‘They’re clearly the best team in the comp:’ Giants wary of full-strength Swans

The Sydney Swans will be back at full strength for their qualifying final against the Giants at the SCG on Saturday, welcoming back star forward Tom Papley and utility Justin McInerney from injuries sustained in July.

The Swans are also boosted by the return of key defender Tom McCartin, who will be tasked with subduing the Giants’ 69-goal full forward and Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan.

The final returning Swan is star midfielder Isaac Heeney, who was rested for the last game of the season against Adelaide, leading to Taylor Adams missing out on selection for the first week of finals.

The Giants enjoyed a seven-match winning streak before losing to the Western Bulldogs in their last game of the season and will welcome back influential small forward Brent Daniels from injury at the SCG.

Defender Lachie Ash returns from suspension and utility Isaac Cumming comes back into the side after missing the majority of the season due to calf and hamstring issues.

The Giants’ main tagging threat, forward Toby Bedford, has not fully recovered from his calf injury and misses out on selection despite having trained during the week.

Giants coach Adam Kingsley is not taking too much from his club’s 3-0 record over the Swans in finals matches after his side slumped to two comprehensive losses against the club this season.

“We haven’t really spoken about the [finals] history,” Kingsley said. “Recent history would suggest the Swans are a far better team than us, and they’ve beaten us twice this year.

“They’re clearly the best team in the competition, they finished on top of the ladder, miles in front, percentage-wise, that’s a telltale sign ... we know it’s going to be a tough ask to beat them, particularly in front of their home crowd, so we don’t really draw on history.”

The last time the teams met at the SCG, in round eight, the Swans’ midfield triumvirate of Heeney, Warner and Gulden dominated possession and played a decisive role in their side’s 29-point victory.

Kingsley is aware of the threat the Swans possess in the middle of the field and has set his midfielders the task of stepping up against the best in the competition on Saturday.

“We haven’t got it right against the Swans the last two [games], Kingsley said. “We’ll put it to our midfield and ask them to do certain things. Ultimately, if we can get the ball going our way more, then we’ll give ourselves a better chance to generate some more inside 50s ... but as we know, the Swans’ midfield is basically the All-Australian midfield, so it’s going to be an enormous challenge.”

A slightly more unsung member of the Swans’ midfield, James Rowbottom, is one of the leading tacklers in the AFL with 160 for the season which has allowed the likes of Gulden, Heeney and Warner to flourish with the ball from turnovers.

Rowbottom will face a Giants midfield with a point to prove after it was overrun in the previous two meetings between the sides, but it won’t change his selfless approach to the game come Saturday that relies on hunting down the opposition to allow his teammates the freedom to express themselves with the ball.

“I’m just doing the same sort of thing I’ve done the last couple of years,” Rowbottom said. “My job hasn’t really changed a hell of a lot, and I’m fortunate enough that I’ve got some pretty talented and hardworking boys around me that have obviously been good enough to make All-Australian [selection] and have a pretty decent year, so hopefully they can continue that form.”

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