Sydney Swans v Essendon
Saturday, July 11 2009, 2.10pm, SCG

Season to date
Essendon has been one of the season’s surprise packets, improving on the glimpses of form shown in 2008 to win half their games to date.

Victories against Carlton (twice) and Collingwood on Anzac Day have been the highlights for Matthew Knights’ side.

However, the Bombers look to be at a level below the class of serious top-four contenders St Kilda, Geelong, Collingwood, Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions after suffering heavy losses to that quintet.

The round 14 loss to the Magpies was particularly telling after the game was hyped as one of the matches of the round, only to see Collingwood blow Essendon away in the second quarter.

Recent form
Round 10 – Essendon 11.4 (70) lost to Geelong 20.14 (134), Docklands
Round 11 – Essendon 18.6 (114) lost to Adelaide 21.4 (130), Docklands
Round 12 – Essendon 19.17 (131) d Melbourne 13.5 (83), Docklands
Round 13 – Essendon 21.10 (136) d Carlton 9.13 (67), MCG
Round 14 – Essendon 9.13 (67) lost to Collingwood 15.12 (102), MCG
 
Last time they met
Sydney Swans 21.17 (143) d Essendon 7.10 (52), round eight, 2008, ANZ Stadium
The Swans ran riot against a young Essendon side, booting 15 goals to three in the second half to run away 89-point winners.

Michael O’Loughlin starred with six goals while Brett Kirk (29 touches), Adam Goodes (27) and Darren Jolly (20 touches, 25 hit-outs, three goals) were influential.

Bombers Angus Monfries and Brent Stanton battled hard for the visitors but their efforts were overwhelmed by dominant opponents.

The venue: SCG
Essendon has played at the SCG just five times in the past 10 years, winning four of those encounters. However, three of those wins came between 1999 and 2001, when the Bombers were the dominant force in the competition. Their most recent win at the ground was by one point in 2007.

The coach: Matthew Knights
Knights had a hard task succeeding legendary Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy in 2008 and he’s done a fine job developing his side for the modern game.

Nine wins and a draw from 22 games with a young side was a passable result in Knights’ first season at the helm and he looks set to pass that mark with ease this year.

The Bombers drew fire in 2008 for their attack-at-all-costs style and Knights chose to weather the storm, trusting his philosophy to work as the players developed. He looks to be on the right track.

Strengths
Pace, and lots of it. Essendon are among the best teams in the league at exploiting an opponent’s lack of speed and if the Swans let the likes of Alwyn Davey, Jason Winderlich and Andrew Lovett off the hook, they will suffer.

The Bombers’ forward line isn’t too shabby either. Veteran talls Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas aren’t as potent as they used to be but both are still capable of hurting the opposition.

Missing in action
Ruckmen David Hille (knee) and Jason Laycock (foot) are both out for the season and inside midfielder Jobe Watson (ankle) is only an outside chance to make the trip. Lively half-forward Angus Monfries (hamstring) is another important player on the sidelines. Youngsters Scott Gumbleton (back) and Rhys Magin (shoulder) round out the Bombers’ injury list.

The key: Win first use of the footy
The Swans should have a marked advantage in the ruck with Darren Jolly pitted against the athletic Paddy Ryder. The Essendon tall has carried the ruck duties manfully since Hille’s knee injury on Anzac Day but he has shown signs of weariness in recent weeks.

With Watson a likely absentee, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton and Ryan O’Keefe should be too strong for the Bombers’ centre-square brigade. The tight confines of the SCG should be even more advantageous that usual against an Essendon side that likes to run with the footy.

The young gun: Brent Prismall
The former Geelong midfielder crossed to Essendon at the end of 2008, seeking greater playing opportunities and bearing the scars of a recently reconstructed knee. However, Prismall has banished any concerns about his recovery with a series of fine performances in his first four games for the Bombers, averaging almost 25 possessions a game. He adds pace, a fine kick and a strong body to the deep Essendon midfield.

The big questions
How will the emotion of Barry Hall’s mid-week retirement from the club affect the Swans? Will the Bombers bounce back from last week’s disappointing effort against Collingwood? How will the visitors adapt their game plan to the SCG? Can the Swans keep their finals hopes alive for one more week?

What they’re saying
“Without Barry [Hall] in, they become a different kettle of fish because they've got a number of other options, which gives them a bit more unpredictability. You've got to treat every player on their merits, and every player in this league has their fair share of talent.” - Essendon coach Matthew Knights