THE KANGAROOS’ STORY SO FAR

The Kangaroos are on the up after successive wins over Brisbane and then Geelong at Skilled Stadium last week. Few gave Dean Laidley’s men a chance on the Cats’ home patch, but in wet conditions the Kangas did all the basics well and were just plain tougher at the footy than their opponents. They are an unheralded but determined bunch at Arden St and the Swans know not to underestimate them.

RECENT FORM

R1 – Kangaroos 10.19 (79) lost to Collingwood 12.10 (82)
R2 – Port Adelaide 17.20 (122) def Kangaroos 15.14 (104)
R3 – Kangaroos 10.10 (70) lost to Hawthorn 13.13 (91)
R4 – Kangaroos 12.15 (87) def Brisbane Lions 8.15 (63)
R5 – Geelong 15.12 (102) lost to Kangaroos 18.10 (118)

LAST TIME OUT

2006, Round 10 – Sydney 16.9 (105) def Kangaroos 14.14 (98)
The Swans defied a gusty breeze and Canberra’s Manuka Oval to fight back in the second half and score a seven-point win, extending their winning streak to six matches. However it was a weary-looking Swans outfit that day, and perhaps the efforts of the match took their toll, with Paul Roos’ men dropping their next two games.

THE GROUND

This a home clash for the Kangaroos and the venue will help them, although that’s not to say the Swans don’t like Telstra Dome. The Kangaroos, despite limited success in recent years, enjoyed a 4-4 record there last season. The Swans play at the ground twice this year – those matches being back-to-back in the next fortnight.

THE COACH

Despite missing power forward Nathan Thompson, coach Dean Laidley hasn’t tried to close teams down and play slow, shut-down footy. The Kangaroos booted 18 goals last week and it was their run and swift ball movement into the forward 50 that resulted in many of those goals. Laidley knows he has the tools to hurt sides and will rely on his team’s work ethic and defensive pressure – much like the ‘junkyard dog’ did in his own playing days – to get the job done.

STRENGTHS

The Kangaroos’ ball-winners were sensational last week, led superbly by skipper Adam Simpson with 41 touches. Daniel Wells, Daniel Harris and the emerging Andrew Swallow provide plenty of grunt to an engine room that will fancy its chances against a midfield that plays a similar brand of football to themselves.

MISSING IN ACTION

Leigh Harding and Nathan Thompson have long-term knee injuries but apart from that the Kangas are in decent shape. The big doubt will revolve around Corey Jones, who limped off against the Cats last week with a groin injury. David Hale (hamstring) is questionable while Callum Urch is still a couple of weeks away with a similar complaint.

THE KEY

Brent Harvey can be a matchwinner on his day, and if he fires he can set the Kangaroos alight. Fortunately for the Swans, Paul Roos has a couple of options up his sleeve should the pacy goalkicker start causing headaches. If Harvey plays forward then Jared Crouch appears the obvious man to stick by his side, while a Ben Mathews type might get the job when he’s in the middle.

THE YOUNG GUN

One player who impressed against the Cats with his competitiveness and aggression at the contest was young forward Aaron Edwards. Pitted against arguably the best defender of the past five seasons in Matthew Scarlett, Edwards took eight marks and competed strongly in the air. He will give whichever Swan lines up on him plenty to think about this weekend.

THE STOPPER

Take your pick. Similar to the Swans in this way, the Kangaroos have a number of players who can perform run-with roles but Brady Rawlings is the obvious one who’s likely to run with one of the Swans’ stars. He will most likely try to frustrate Adam Goodes, whose numbers have been below his own high expectations.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley actually coached the Weston Creek Wildcats (now known as the Canberra Wildcats) in the AFL Canberra competition - the competition in which the Swans reserves play each week.

After finishing his playing career in the AFL, Laidley started his coaching career ina playing role and had immediate success, taking the club to the finals after they had struggled for several seasons. He then moved onto an assistant coaching role at Collingwood before landing the top gig at the Kangaroos.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.