Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is in the sights of Sydney counterpart Josh Kennedy as two of the game's elite contested brutes prepare for Saturday afternoon's clash at Marvel Stadium.
For years Kennedy was seen as the competition's number one man at the inside game, but it could be argued that Cripps has not only draw level with the Swans gun, he might have even wrestled away his mantle.
The Blues skipper averages 22 contested possessions from his two outings this season, almost twice as many as the more experienced Kennedy (13), and those numbers reflect their team's output in 2019, with Carlton ranked sixth in the League and Sydney in 16th.
Cripps also leads the AFL with an average of five centre clearances per game this year, compared to Kennedy's three, with the Blues (equal fourth) also eclipsing the Swans (equal 14th) in that area.
Kennedy said on Thursday that stopping Cripps and his fellow onballers would go a long way towards helping Sydney to its first win of the season.
"He's one of, if not the best in the competition at contested ball at the moment, especially around stoppages," he said.
"For our midfield group it's going to be a huge task in trying to nullify his impact on the game, but also making sure we can work together to match it with him in there.
Cripps isn't the only Carlton onballer to have grabbed Kennedy's attention in the lead-up to the crucial match between two sides yet to taste success this season.
The three-time club champion and Virgin Australia AFL All Australian was full of praise for last year's No.1 pick at the NAB AFL Draft, Sam Walsh.
"He's fantastic, he looks like he's played 100 games already the way he's taken to the big stage and the way that he takes the game on," Kennedy said.
"He certainly doesn't lack any confidence and the way that he covers the ground is first class."
The Swans were on the wrong end of the free kick count in last week's loss to Adelaide at the SCG, and coach John Longmire was slightly bewildered by the 27-15 differential post-match.
But Kennedy said his own side, especially his midfield, had to take part of the blame for the lopsided numbers.
"Through the middle of the ground I think we conceded six free kicks from stoppages, which resulted in Adelaide clearances," he said.
"That’s a big number across the course of the game and we need to look at our discipline in there and getting that number as low as we can.
"Those centre clearances with the 6-6-6 rules can make a big difference now.
"From inside the centre square it still feels like it's us versus them, it's four on four in there, and not much has changed.
"But it puts a lot more emphasis on those centre clearances with regards to momentum and the ability to play the game in your half.
"Now that you've got even numbers in the forward 50s you can lock it in there a lot easier.".
