The intrigue surrounding the ruck battle headlines the latest instalment of Hot Topics as the Sydney Swans eye Saturday afternoon’s MCG clash with Essendon. 

Makeshift ruck battle awaits
Both the Swans’ and Bombers’ ruck stocks are so decimated that Sydney coach John Longmire joked in the aftermath of his side’s last outing that the centre bounce be replaced with “rock, scissors, paper”. Essendon big man Tom Bellchambers will miss the game due to a calf strain sustained in his side’s match against GWS last Thursday, while towering Swan Callum Sinclair is due for a stint on the sideline after dislocating his shoulder in Saturday’s clash with the Gold Coast Suns. Sam Naismith (knee) and Darcy Cameron (quad) are also sitting in the Swans’ injury ward. As Essendon coach John Worsfold contemplates whether to recall Zac Clarke or hand forward Shaun McKernan the chief ruck role, Longmire is pondering whether to opt for the double act of Aliir Aliir and Sam Reid, or present mid-season recruit Michael Knoll his AFL debut. With neither side likely to enjoy a significant hit-outs win, the ground-ball work of the Sydney and Essendon midfielders promises to be pivotal to the game. 

The battle of speed
A host of Swans and Bombers blessed with searing pace are set to descend on the MCG. Speedsters Zak Jones, Tom Papley, Oliver Florent and Nick Blakey are among the quickest Swans, while the Bombers are set to wheel out the rapid-fire Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Adam Saad, Conor McKenna and Orazio Fantasia. Those in the MCG stands could be set for fireworks. 

The fight for the finals
Saturday’s match shapes as a crucial game in the context of the race to finals footy. Essendon and Sydney are both looming on the verge of the top eight ahead of the final eight rounds of the regular season, with the Bombers placed 10^th on 28 points and the Swans 12^th on 24. Just one win and percentage separate eighth-placed Fremantle and 14^th-placed St Kilda. Sydney hasn’t fallen short of finals footy since 2009 – the longest current finals streak competition-wide – and is hell-bent on securing a 10^th-straight berth. 

A long-awaited MCG return
Saturday will see the Swans visit the MCG for the first time this season. Sydney collected two wins from two games at the grand final venue in season 2018, grabbing an eight-point victory over Hawthorn in Round 8 and edging Melbourne by nine points in Round 21. Enigmatic Swan Ben Ronke snared seven goals against the Hawks to claim an AFL Rising Star nomination, before star midfielder Isaac Heeney flew high in the Demons clash to pull down the AFL’s Mark of the Year. 

Last time they met
The SCG crowd held its collective breath as Essendon’s David Myers lined up for a set shot after the final siren when the clubs last met in Round 8, with the Bombers trailing by five points at the death of an absorbing match. And moments later, it was those in red and white singing victory’s tune. Blakey was among the heroes of the night, laying a phenomenal chasedown tackle on Mason Redman with less than 30 seconds on the clock.