Callum Sinclair’s inclusion for Saturday’s encounter against West Coast is a timely one, with the big man adding a key presence not only over the football but also in the forward line, according to assistant coach Stuart Dew.
Sinclair was a late withdrawal from Saturday’s clash with Adelaide after his recovery from an infected foot took a little longer than first anticipated.
The 26-year-old had no trouble convincing Match Committee on Thursday, getting through the week’s final training session to be selected as one of two changes for the match against his old side at the SCG.
Sinclair has kicked four goals in his first three games in the red and white while shouldering half the ruck work alongside Kurt Tippett.
“Callum knows he has to perform. He’s not just making up the numbers,” Dew said
“He’s played well up forward and in the ruck so we’ll be looking for him to hit the scoreboard when he’s forward and give the midfielders a fair bit of use.
“He would have ‘played’ a fair bit against Nic Naitanui at training so we’re interested to see how he goes.”
Having spent three seasons and 29 games with the Eagles, most strung together last season, the coaching staff would have no doubt picked Sinclair’s brain for any edge over the visitors.
But as Dew pointed out, any insight would only be scratching the surface of the game plan Adam Simpson and his charges will bring into Saturday’s match-up.
“Bits and pieces here and there, yes, but teams change sometimes over a six or seven-week cycle,” he added.
“There are similar things to how they played last year but they’ve also got new personnel.
“And obviously they’ve got Lewis Jetta. We’re totally different to when he played here only four games ago.”
Dew believes the difference between winning or losing will come down to the midfield with both sides boasting elite users.
There’s also more than just the four points on the line with the HMAS Sydney II trophy up for grabs, honouring those who were lost as the warship was sunk off the coast of Western Australia during WW2.
