Righting a wrong
Richmond arrived in Sydney with a head of steam going into the final round of the 2014 home and away season. ANZ Stadium was the venue and a three-point win in favour of the Tigers was the final result.
The Swans will be keen to write some wrongs on Friday night when the Tigers, in some good form of late, run out onto the SCG.
The Tigers have played well against the Swans recently, having won three out the last five encounters, but don’t traditionally play well at Driver Ave. From 26 matches, the Swans take the cake with 16 wins including the past seven meaning Richmond hasn't tasted victory here since 2004.
The last time Sydney took on Richmond at the SCG – Round 18, 2013 – it ended in a 47-point thrashing to the visitors. Senior coach John Longmire will be looking for a similar ending to the Round 13 encounter to continue the Swans’ run of six consecutive victories.
Up and at ‘em
The Swans’ 16-point win at Etihad Stadium against the Roos in Round 11 seems like an eternity a go.
The 13-day break could spell danger for the Swans who sit third with a healthy 9-2 win-loss ratio and were in some rich vein of form before the week off.
Longmire is adamant the time off will have no effect on the players’ mindset going into Friday, but only time will tell whether the Swans will be left flat-footed in the wake of a rebounding Richmond.
The Tigers suffered their first defeat in more than a month against West Coast so will be keen to bounce back in what will be their second road trip in consecutive weeks.
Tall Tigers
Friday night will be a big test for the Swans’ key defenders Ted Richards, Jeremy Laidler and the recently re-signed Heath Grundy.
Richmond come boasting a tall forward line in good form with Jack Riewoldt (28 goals), Ben Griffiths (12) and Ty Vickery (9) all working well in unison and have contributed heavily to the Tigers’ rank of fourth for marks inside 50 (13.1 per game average).
Midfielders Dustin Martin (11) and Shaun Grigg (10) will keep the Swans on-ballers defensively conscious.
Grundy, whose place in the side was threatened due to a knee complaint suffered against North Melbourne last round, was given the all clear to play by Longmire earlier in the week which has bolstered the back half.
Selection
The Swans were unchanged for the first time all season against the Kangaroos so will history repeat itself after the benefit of the bye?
The 13-day break has allowed a few players carrying niggling injuries to recover with the exception of Ben McGlynn who will be rested for one more week with hamstring soreness.
Experienced players in Craig Bird, Dean Towers and Zak Jones have been pushing for a recall all season while George Hewett, Jack Hiscox and Toby Nankervis have also been in great form in the first half of the season in the NEAFL and have been named as senior emergencies at different stages.
Who will the match committee go with or will there be any changes at all? It will be an interesting selection table regardless.
2005 Premiership tribute
The Swans will commemorate 10 years since the drought-breaking 2005 Premiership with 20 of the 22 members of the team (at the time of publishing) expected at Friday night's match.
Favourites such as premiership captain Barry Hall, stout defender Leo Barry and grand final specialist Lewis Roberts-Thomson among others will be presented to the crowd in a lap of honour before the group welcomes the current day Swans out onto the field in readiness for Swans' clash with the Tigers.
The festivities will continue throughout the weekend.
Paul Roos and Ross Lyon, senior and assistant coach of the 2005 Premiership side and current senior coaches of Melbourne and Fremantle respectively, will join the group on the Saturday to relive all the epic moments of the momentous occasion.
