After missing much of the NAB Cup due to injury, this week’s game will be Bird’s first senior match since the 2012 Grand Final, while for Everitt it will be his first senior appearance since round 17 last year.
Swans coach John Longmire said both players impressed in the Swans reserves five-point win over UWS last weekend and deserved their chance to take on the Suns.
“Bird performed pretty well in the reserves last week and played the whole game in the midfield and did a pretty good job, so he comes back into the team,” Longmire said.
“Andrejs Everitt had a strong pre-season and played pretty well over the pre-season and then was terrific last week in the reserves and was probably our best player, so he deserves another opportunity so hopefully both those boys can grab them.”
Longmire confirmed that defensive duo Tony Armstrong and Dane Rampe would make way for the returning pair this weekend, but expected that both players would push for senior selection again throughout the season.
“(Rampe) was OK last week,” he said.
“We had to sub him in the last quarter because he cramped up a bit, but it was probably a bit of nervous energy as well.
“He’s just had a big month in our senior team and this gives him a chance to play in our reserves and enjoy that experience as well and hopefully he’ll come back into the senior team pretty quickly.
“Tony only played 15-20 minutes last week, so he didn’t play a lot of football and hopefully he goes back into the reserves and does the same thing (as Dane).”
The Swans will take on an in-form Gold Coast side this week, following the Suns impressive round one victory over St Kilda.
Longmire said he expected the Suns to be determined to continue their winning form this weekend.
“Guy McKenna was quoted after the game as saying the win was ‘the best they’ve ever had’, which is probably right because they played pretty well last week,” he said.
“They have players all over the ground, and obviously players like Gary Ablett, who we know is a good player, but they’ve also got some exciting young kids as you’d expect, as well as some other experienced players who are in good form.
“They’ve got a good balance at the moment, so we’ll have to be pretty good to beat them.”
This Saturday will also see the official unfurling of the 2012 premiership flag, which will take place shortly before the Swans clash with the Suns.
Longmire encouraged all Swans supporters to attend the match to take part in this historic club event.
“It’s a great opportunity to be able to come to the SCG, our home ground, and thank our supporters, and that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
“Hopefully there are as many supporters there as there can possibly be, because you don’t often get a chance to unfurl the flag, so we want to make sure there are a lot of people there and we can thank them and thank everyone who was involved.
“Hopefully after that we can roll the sleeves up and have a good hard contest against a really tough team.”
Sydney Swans v. Gold Coast Suns
SCG
Saturday, April 6, 2013 - 1:45pm
B R.Shaw, H.Grundy, N.Smith
HB L.Roberts-Thomson, T.Richards, M.Mattner
C J.McVeigh, K.Jack, L.Jetta
HF J.Bolton, S.Reid, R.O'Keefe
F M.Pyke, A.Goodes, D.Hannebery
Foll S.Mumford, J.Kennedy, L.Parker
I/C C.Bird, A.Everitt, N.Malceski, B.McGlynn
Emg M.Morton, D.Rampe, J.White
