The pushes for AFL selection of a host of Swans headlines the Round 14 Hot Topics ahead of Sydney’s clash with GWS in Wollongong on Saturday.
An eye on the big time
Dean Towers, Dan Robinson and Robbie Fox are the latest Swans to have shown the importance of impressive NEAFL form. They have all earned selection for the senior side’s match with Geelong at the SCG on Thursday night. The likes of backmen Nic Newman and Harry Marsh and midfielders Jordan Dawson and Jordan Foote will be eyeing senior recalls on Saturday, while ruckman Darcy Cameron and defender Colin O’Riordan will be staking their claims for AFL debuts. They all relished the chance to face AFL-listed quality in the Brisbane Lions last Saturday and will be looking to again turn in strong performances against GWS.
Hot run of form
The Swans opened their 2018 campaign with a run of four losses but have since bagged seven wins in a row. They beat the Lions by 29 points last Saturday to edge from fourth to third on the ladder and, pending other results, could shoot to first if they rise above the Giants for an eighth-straight win. GWS is charging towards Saturday off the back of five wins in a row and last week proved too strong for Aspley in a 40-point victory in its most recent outing.
Sydney Derby rivalry
While the Swans and Giants are locked in a fierce Sydney Derby rivalry at AFL level, the tug-of-war for Harbour City supremacy extends into the NEAFL and Academy football. The Swans and Giants have played out a number of gripping duels since GWS joined the competition in 2012, including a four-point grand final thriller that went the Giants’ way in 2016. The two clubs have met twice in 2018, with the Giants scrounging a four-point win in Round 1 before the Swans struck back with a 31-point victory in Round 6. Expect an intense battle.
On the road again
The Swans have travelled far and wide in 2018 and will tick off another location when they head to North Dalton Park in Wollongong. They have paid two visits to Brisbane, one to the Gold Coast and have jumped between the SCG, Spotless Stadium and Blacktown International Sports Park in Sydney. A trip to the Northern Territory to face the Thunder will then await the Wollongong clash. Young speedster and Shellharbour local James Bell cannot wait to run out at North Dalton Park, a venue about a 20-minute drive from where he grew up.
