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The premiership favourites may be decided this weekend

(AAP Image/David Moir)
Roar Pro
14th August, 2017
15

This Friday night the Adelaide Oval will host what could be the biggest game so far of the 2017 season with the home town Adelaide Crows taking on the Sydney Swans.

First against fifth doesn’t sound like the biggest spectacle in the game but these two are the two form teams in the AFL at the moment.

This game can shape September with Adelaide able to gain the minor premiership with a win. Sydney winning will mean they remain in the hunt for a top-four spot with the likes of Richmond and Port Adelaide.

Adelaide:
Sitting at the top of the AFL ladder, the Crows have performed well above expectations. Don Pyke has this team running all cylinders, blowing teams away with the most potent forward line in the league.

They are the highest-scoring team in the league by far, breaking the 100 points barrier in 16 out of their 20 games.

Captain Taylor Walker with 48 goals and small forward Eddie Betts with 45 goals are both sitting in the top ten league goal kickers at fifth and seventh respectively. Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch have also kicked 38 and 27 goals apiece.

Rory Sloane has led the midfield strongly with others like Rory Laird, Richard Douglas and the Crouch brothers racking up the touches. Young midfielder Matt Crouch has had a breakout season with the second most possession in the AFL averaging 32.4 disposals and with 13.7 contested and six clearances.

Rory Sloane Adelaide Crows 2016 AFL

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

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Big ruckman Sam Jacobs is leading the league in hit-outs with 783, averaging 39.2 a game, giving players like Sloane and Crouch the best service.

Leading the defence is young key defender Jake Lever. Lever is out of contract at the end of the season and is being chased nearly every other club in the league. He plays like a younger more athletic Harry Taylor, reads the ball better than most, intercepting a lot of high balls from attacking team.

At only 21 years of age, still the sky is the limit for Lever.

Sydney:
A few months ago the Swans would have been happy with a Finals berth let alone the chance at a top four spot. They started the year losing six in a row and since then, have won 12 of 14. Their only other losses were two, 6-point losses to the Hawks.

Their most recent performance was a 104-point win over Fremantle at the SCG. The game has shown that the Swans could be a scary opponent in September and intend to make some noise. Also, Buddy Franklin is back in form with a 4 goal, 24 possession game.

Like Adelaide, the Swans have a very potent forward line and on their day, can put up big scores. They have the biggest name in the game Buddy Franklin leading the way with 56 goals and third in the league at the moment. He is complimented by Sam Reid, Gary Rohan, Tom Papley and youngster Will Hayward who can put some damage on the scoreboard.

Swans have always been known for having one of the stronger midfield lineups in the league led by captain Josh Kennedy, with stars like Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery, Kieren Jack and Isaac Heeney. They like a contest and use their bigger, stronger bodies to outwork and outmuscle the opposition.

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At the back, All Australians Heath Grundy, Dane Rampe and Nick Smith run the show and get the ball down to their runners out of halfback including Zak Jones, Callum Mills and Jake Lloyd. Grundy has been solid and is probably one of the most underrated key defenders in the league.

Callum Mills of the Swans takes a mark over Stephen Coniglio of the Giants

(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

X-Factors:

Adelaide
Josh Jenkins could be the key forward to take advantage of playing against an undersized Swans backline. With Rampe most likely taking Walker and Smith playing on Betts, Jenkins will most likely get the Grundy match-up.

If he can use his size advantage over Grundy and take his opportunities, it will go very far to producing a Crows victory.

Sydney
George Hewett will most likely play his usual tagging role, of which he has had some success in the past. He will go to Sloane who, this season, has sometimes struggled with the tag. Hewett will run with Sloane and, when the Swans are in attack, try to drag Sloane into the backline. Hopefully, Hewett can get on the end of one and hit the scoreboard, especially considering he has a very accurate kick for goal.

Prediction:

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If captain Josh Kennedy comes back into the side this weekend after a two-week absence with a hamstring injury it will be a huge boost for Sydney. When Kennedy plays, the Swans have a stronger midfield, but guys like Parker, Hannebery and Heeney need to fire. Both have very potent forward lines and can be high scoring teams, with Adelaide being the strongest.

It’s the backline that’s going to win this for either team. Whether either team can match-up in defence well enough to slow down the scoring is another matter. Being at Adelaide Oval is a huge advantage for the Crows with a packed house expected on a Friday night.

I’m going to go against the opinion of most and tip Sydney by 12, Buddy will have a big one. But ultimately whoever wins this game should have the title of Premiership favourites coming into September.

I’ll tip Adelaide to win the minor premiership and be the highest scoring team in the league.

And I’ll go with Sydney to come back from 0-6, and, against the odds, be the most in-form team and after just knocking off the top team in the competition.

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