NEAFL coach Rhyce Shaw is confident last weekend’s loss to Brisbane was a minor bump in the road and is expecting a big response from his charges when the Swans return to the SCG on Saturday.

The ladder-leaders, on a 13-game winning streak ahead of the trip north, were outplayed at the Gabba in Round 19 action, a fast start (five goals to one) by the home side establishing what proved an unassailable lead with the Lions then running out 19.14 (128) to 15.9 (109) victors.

Shaw highlighted that a “lack of physicality” was primarily to blame for the team’s second defeat of the season, of which both have come against the Lions, as well as a breakdown in defensive structures.

After an honest review during the week and two solid sessions on the training track, he’s looking forward to his players returning serve with a stronger showing, this time against eighth-placed Redland in Saturday’s AFL curtain-raiser.

“There’s no excuses for us,” Shaw said.

“We have to respond, we have to play the style of footy we want to play and we have to physically harder at the contest, that’s all it is I reckon.

We were down in many areas (last week) so we’re looking to get those stats up in those areas and get the win on the board.”

Redland may have a 4-12 record going into Round 20 and consequently out of finals contention, but Shaw is still wary of what the Bombers can produce on the day especially coming off an impressive win against Aspley.

Forward Jackson Paine has caused opposition backs headaches with his 47 goals to date, currently the second-best tally in the league, behind only NT Thunder’s Darren Ewing (59), while utility Adrian Williams has also proven a handful this season.

In coach Leigh Harding’s words, they’re out to give the last two remaining rounds of the season “a real crack” in the hope of giving a finals-bound club a shake.

“We’re expecting a really tough game against Redland,” Shaw added.

“They take the game on, they go really quick and they try to catch teams out.

“It’s going to be a really interesting game, it’s a really good challenge for us and a game we’re really looking forward to as it gives us a chance to make amends.”

Shaw will be looking for James Rose to build on a solid patch of form, which included a game-high six goals in the loss to Brisbane, and for the likes of Jordan Dawson and Dan Robinson to help lead the way.

“Hopefully those guys can stand up this week and other guys can jump on as well.”

It’ll be the first time this season the Swans and Bombers have gone head-to-head, the last time (in Round 3, 2016) the Swans came away with a 97-point win at Leyshon Park.

NEAFL Round 20 - Sydney Swans v Redland Bombers
Saturday, August 11 @ 10.05am 
Sydney Cricket Ground