The Sydney Swans’ clash with the Adelaide Crows at the SCG on Friday night is brimming with red-hot topics.
Milestone moments, the return of the Friday night lights and plenty more surround the Round 5 blockbuster.
Friday night footy
This is it! Friday night footy is back. The Swans are set for their first Friday night clash of the season. It’s the first of six Friday night games the Swans are scheduled to play in 2018. It’s also the first at home since the side’s miraculous finish against the Essendon Bombers in Round 14 last season which saw the Swans clinch a gripping one-point win. Come along to the SCG and cheer on the red and white from 7:50pm as the Swans look to snag three wins on the trot.
A famous football name
Swans captain Josh Kennedy and his father John will move into 10th for most VFL/AFL appearances for a father-son duo. Josh will play his 209th senior game when the Swans face the Crows and John made 241 appearances for Hawthorn between 1950 and ’59.
Franklin on brink of another milestone
Sydney forward Lance Franklin has kicked 297 goals for the Swans and will become the 11th player in South Melbourne/Sydney history to reach 300 if he boots three majors on Friday. Franklin became a Swan in 2014 and across his first three years averaged 70 goals per season. The 31-year-old (17 goals) leads the Coleman Medal after the opening four rounds of 2018 and has had his best start to a season since he last kicked 100 goals in a season in 2008 as a Hawk.
Stronghold on the Crows
The Swans have held the upper hand in recent Sydney-Adelaide history, winning six of the last seven encounters. They emerged three-point winners when the two sides last met in Round 22 last season and clinched a 36-point win when they last hosted the Crows at the SCG in a 2016 semi-final. The Swans will be looking to maintain their recent hot form over the reigning minor premiers.
Adelaide’s outs
Forward Eddie Betts (hamstring) and midfielder David Mackay (concussion) will miss the game after taking part in Adelaide’s match with Collingwood last Friday. Matt Crouch (hamstring) and brother Brad (groin soreness) are among the other key outs, while forward Lachlan Murphy (hamstring) is another omission. But the Crows still have plenty of strike right across the park. Midfielder Rory Laird sits second behind Hawthorn star Tom Mitchell for most disposals this season, while forward Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch provide plenty of threat in the Crows’ front half.
