Docker dominance
It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you can’t help but sit back and enjoy the quality of football unfold.
That was the story on Saturday as the Sydney Swans helped themselves to a 104-point win against Fremantle.
It was around this time last season when Sydney won by more than 100 points, on that occasion it was Richmond on the receiving end. Before then, it had happened only three times in the best part of nine years.
For a team that prides itself on team defence, this was a telling performance and a confidence-booster going into the penultimate round of the season.
Kennedy’s long-awaited return?
Josh Kennedy still needs to pass a final fitness test and get the green light from the medical staff, but all is pointing at a return of the captain for Friday night’s clash with Adelaide.
He’s had a minor hamstring strain, which has kept him out of the past two games, but was a “touch-and-go” prospect ahead of last weekend’s clash which suggests he’ll be ready to take on the top-of-the-table Crows.
What an inclusion, with Kennedy among the best contested ball winners and clearance players in the competition.
A final fitness test also stands in the way of Nic Newman and Sam Naismith.
Newman was cleared of serious damage to his knee after colliding with a teammate in last weekend’s win while Naismith has been dealing with a side strain.
Adelaide in Adelaide, a tough ask
They’re the current ladder-leaders sitting six points clear of GWS and the league’s best for a bulk of the season, significant given the evenness of the competition.
Boasting an extremely balanced outfit, they’ve got quality and class all over the ground from Jake Lever in defence, Rory Sloane through the midfield and skipper Taylor Walker up forward.
They’re the highest-scoring side this season, averaging 113 points per game, and rank number one for inside 50s, marks inside 50, quarters won, contested possessions and clearances so the Sydney Swans will need all hands on deck to get the job done.
What would instil the Swans with belief, aside from the past four months, is the fact they’ve had some good wins against the Crows in recent times, having won five of the past six encounters including last year’s semi-final where the home side piled on seven goals in the opening term to run out big winners at the SCG.
Playing Adelaide in Adelaide though remains one of the toughest road trips in football and Sydney has been exposed to the boisterous Adelaide Oval crowd only twice before. The record stands at one win apiece.
The Crows have lost twice this season at home, against Hawthorn and Melbourne, so the fortress is penetrable. But their record under coach Don Pyke’s guidance is strong, having only lost four times since the start of 2016. There’s no bigger test in football at the moment than Adelaide in Adelaide.
Dane Rampe and Taylor Walker go one-on-one in the clubs' last clash at Adelaide Oval - in Round 4, 2016.
Can Kurt tip the scales in Swans’ favour?
Kurt Tippett spent more time up forward against Fremantle than in recent times, the big man starting the game side-by-side with Lance Franklin and Sam Reid in front of goal.
Coach John Longmire has been happy with the ruck-forward’s efforts since returning to the senior side two weeks ago, last weekend’s performance featuring two goals and seven marks.
With some continuity under his belt, Tippett has the capabilities to recapture the same All Australian-like form of early 2016 and be a huge presence alongside Franklin and Reid.
Either way, having all three firing on Friday night will go a long way to silencing the home crowd and defeating Adelaide.
John Longmire chats to Kurt Tippett at training.
