Sydney Swans assistant coach Steve Johnson has offered an insight into the brand of footy the team will be chasing in its first Marsh Community Series match.
Sydney will play its first official pre-season game in a clash with cross-city rival GWS at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday.
The hit-out will see 26 Sydney players – 18 on the field and eight on the bench – take on invaluable game time in the lead-up to a season-opening clash with the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval on March 21.
Johnson says the team is set to give thorough attention to both its attack and defence in Saturday’s match against the Giants.
“It’s another opportunity to implement some of the things we’ve been working on over the summer against genuine opposition,” Johnson said.
“We had a good little hit-out against the Giants on the weekend and now we really want to start playing a style that stands up in Round 1 – and it starts this week.
“We think we’ve been defending reasonably well but you can always improve in all areas of the game. On the weekend, we were beaten in the clearances and when the ball hit the deck, so that’s going to be a focus this week. We also missed some opportunities in front of goal. It was great that when we got the ball inside 50 we were pretty dangerous, but we didn’t capitalise on those shots on goal.”
Star trio Callum Mills, Jake Lloyd and Tom Papley won’t take place in Sydney’s Marsh Community Series opener as they’re set to feature in Friday night’s State of Origin match for bushfire relief.
A host of gun Swans, including Lance Franklin, Sam Reid and Isaac Heeney, are also set to miss the Blacktown match due to injury.
But Johnson says the match carries major significance despite the long list of absent key pillars.
Frenemies ?? @CallumMills_14 & @J_Lloyd_10 gearing up for State of Origin for Bushfire Relief.
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) February 20, 2020
?? Tickets here >> https://t.co/zvjJCwgCuF pic.twitter.com/VmCTlbURlA
“Overall, it’ll be great for the development of our younger players to have another go against top opposition. And it’s also about putting close to our best team on the park,” Johnson said.
“We’ve got a few players out for State of Origin duties and with injury, but it’s important to get our best-possible team working together and playing together. There are only limited chances to play together before the real stuff starts so it’s really important for us.”
The trip west will see off-season recruits Sam Gray and Lewis Taylor – two members of Johnson’s revamped forward line – make their first official appearances in red and white.
Gray booted 83 goals across 96 AFL games for Port Adelaide, while Taylor – the winner of the 2014 AFL Rising Star award – piled up 88 goals in 112 outings with the Brisbane Lions.
Johnson is thrilled with what the two new Swans have added to the team.
“Sammy and Lewy have both fitted in really well,” Johnson said.
“They’ll both probably spend a fair majority of their time up forward, but they’ve also got the flexibility to go up into the stoppages, get involved in centre bounces and even play on a wing. They’re just really genuine footballers that know the game really well and I think they’ll make us a better team.”
Sydney will play its second and final Marsh Community Series match against North Melbourne at Tasmania’s Kingston Twin Ovals on March 9.
