The Sydney Swans will travel to Brisbane to face the Redland Bombers on Saturday as they look to pencil in five straight wins.

A long list of Hot Topics surrounds the Round 10 clash, including the stellar form of a number of Swans pushing for AFL selection and the return of a crucial midfield cog.

Senior cogs knocking down the door

The likes of Dan Robinson, Dean Towers, Robbie Fox and Aliir Aliir will again be on the hunt for AFL recalls. Tom McCartin and James Rose will be pressing for senior recalls themselves, while Darcy Cameron and Colin O’Riordan have had outstanding seasons in pursuit of AFL debuts. Robinson has played two AFL games and five NEAFL matches this season and has led the way for the reserves. The Mosman Swans junior has tallied 30-plus possessions in all six NEAFL games he has played this season and has also impacted when ‘resting’ as a forward. He collected 30 touches (13 contested), 10 inside 50s and 10 clearances as Sydney toppled Sydney University at the SCG last Friday. Nic Newman was last week rewarded with an AFL recall for exceptional form in the NEAFL and Robinson and company will be out to follow in his footsteps when Sydney meets Redland.

Dawson returns

Emerging midfielder Jordan Dawson will play his first game of the season in a return from a quad injury. The 21-year-old has one AFL game to his name and last year was the barometer of the NEAFL side’s midfield, averaging 28 possessions, four clearances and four inside 50s per game. He made his senior debut against Collingwood in Round 3, 2017 and will be eyeing a senior recall as he ramps up his game time over the coming weeks. Dawson is expected to play 60 minutes of the match on Saturday.

Academy stars pressing Draft claims

While the NEAFL offers a launch pad to the AFL for those on the brink of senior selection, it also presents QBE Sydney Swans Academy stars with a chance to stake their claims on the road to the National Draft. Under-19 Academy member Bailey Stewart has turned heads at NEAFL level this season and will be critical to the Swans’ clash with the Bombers. The East Coast Eagles junior last Friday tallied 25 possessions, seven tackles and three goals against Sydney University. A week earlier, he recorded 20 touches, five tackles and two goals to earn the Round 8 NEAFL Rising Star nomination as Sydney toppled the Brisbane Lions. The likes of Academy stars Sam Wicks, Cooper Kilpatrick, Joey Reinhard and Josh Stern have showed promising signs at NEAFL level themselves.

Aliir’s job on a Redland giant

Aliir kept star Giants forward Jonathan Patton goalless in Round 6 and could be set for another massive challenge on Saturday. Redland forward Matt Hammelmann has booted 31 goals from eight games this season to be leading the competition. He bagged six goals against the Canberra Demons in Round 3 and nine against the Northern Territory Thunder in Round 4. Hammelmann’s height and big frame make him a handful to contain – he stands at 197 centimetres and weighs in at 96 kilograms. Aliir continued to press his claims for an AFL recall as the Swans overcame the Students, pulling off a number of outstanding marks in one-on-one contests and the pack and impressing with a number of strong spoils. He also played a key role in the Swans’ slick ball movement from the back half. Aliir would be relishing the chance to play a shut-down role on Hammelmann and if he is able to an AFL spot could shortly be his.

Hot run of form

The Swans opened their 2018 campaign with a run of four losses but last Friday notched their fourth consecutive win. Although the Students are the competition’s front-runners, the Swans last week rubber-stamped their swing of momentum in charging to a 51-point victory over Sydney University. The Swans enjoyed a 16-point win over the Lions when they last visited Brisbane and on Saturday will again be looking to leave Queensland in winning ways in an early-season resurgence.