They laid more tackles than any other Swans team before them, but Kieren Jack has vowed Saturday’s slugfest hasn’t had any lingering effects on the playing group as preparations ramp up for Sydney Derby X.
Jack described last weekend’s encounter against Gold Coast as a “physically tough game” with the Swans laying a record 135 tackles over four quarters, smashing their previous best (111) set in Round 3, 2011.
More than 200mm of rainfall drenched the Gold Coast Hinterland region in the space of 24 hours prior to the first bounce, meaning a heavy price was put on winning the contested footy.
The two sides were relatively evenly matched by the end of the game. Gold Coast finished marginally ahead in contested possessions and clearances but the Swans dominated the tackle count (135-119).
Jack says while the game was taxing, the group had recovered well and was looking forward to a more free-flowing game against GWS at Spotless Stadium.
“It was a different game. Physically there was no easy ball out there,” he said of the Round 11 clash.
“But seeing the boys everyone’s feeling pretty well, there were no injuries and everyone’s pulled up well.
“It’ll probably be a different game out here on Sunday.”
Jack will be right in the thick of the midfield battle which, like many of the previous nine Sydney derbies, is predicted to have a huge bearing on the outcome of the match.
And the stats agree, given the Swans and Giants are the best in the competition for winning the contested footy and clearances respectively.
Jack says the Giants’ stoppage work is only one of many areas which has made Leon Cameron’s men a dangerous side in 2016.
“They’re a very attacking team, they’re quick off that half-back line and very good around the stoppages. They are elements we’ll certainly try to curtail,” he added.
“They’ve got some young guys with some real run and bounce. We can’t be allowing them to dictate the way they play, especially early.
“That midfield battle in there, they’ve got some quality while we’ve got some quality, so it’ll be a good challenge.”
Coach John Longmire will wait until later in the week to determine the availability of George Hewett, who came off early and missed the rest of the game on Saturday night with concussion.
Young forward Tom Papley has been ruled out for a third consecutive week with shin soreness.