In the latest edition of Opposition Watch, Swans Media examines the Adelaide Crows ahead of the Sydney Swans’ first SCG clash of season 2019.
Recent form
The Crows fell to Hawthorn in a 32-point opening-round loss at Adelaide Oval last Saturday, but plenty went right for the home side.
Despite trailing at every break and giving up a six-goal-to-two second half, the Crows eclipsed the Hawks in disposals, clearances, stoppages, inside 50s and contested possession.
The 12th-placed Swans and 15th-placed Crows will be on the hunt for their first wins of the season.
Adelaide Crows midfielder Wayne Milera doing battle with Hawthorn in last Saturday's clash.
Ins and outs
Adelaide has made two changes to its side that lost Hawthorn, with defenders Paul Seedsman and Kyle Hartigan replacing Tom Doedee (knee) and Richard Douglas (ankle).
Seedsman has played 88 games and offers penetrating drive off half-back, while the 27-year-old posted 26 disposals and a goal to earn one Brownlow vote when the Swans and Crows last met.
Hartigan has amassed 82 games and, standing at 194 centimetres and 98 kilograms, is a bustling key defender.
Key match-up
Sydney big man Callum Sinclair took on the entirety of the Swans’ ruck load in season 2018 after primary ruckman Sam Naismith suffered a season-ending knee injury on the cusp of Round 1.
But the 29-year-old would produce arguably the best campaign of his career, competing valiantly throughout the full duration of the season against name likes Max Gawn, Brodie Grundy, Ni Naitanui and Aaron Sandilands.
Seasoned Adelaide campaigner Sam Jacobs, a veteran of 197 games and three-time All Australian nominee, presented Sinclair an imposing challenge in Round 5 – and the towering ruckmen are set to lock horns again.
With both the Sydney and Adelaide midfield brigades flooded with stars, winning the tap shapes as a crucial element to Friday’s game.
Sydney Swans ruckman Callum Sinclair and Adelaide Crows big man Sam Jacobs compete for the footy in Round 5, 2018.
Last time they met
The Crows let at every change en route to a 10-point win at the SCG when the clubs last crossed swords, winning 12.13 (85) to 10.15 (75) in Round 5, 2018.
Adelaide’s Rory Laird (three), Taylor Walker (two) and Seedsman (one) collected the Brownlow votes.
Laird gathered a game-high 30 disposals, Walker kicked a match-high four goals and Seedsman finished with 26 touches and a major of his own.
Sydney defender Jake Lloyd recorded a Swans-high 28 possessions.
What they said
Adelaide defender Daniel Talia: “We love getting up to Sydney. The SCG is a small ground, it’s a great ground to play at and it’s always a pretty fierce contest against Sydney. They’re very much a one-on-one team and we know that going in. We love the battle, we love getting up to the biggest city in Australia and it’s good to get away as a group.”
