from deep indefence, marked inside the centre square, and unleashed a 65-metre drop puntthat snuck through by inches.

The goal sent Magpie fans into raptures andimportantly put the side three goals clear at the main change.

That became four after Swan snaffled thefirst of the second half at the seven-minute mark to give the side real impetusin what was a tight, hard fought contest.

However, given the stakes – finals for bothsides - Sydneywould not lie down.

A Hall goal reduced the margin and Sydney, as they’ve donefor the best part of four years, tried to arm-wrestle itself back into thegame.

The Pies, who were seemingly in control,were suddenly under the pump.

Rocca tried to impose himself physicallybut was placed on report for an incident with Goodes, who was threatening towin the game off his own boot, as the Pies tried valiantly to hold the famous Sydney surge.

They did. Through the agency of some stoutdefending by Goldsack, Clement and Wakelin, the Pies held firm. When Alan Didakmarked and goaled, Rocca did likewise, and the margin was out to a commanding28-point at the final change.

Needing only to hold their nerve to claimthe points the Pies did exactly that in the final term which was highlighted bya hip and shoulder by Sydney’sAmon Buchanan on young Irishman Marty Clarke.

While Buchanan was going in the book,Rusling was slotting his fourth to all but shut the gate.

In was the coming out party Pie fans hadbeen waiting for from their young forward who could easily have kicked six withan accurate boot.

While he led the way up forward it wasSwan, Scott Burns and a rock solid defence that repelled everything Sydney threw at them.

The win assures the Pies a finals berth andkeeps it in the race for top four while at the same time severely denting thefinals aspirations of an opposition many considered a genuine premiership hope.

COLLINGWOOD  3.6   9.8  12.10   15.11 (101)
SYDNEY       4.0  7.4    8.6    11.10 (76)

Goals
Collingwood: S Rusling 4, A Rocca 3, A Didak, S Pendlebury,S Burns, P Medhurst, J Clement, D Thomas, D Swan, C Bryan.
Sydney: B Hall 4, N Davis 2, A Schneider, R O'Keefe, D Jolly, M O'Loughlin,B Kirk.

Best
Collingwood: D Swan, S Pendlebury, S Rusling, S Wakelin, T Goldsack, N Buckley. Sydney:A Goodes, B Kirk, J Bolton, N Malceski, BHall.

Injuries
Collingwood: S Rusling(corked thigh), D Thomas (shoulder), N Maxwell (back).
Sydney:M O'Loughlin (chest), L Brennan (hamstring), L Barry (hamstring) replaced inselected side by J Crouch.

Reports: A Rocca (Collingwood) reported by field umpire MVozzo for striking A Goodes (Sydney) in the third quarter, A Buchanan (Sydney)reported by field umpire S McLaren for roughconduct against M Clarke (Collingwood) in the third quarter.

Umpires: M Vozzo, S McLaren,M Ellis.

Official crowd: 63,842 at the MCG.