Sydney Swans small forward Tom Papley addressed the media ahead of training at the SCG on Tuesday afternoon.
Sydney is set to face Melbourne at the SCG on Thursday night.
Here are some key quotes from the press conference.
Will Hayward’s recovery from a broken jaw
“I saw him last night. He’s going all right. He can’t talk much which is hard for him, but he’ll recover well and hopefully get out there in about a month.”
Who will replace Hayward?
“He’s very important to our forward line but we’ve got young fellas and older fellas who can come in and play that role. I’m not sure who’s playing this week but the likes of Kieren Jack can play that role. We’ll work through who’s playing and I’m sure whoever plays can play their role. We’ve got James Rowbottom, Justin McInerney, Kieren Jack, James Rose – there are a few guys who can slot straight in there. I’m confident that whoever comes in will fill Hayward’s spot.”
Jack’s progress from off-season groin surgery
“Kieren played a full game in the NEAFL last week and played well. He’s slowly getting back into it. He had an injury-interrupted pre-season but he’s always looking sharp around the footy."
Playing in front of a packed SCG
“It’ll be fantastic. Thursday night footy is great. We want to see all our fans and we want them to make a big stage of it. We always love seeing our fans getting behind us at the SCG, and we’re looking forward to some great support again on Thursday.”
Strong Melbourne outfit
“We’re expecting a really fierce battle. Last year we had a good contest against the Demons, and although they haven’t yet won this year they’ve been in some good form stats-wise. They’re winning the clearances, their midfield has Gawn, Oliver and a few other really good footballers. Their midfield is really hard to stop. They’re still in good form even though they haven’t won a game, so we’re expecting a tough match.”
Zak Jones’ evolution as a midfielder
“His pace gives us a different look in there. He was really good last week with his hunt around the footy and the run he gives us.”
