Bouncing back
The Sydney Swans will be hungry to bounce back after suffering their first defeat of season 2016.
While John Longmire’s men held their heads high throughout the heated clash against the Crows at Adelaide Oval, the playing group will be keen to get back on the winner’s list and stay ahead of a fiercely even competition.
A win against last year’s grand finalists would be a huge boost in the context of the season.
On such a significant weekend and against an extremely strong side, West Coast would be a huge scalp.
Remembering the fallen
Not only is it a significant weekend to play football but a common theme of Swans vs Eagles clashes is the prize we play for – the HMAS Sydney II Trophy.
The trophy, which was introduced in 2010, is named after the Australian Royal Navy warship which sunk off the coach of Western Australia during WW2.
The vessel’s wreckage wasn’t found until 2008 following a three-decade search.
The trophy is in honour of the 645 personnel who perished in the HMAS Sydney II’s final battle.
The last time we got our hands on the HMAS Sydney II Trophy was in Round 16, 2014.
Milestones
Josh Kennedy will play his 150th game for the Sydney Swans on Saturday.
After joining Sydney at the end of 2009, following 13 matches for Hawthorn, Kennedy has carved out an amazing career in the red and white.
The midfielder’s move came with pressure and broke a family tradition having followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who enjoyed great careers at the Hawks.
But all that is in the past with Kennedy now a dual Bob Skilton Medallist and Sydney premiership player with a lot more to come from the clearance king we're sure.
Jarrad McVeigh’s 267th game on Saturday also marks another milestone, with Jarrad combining with brother Mark to become the eighth pair of brothers in VFL/AFL history to reach a combined 500 games.
Mark played 232 games for Essendon between 1999 and 2012.
Josh Kenney will notch his 150th game for the red and white.
West Coast’s form
Scott Lycett’s suspension eases the pressure on Sydney’s ruck division marginally but Kurt Tippett and company still have to contend with Nic Naitanui.
The big man is a key force in the Eagles’ midfield which boasts the likes of Matt Priddis, Andrew Gaff and Luke Shuey.
That division, mixed with a balanced defence and powerful forward line, has seen the Eagles follow on from their outstanding 2015 campaign to sit sixth on the ladder with three wins and only one loss.
However, West Coast have played at the SCG only one in the past decade with the last coming in 2010.
Like Domain Stadium for them, the Swans’ home ground can become quite the fortress for visiting teams so it’ll be intriguing to see who adapts better when the heat is on come Saturday.
Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis is expected back into the Eagles' line up on Saturday.
Crossing paths
Sydney premiership player now West Coast Eagle Lewis Jetta will play his first game at the SCG since crossing over.
The speedy wingman was traded in a direct swap for ruckman Callum Sinclair during the off-season with both players enjoying strong starts at their new clubs.
Luke Parker and Josh Kennedy were asked about Jetta during a press conference on Tuesday. The duo commended their fellow teammate while throwing a few jibes just to make things more interesting.
“We’re hoping he has a shocker — that’s the plan,” Parker joked.
Kennedy added: “We’re looking forward to getting him back out on the SCG. Hopefully I won’t be chasing him too much — we’ll get some of the younger, quicker boys to be doing that.
“We’ll try and stop his influence because he’s a tremendously damaging player, and if he gets the ball in his hands too much he’s certainly going to hurt.”
Let the games begin.
It'll be strange to see Lewis Jetta in the blue and gold.
