After some time off over the bye weekend, we’re off to Adelaide again this weekend to take on Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. There is no doubt the team benefitted from a week off both physically and mentally and we’re all now ready for the second half of the season.

I just think at this point of the year there are always a lot of little niggles that the players carry for a little while, so any time they have a week off to freshen up is fantastic. They all had four days off and then we had a good training session last Saturday and resumed normal training on Tuesday and Thursday and we’re ready for another challenge over in Adelaide this Saturday.

The last three rounds have been really pleasing for the Swans but I think the playing group, in particular our leaders in Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack and Adam Goodes, have really driven how we’ve been playing. I think the way they lead from the front on field and at training drives everyone else and obviously it has showed over the last month.

Jarrad McVeigh has been particularly important, especially with the loss of several senior members of our back six. When you lose someone like a Rhyce Shaw who gave us some run out of the backline, who is also a terrific leader, it is always very difficult to replace them. Obviously Macca has been able to step in there and has done that role very well over the last few weeks. Whether he’s forward, playing through the midfield or is in defence it doesn’t really matter for him because he turns up and plays exceptionally well no matter where he is playing. It’s great versatility on his behalf but certainly he’s been very good down back for us.

It’s also terrific to see someone like Dane Rampe improving every week. We were very fortunate with his improvement because we lost Alex Johnson early in the year with a knee reco, and Dane has been able to step in and play the role Alex played for us last year in our premiership year. We’ve been very fortunate in that he’s been able to develop quickly and his last game was probably as good as he’s played all year. We’ve very mindful that it’s a long year and there is still a long way to go for him, but certainly he’s shown that he will be around for a few years to come.

This weekend we take on the Power who proved in the first five weeks of the competition that they are a very talented young side. Port Adelaide started the season very well and they also beat us in the final round of the NAB Cup, so we know at their best they are a very good running side. They showed that again last week against GWS in the way that they played and scored.

Up forward they’ve got some real talent including Chad Wingard who goes through the midfield and comes forward and is an exceptional talent. They’ve also got Robbie Gray and Jake Neade up there who add some speed and some marking ability as well as Angus Monfries and Jay Shultz who have obviously been in pretty good form as well. They certainly do have a few guys who can kick goals for them and we’ll have to be at our best if we’re going to beat them this weekend.