AFL Finals Preview: Sydney vs GWS

A Saturday afternoon classic will be held at the SCG, 3:20pm local time or 2:50pm ACST. Sydney and GWS will do battle once again this season with the winner to book themselves a home preliminary final.

Sydney, finished the home and away season a win clear of second, and ended the year strongly with three wins a row. With 17 wins and six losses, the Swans are the number 1 team for points for in the competition.

Throughout the back half of the season the Swans were able to integrate some experienced players back into the fold. Those players being the likes of Callum Mills and in particular Luke Parker, who couldn’t seem to crack into the Swans’ best 23 for a large part of the season.

“It wasn’t questioning whether I still had it, it was questioning a little bit, probably, whether I was needed or not,” Parker suggested.

“I could have sat there and been bitter about whether I was selected or not, or what position I was playing, but for me it was seriously about just enjoying each moment,” Parker added.

The Giants, who made a deep run this time last year progressing through to the preliminary final round against the Pies, will be looking to amend the heart breaking defeat they endured in that game.

The Giants finished the home and away season in 4th position with 15 wins and eight losses. GWS have a good record against the Swans in the finals; they haven’t lost a final to the Swans in the three times that they have matched up against their rival in September.

In the two sides’ previous meeting back in Round 15, the Swans got the better of the Giants, defeating them by 27 points at ENGIE Stadium. A game which saw an absolute star of the competition and one to watch this finals series amass 41 disposals, which 31 of them were in fact kicks and he kicked a major.

Team News:

Swans:

Ins: Tom McCartin, Tom Papley, Isaac Heaney, Justin Mclnerney

Outs: Aaron Francis (injured), Caiden Cleary (omitted), Robbie Fox (omitted), Taylor Adams (omitted)

GWS:

Ins: Brent Daniels, Lachie Ash, Isaac Cumming

Outs: Harvey Thomas (omitted), Callum M. Brown (omitted), Nick Haynes (omitted)

Our prediction: This is bound to be a tight contest with both sides hungrier then ever to really deliver this September. Sydney will prove to be to strong at home, Sydney by 9 points.

Our attendance prediction: Saturday afternoon footy at the SCG with a capacity of around 48,000 people, expect to see 45,387 people in attendance.