The battle between Dane Rampe and Tom Hawkins headlines the latest edition of Hot Topics ahead of the Sydney Swans’ match against the Geelong Cats at the SCG on Sunday afternoon.
Rampe v Hawkins
All Australian Sydney defender Rampe has blanketed Jeremy Cameron, Tom Lynch, Ben Brown and a host of other gun key forwards this season – and another imposing test now awaits. The Swans co-captain is set to collide with powerhouse Geelong forward Hawkins – a dual premiership Cat, one-time All Australian and seven-time club leading goal-kicker. Hawkins will tick off another major achievement as he runs out for his 250th AFL appearance in the SCG match, a significant milestone in a career stretching back to Round 2, 2007. Rampe (emergency) and Hawkins (interchange) were both named in the greatest NSW team of all time earlier this year, but the two stars will be fiercely opposed to each other on Sunday afternoon.
Florent eyes 50th
Oliver Florent was a star tennis player and basketballer in his youth but it’s in the bright lights of the AFL that he’s soared to rocketing heights. The fleet-footed midfielder, who turned 21 on Monday, will run out for his 50th AFL match in Sunday’s clash with Geelong. The Sandringham Dragons product was drafted to the Swans via the club’s first-round pick at the 2016 AFL Draft, and he’s since played every senior game over the last two seasons, claimed Sydney’s 2018 Rising Star honour and made a seamless transition from the forward line to the midfield. Jackson Thurlow, Will Hayward and Ryan Clarke have all entered the 50-game club this season.
Bouncing back
Both the Swans and Cats will be determined to strike back from losses on the weekend. Sydney fell to Fremantle in a one-point loss in Perth on Saturday, before Geelong suffered a 24-point defeat to arch-rival Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday. The Swans are no longer a mathematical chance of playing finals footy but are intent on finishing the season on a memorable note, while the first-placed Cats have the minor premiership in their sights.
A building rivalry
GWS, Hawthorn and West Coast are widely regarded the Swans’ primary rivals, but Sydney and Geelong have been quietly building an intense feud of their own over the last eight years. The results of the 16 most recent Swans-Cats games are split down the middle at eight-apiece, while Sydney’s average winning margin in that time is 38.75 and Geelong’s a whisker below at 31.37. The two clubs have also halved finals results in that period, with the Swans victorious in a 2016 preliminary final and the Cats proving too strong in a 2017 semi-final. Who will tilt the rivalry back in their favour on Sunday?
Member Recognition Round
Sunday’s game will celebrate the Swans’ annual Member Recognition Round and that means plenty of wonderful news for the club’s beloved members. Excitement is building ahead of the pre-match and post-match member functions, there are a host of terrific ticket deals on offer and members will receive a 10 per cent discount on food and beverages. Members will also receive 20 per cent off all full-priced merchandise at the Swanshop outlets at the game, while Swans Membership will be surprising members with gifts throughout the afternoon. Click here for a full rundown of what’s in store for Member Recognition Round.
