The return of rising midfield star Jordan Foote will bolster the Sydney Swans in a clash with the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
The 22-year-old, who’s played six senior matches, will shrug off a toe injury to play his first game since Round 1 as the Swans shoot for six wins on the trot in the Round 11 stoush.
Daniel Robinson and Dean Towers have also been named for returns off the back of AFL duty, while Robbie Fox will be eyeing a senior recall as he slots back into reserves football.
The likes of Nic Newman and James Rose will be out to stake their claims for AFL recalls, while blossoming ruckman Darcy Cameron and third-year Swan Colin O’Riordan look to inch closer to senior debuts.
Development coach Tadhg Kennelly said facing an AFL team presented an invaluable opportunity.
“For everyone, even first-year players and Academy top-ups, any time you get a chance to play against an AFL team you’ve got to really value it and you’ve to bring a level of quality that reaches AFL standards,” Kennelly said.
“Gold Coast are going well. They’ve got two genuine AFL ruckmen in Peter Wright and Brayden Crossley so that’s a huge challenge for the likes of Darcy Cameron and Dean Towers in the ruck.
“The senior team have been smashed from pillar to post and have recently suffered two big losses. But knowing Stuart Dew and Nick Malceski extremely well I’m sure those boys would be chewing at the bit to get at it and we’ve just got to be ready for that.
“It’s going to be a contested brand of football and we’re expecting a really tight battle.”
The Suns collected a nine-point win in a dour affair when the two clubs last met at Fankhauser Reserve on the Gold Coast in Round 4.
They sit in eighth on the ladder with four wins and five losses to their name, and last Saturday fell to a 52-point loss to GWS at Spotless Stadium.
But star midfielder Jai Lyons posted a game-high 38 possessions and recorded a goal and eight tackles in the Giants clash to poll six NEAFL MVP votes.
Up-and-coming midfield Jacob Dawson also fired in a return of 28 touches and 12 tackles, while defender Max Spencer posted 22 disposals.
The Suns front a Swans side placed in fourth and moving along well off the back of a 22-point victory over the Redland Bombers in Brisbane last Saturday.
The win pencilled in five consecutive victories and a host of Swans on the verge of senior selection again starred, including Rose, O’Riordan and Newman.
Saturday’s trip to the Gold Coast will mark Sydney’s third visit north of the Tweed from its last four games.
Sydney has already met in Queensland the Brisbane Lions and Redland over its last three matches.
But Kennelly said the far-and-wide travel was having a positive impact on the team.
“To get away the night before the game and spend some time at the airport and getting up there and travelling and getting to know each other is a crucial component of playing any team sport,” Kennelly said.
“It’s certainly the same for us and we’re headed for the sunny Sunshine Coast. Who doesn’t want to get up there and get some warm weather?”
Who: Gold Coast Suns v Sydney Swans
Where: Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
When: 11.30am Saturday
Round: 11
Sydney Swans team:
B: 6. Jordan Foote 21. Jack Maibaum 2. Alex Johnson
HB: 34. Jordan Dawson 56. Joey Reinhard 58. Mitchell Rogers
C: 22. Dean Towers 45. Angus Styles 27. Daniel Robinson
HF: 33. Ryley Stoddart 28. Nic Newman 1. James Rose
F: 55. Bailey Stewart 46. Joel Amartey 41. Jake Brown
Foll: 17. Darcy Cameron 42. Robbie Fox 38. Colin O’Riordan
Inter: 50. Sam Wicks 49. Lachlan Swaney 53. Connor Flanagan 52. Josh Stern 59. Zachary Cameron
Emer: 51. Josh Rayner 54. Jeremy Shumack
In: 6. Jordan Foote 42. Robbie Fox 27. Daniel Robinson 22. Dean Towers 53. Connor Flanagan
Out: 36. Aliir Aliir (AFL) 54. Jeremy Shumack (omitted) 49. Cooper Kilpatrick (omitted) 57. Michael Carroll (omitted)
