Match details

Saturday May 7, Manuka Oval, 1.10pm (local time)
Gates open: 9am
Sydney Swans reserves v GWS, 9.10am

Tickets are still available for Saturday’s game - click here to purchase tickets.

You can get live updates on Saturday’s game against the Western Bulldogs from Swans insiders on Facebook (facebook.com/sydneyswans) and Twitter (twitter.com/sydneyswans) - the Official hash tag for this game is #afldogsswans.

Teams

Sydney Swans

B: Martin Mattner, Ted Richards, Andrejs Everitt
HB: Tadhg Kennelly, Heath Grundy, Nicholas Smith
C: Craig Bird, Josh P. Kennedy, Nathan Gordon
HF: Ben McGlynn, Sam Reid, Daniel Hannebery
F: Rhyce Shaw, Adam Goodes, Ryan O'Keefe
Foll: Shane Mumford, Jude Bolton, Jarrad McVeigh
I/C: Jarred Moore, Mike Pyke, Lewis Jetta, Alex Johnson
Emg: Brett Meredith, Lewis Johnston, Luke Parker

In: Heath Grundy, Nathan Gordon, Alex Johnson
Out: Paul Bevan, Kieren Jack (Ankle), Jesse White
New: Nathan Gordon (East Coast Eagles)

Western Bulldogs

B: Liam Picken, Lukas Markovic, Dale Morris
HB: Lindsay Gilbee, Tom L. Williams, Robert Murphy
C: Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Justin Sherman
HF: Callan Ward, Liam Jones, Josh Hill
F: Jarrad Grant, William Minson, Daniel Giansiracusa
Foll: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen
I/C: Brennan Stack, Brodie Moles, Mitchell Wallis, Zephaniah Skinner
Emg: Dylan Addison, Nathan Djerrkura, Jayden Schofield

In: Daniel Giansiracusa, Brennan Stack, Ben Hudson, Zephaniah Skinner
Out: Dylan Addison, Brian Lake, Jordan Roughead, Thomas Liberatore (Soreness)
New: Zephaniah Skinner (Northern Territory)

Summary

The Sydney Swans travel to Canberra for the first and only time in 2011, when they play against the Western Bulldogs in Saturday’s early afternoon game, with the first bounce at 1.10pm.

The Swans have played the last two games against 2010 finalists in Geelong and Carlton respectively, and despite being competitive for the majority of both games, were not able to get over the line in either. The Swans get another chance to record a victory over one of last year’s top eight teams this Saturday, when they come up against the team who knocked them out in last year’s semi final.

The Western Bulldogs have also lost their last two games, although they did push the reigning premiers Collingwood for three quarters last week. They currently sit 11th on the ladder and defeated the Swans in the two sides’ last meeting at Manuka Oval - last year’s round eight, 38-point win.    

Players to watch

Sydney Swans: Ben McGlynn
The Sydney Swans forward has been the side’s main avenue to goal so far in 2011, and put in another brilliant performance against Carlton last Friday night. McGlynn’s four goals against the Blues took his tally to 12 for the season - the only Swan in double figures to date - which sees him in equal sixth place for the Coleman Medal. McGlynn has also been averaging 16 disposals per game to go along with his scoring threat.

Click here to watch Swans forward Ben McGlynn answer your questions from during the week.

Western Bulldogs: Matthew Boyd
One of the rookie list’s great success stories, Boyd has led admirably from the front in his first five games as Western Bulldogs captain. Boyd has averaged 33 possessions per game so far in 2011, including an incredible 45 disposal, seven tackle game against Fremantle two weeks ago.  

