The Sydney Swans’ clash with Sydney University at the SCG on Friday afternoon is brimming with Hot Topics.
One of the most important events on the Swans calendar, the return of a Swan cruelled by injury, a run of hot form of Sydney’s senior players and plenty more surround the Round 9 match.
Curtain-raiser to Marn Grook at the SCG
The NEAFL side always relishes a chance to bring in the main game. Those on the brink of AFL selection want to impress the senior coaching panel and get a kick out of the senior players watching the first half of the game. It’s also a chance for the 22 to play on a top-class deck and at a venue with a wealth of history behind it. But a curtain-raiser to Marn Grook at the SCG takes on a new meaning. The NEAFL clash will bring in one of the most significant events on the Swans calendar and the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round opener. The Swans’ NEAFL side will also don the Club’s new Indigenous guernsey, which the senior team will also wear in its match with Carlton. South Coast artist Cheryl Davison designed the guernsey, which features a Black Swan on the front.
Alex Johnson returns
Injury-plagued Swans defender Alex Johnson will return from another injury setback on Friday. The 26-year-old, who hasn’t played a senior game since Sydney won the 2012 grand final against Hawthorn, last year returned via the NEAFL from a fifth knee construction and recurring infection and played nine games over the back half of the season. But in February this year Johnson was faced with another injury hurdle and underwent groin surgery. He will play his first game of the season when the Swans face the Students.
Key cogs firing
A host of players on the brink of senior selection have produced outstanding form at NEAFL level this season. Dan Robinson, Dean Towers and Robbie Fox have found plenty of the Sherrin and impacted on the scoreboard, while Towers has also spent time in the ruck. Nic Newman has been outstanding in defence and the midfield in a push to earn an AFL recall, while backman Colin O’Riordan has starred in every game this season as he works towards a senior debut. Darcy Cameron has held his own against the most formidable ruckmen in the competition and presents a huge challenge when cycling through the forward line with his height and great contested grab. Keep an eye on these players on Friday.
Academy star Bailey Stewart
The NEAFL is not only a platform for those on the verge of senior selection but for QBE Sydney Swans Academy stars looking to land themselves on an AFL list. Under-19 Academy member Bailey Stewart is one of those players and last Saturday did his chances of securing an AFL contract no harm. The East Coast Eagles junior took out the Round 8 NEAFL Rising Star nomination after starring in Sydney’s 16-point victory over the Brisbane Lions in Queensland. He finished with 20 disposals, five tackles and two goals in his eighth NEAFL match. Stewart was unsuccessful at both the National and Rookie Drafts in 2017 but has been working tirelessly as he pushes towards another Draft in November this year.
Knocking down the top
The Southport Sharks sat atop the ladder ahead of Round 7 but Sydney knocked them off in an 88-point win at the SCG. The Swans had only registered one win for the season but led from start to finish and ran in 10 goals to zero in the final term to send an ominous warning to the rest of the competition. The Students are the new leaders of the competition and haven’t lost a game, but the Swans relished the chance to face the Sharks in Round 7 and are storming towards Friday off the back of three wins on the trot.
