Sydney’s fiercest rivalry returns to the SCG when Sydney Derby XX takes place on Saturday, April 17.
In the nine-year history of the Sydney Derby, the Swans have recorded twelve Sydney Derby wins and the Giants seven.
The first Sydney Derby was played in Round 1, 2012, the Swans victorious by 63 points at Stadium Australia. The last Sydney Derby was won by the Swans, ending a three-game Sydney Derby winning streak by the Giants. The game was played in unique circumstances, in Perth at Optus Stadium, due to the Covid-19 affected 2020 season.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Swans coach John Longmire is expecting another tough encounter in the next chapter of their rivalry.
“Its about playing well against good opposition in your home town. There is a natural rivalry built up over playing each other a number of times over the years and that is a good thing that it has evolved in a natural sense,” Longmire said.
“We have played some big games, there has been some monumental contests in these games and that’s what adds to this rivalry and makes it genuine, rather than manufactured. There is a belief there that two teams have been competitive at various times over the years have had those big games and we are at a stage where there are two new generations coming through both teams.”
“There are six or seven boys on each team that are playing in their first derby and then there is the experience on both teams that have played in a number of them as well and I think that in a mix adds up to a real interesting contest and makes it exciting.”
Luke Parker is heading into his 18th Sydney derby, and is one of 10 players from the first derby to feature this weekend.
The co-captain is expecting another tough challenge this weekend.
“We have come up against a really good side for a number of years now and I think we have played against each other in two finals so we have been up the top and playing in big games against each other,” Parker said.
“The boys play each other a lot in reserves and in preseason, so you know each other quite well and see each other down the street a fair bit, and but that’s probably where the fun and enjoyment of that rivalry is grown. There is always that physicality that comes with knowing people a bit more personally.
“We know they are a really competitive group, have some real hard nuts in there and never back down from a challenge and we expect that this weekend.”
Sydney will be without Dane Rampe for the clash, after he was ruled out with a finger injury earlier this week.
Rampe underwent surgery yesterday and Longmire and Parker had plenty of praise for the co-captain who often pushes his body to the limit to play through pain.
The pair were confident in whoever steps in to fill his role for the Round 5 fixture.
“Rampe has just had a bad trot and he has just been able to play with it, as we saw last year for a number of weeks. He played with it in the Richmond game and played last Thursday and it became apparent that it wasn’t going to get better and it needed to have an operation.
"He is hard and genuinely tough and he plays that way and just gets on with the job,” Longmire said.
“Dane is a competitive beast and he hates missing football. I think he has missed too much since he started here in 2013 and has hardly missed a beat,” Parker added.
"Unfortunately it will put him out for a couple of weeks but to see what he pushes through and to continue to perform, once he crosses that white like he doesn’t hold back and I think it’s a great thing for our young guys to see the ability he is able to play at under those conditions and continue to put his hand up week after week with those injuries.
“He will get himself right but as a squad mentality, we have a lot of other boys who have been putting up their hand this week.”
Sydney’s fiercest rivalry returns to the SCG when Sydney Derby XX takes place on Saturday, April 17. Be there LIVE in the popular twilight timeslot – ideal for fans of all ages, and a great school holidays activity! Click here to purchase your tickets.