Match-up to watch

Rucks: Shane Mumford/Mike Pyke v Ben Hudson/Will Minson
Shane Mumford was a shining light against Carlton last Friday night, with a season high 43 hit-outs. The inclusion of Mike Pyke to the Swans line-up allowed Mumford to rest forward, where he contributed two goals for the second week in a row. Mumford is also third at the Club for tackles so far in 2011, and Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs found out first-hand the effectiveness of Pyke’s tackling when he was halted in his tracks by the former Rugby international. With fine weather predicted in Canberra on Saturday, the Bulldogs will also go in with two ruckmen. Ben Hudson has overcome his ankle injury and will join Will Minson - fresh from 56 hit-outs against Collingwood in his first game for the season - as the Bulldogs ruck combination.   

Coaching match-up

John Longmire v Rodney Eade
John Longmire will look to bounce back from his first two consecutive losses as a senior coach. He will regain the services of defender Heath Grundy - who was a late withdrawal from last Friday night’s team due to illness - which will free-up Sam Reid to head back to the forward line. Longmire will miss Kieren Jack for four-to-six weeks, with Nathan Gordon making his debut for the Club as Jack’s replacement after being elevated from the Rookie list. Rodney Eade will also look to arrest a two game losing streak for the Bulldogs. Eade - who coached the Swans for seven years, including a Grand Final appearance in 1996 - has a strong recent record against the Swans, having coached his side to victory in six of the past seven games between the two clubs.

Click here to hear John Longmire speak about this week's ins and outs. 

Memorable match

Round 17, 1997: Sydney 22.17 (149) d Western Bulldogs 7.10 (52), SCG

Going into the game Sydney sat in sixth position on the ladder while the Western Bulldogs were second on the, just a game behind Geelong. The Swans raced out to an early lead and were never headed, eventually recording a 97-point win - the Swans biggest win over the Bulldogs since round 2, 1987. Tony Lockett kicked eight goals and three behinds from his 11 kicks, while Paul Roos led all possession-getters with 17 kicks, 12 handball, and ten marks. Sydney’s Troy Cook got the three Brownlow votes for his game consisting of 19 disposals, six tackles and a goal. The Bulldogs would have the final laugh in 1997, however, as they bundled the Swans out of the finals race by 35 points in the 2nd qualifying final.

What John Longmire says …

“I was watching them last week, and they have a number of players who can kick a goal, so it makes them a bit less predictable - our defenders know that in regards to their forwards. Their midfield - (Adam) Cooney, (Ryan) Griffen, (Matthew) Boyd, (Daniel) Cross - are as good as any going around, and that’s a real challenge for us.’’

Media coverage

TV: Melbourne - Fox Sports 1pm. Perth - Fox Sports 11am. Sydney/New South Wales - Channel 10 1pm, Fox Sports 1pm. Brisbane/Queensland - Fox Sports 1pm.
RADIO: Melbourne - ABC774, SEN, Perth - ABC720, Sydney - Triple M, ABC702.
Check out www.afl.com.au/broadcast for your local listings

2011 form

Sydney Swans: DWWLL (def by Carlton 10.11 (71) to 12.15 (87))
Western Bulldogs LWWLL (def by Collingwood 15.15 (105) to 8.9 (57))

2011 Ladder position

Sydney Swans: 9th  
Western Bulldogs: 11th      

Head-to-head

Played: 148
Sydney Swans: 70 wins
Western Bulldogs: 77 wins
Draw:1

Last time they met

Semi Final, 2010: Western Bulldogs 11.11 (77) def Sydney Swans 10.12 (72), MCG

Current streak

Western Bulldogs (1)

Injury list (as at 3/5/11)

Sydney Swans: Daniel Bradshaw (knee) - indefinite, Campbell Heath (knee) - 1 week, Kieren Jack (ankle) - 4-6 weeks, Alex Johnson (hamstring) - test, Nick Malceski (knee) - 2-3 weeks, Gary Rohan (knee) - indefinite

Western Bulldogs: Daniel Giansiracusa (hamstring) - test, Barry Hall (ankle) - 2-3 weeks, Shaun Higgins (groin) - test, Ben Hudson (ankle) - test,Easton Wood (ankle) - 4-5 weeks, Patrick Veszpremi (hand) - 2 weeks