The Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal and the Sydney Swans’ stellar Indigenous guernsey are among the latest edition of Hot Topics ahead of Friday night’s clash with Collingwood.

Sydney and Collingwood will open this year’s Indigenous Round in Marn Grook at the SCG.

Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal

The player judged best afield will receive a prized honour named in tribute to two of the greatest Indigenous players to have graced the AFL arena, Sydney legends Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin. Young Sydney star Isaac Heeney claimed the medal after a starring display against Carlton in last year’s Marn Grook at the SCG clash, with Tom Mitchell (2016) and Lance Franklin (2017) previously deemed the best on ground.

Stellar Indigenous guernsey

The footy world will get another glimpse of the Swans’ stunning Indigenous guernsey in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round opener. Designed by south coast artist Cheryl Davison, the jumper tells the Dreamtime story of a white swan who became black. Goodes’ mother Lisa Sainsbury designed the club’s first Indigenous guernsey, worn by Sydney in the years spanning 2014-2017, before the Swans unveiled Davison’s magnificent piece of art last year.

Sydney Swans star Lance Franklin sporting the club's magnificent Indigenous guernsey.

Three in a row

The Swans opened their season with just one win from six games, but on Friday they’ll be chasing a third victory in a row. They cracked a four-game losing streak in a five-point win over Essendon at the SCG in Round 8, before holding on in a five-point thriller against North Melbourne in Hobart last Saturday. Last week’s match with the Roos saw the Swans roll out their youngest team since Round 8, 1997, but they’re determined to feature in a 10^th-straight finals series despite the baby-faced team.

Papley’s purple patch

Firebrand Swan Tom Papley is bursting into Friday’s clash off the back of nine goals in three games. The 22-year-old snared four goals against Brisbane in Round 7, including a Goal of the Year nomination, before booting one against Essendon and another four against North Melbourne. Papley has also proven dangerous in his part-time move to the midfield this season, with the former rookie upping his average touches per game from last year’s 13.7 to this season’s 16.2.

Last time they met 

The Swans edged the Magpies in one of the most special nights in the club’s history in Round 20, 2018. Former injury-plagued Swan Alex Johnson made an emotional return from 2136 days on the sideline to play his first AFL match since the 2012 Grand Final. On a night full of storylines the Swans also celebrated the 100^th anniversary of South Melbourne’s 1918 premiership victory over Collingwood, while Sydney speedster Harry Cunningham ran out for his 100^th game. And a miraculous Tom McCartin goal at the death ensured the night was appropriately marked with victory, with the youngest player in the AFL at the time connecting a desperate boot to ball while sprawled across the turf to claw a two-point win for Sydney.