Sydney recorded a dominant win over Fremantle on Saturday night at the SCG, victorious by 53 points.
Final score
Sydney Swans 16.9.105
Fremantle Dockers 7.10.52
The Sydney Swans return to the home confines of the SCG, and they welcome the purple haze of the Fremantle Dockers for one of two Saturday night clashes. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7:25pm (AEST).
The Sydney Swans are flying high again, having won last round’s epic Friday night clash against fellow heavyweights Hawthorn at the MCG. The Swans are having an elite season as they remain undefeated on the road.
At home though, their form has been somewhat questionable. A seemingly impenetrable fortress over the years, the Swans are 1-3 at home this year. In recent times, that type of form would have seemed utterly unfathomable.
Tonight presents the Swans with the perfect opportunity to right the SCG ship, taking on a Fremantle side that, certainly won last weekend, but is still not yet playing with the type of unity that is required in a Ross Lyon game plan.
Fremantle are a funny team. Each ingredient in the side suggests that they are a sumptuous feast, but put all together and served, you can’t help wonder if the chef has failed to use the right amounts of each ingredient. And when you have a fairly large jar of Nat Fyfe to add to the mix, you would think it is a hard recipe to get wrong.
In team news for the Swans, the big news is the return of Franklin, a massive turnaround for a player that was ruled out earlier in the week. Adding Dan Hannebery as another addition, and the Swans are coming close to their potent best line up.
Meanwhile, the Dockers bring Michael Walters into the team, an addition of forward grunt that they will need to break down a defence that has been something of a hot topic of conversation, at least amongst certain coaches and CEOs, this week.
The Dockers will also be mindful of recent form against Sydney. The Swans have won three of the last five in this encounter. However, the last two matches in a row have been won by Sydney by margins of 104 and 90 points. So the key here for Fremantle will be tying down the Swans attack and keeping them as quiet as possible.
Did I mention that Lance Franklin is returning tonight?
Prediction
Forget about home form this season, and expect the Swans to not only come out firing, but firing on all cylinders. Nat Fyfe will keep Fremantle in the game at times, but even he is only one man, and the Sydney machine should have the tools to get the job done here
The Swans by 57.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:25pm (AEST).
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
I agree AD, it's not a knock on Lyon because clearly he has been a very successful coach (albeit with no premiership as senior coach). But do we perhaps need a fresh perspective? We are just asking questions and analysing what is in front of us instead of just blindly following as if the premiership will one day magically fall in our laps. There is nothing wrong with considering all the options in front of us.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Did you miss the part where I said he has my support? I've got no problem with losing - every team has ups and downs, but I can still question the general game plan and development of the team as a whole. I know Cerra, Bradshaw and Banfield all have very bright futures, but can Ross get the best out of all of them and utilise their talent along with the rest of the squad? My thoughts are that with the team/talent we currently have, we should be a lot more competitive with our opposition away from home. We drop off way too quickly and easily. Young kids will do that, but it has been very poor. I still have faith, but perhaps a little less than before. I'm looking forward to watching us for the rest of the year to see our development.
Johnno
Guest
It takes 4 or 5 years for new players to get AFL hardened. Then they can play out a season for about the same time. And then they need resting again.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
I'm not sure we're dropping off, just being realistic. I never said "sack Lyon" and I never blamed Lyon. I was just pondering whether or not the footy club would be heading in a different direction if we had a fresher coach at the helm.
Don Freo
Guest
Wow!! Freo is fine. It seems 3, maybe 4, supporters have dropped off now. Still have 52,000 with faith to travel the journey. I'll stand with fhe purple army and say farewell to those 3 or 4 who need to win to justify support. Do you really expect Ross to kick the ball for Sunny?
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
But if the club made the decision to make a change I probably wouldn't stop them.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
I find myself thinking these thoughts recently. I think the talent we have is better than our performances. Our wins have only been against the sides below us when we are playing at home. I still think Ross is a very good coach but I'm just not sure if he is the right one to take this squad of talented players to a premiership. I'm more than happy for him to prove me wrong though! I'll give him my support for this year and next year unless things start going further backwards.
Don Freo
Guest
You might need to watch the whole season before you collect on that one.
13th Man
Guest
Absolutely 6x6!! We should not be tolerating this utter rubbish from Ross Lyon a minute longer! Insanity is continually doing the same thing and expecting different results! This club needs a fresh start. Ross' gameplan is stale and he is done with Freo. Once again people that continually defend Ross to the hilt are holding this club back! It's time to go! Bring in Suma, Schofield, Brett Kirk, whoever just get someone in who will actually promote attacking football!!!
Don Freo
Guest
Tough? In what way? Many of Freo's players lacked a degree of toughness tonight. Can't agree with you.
Don Freo
Guest
3 of them? No. They chose not to give it. It should have been holding the ball as well and his first "mark" was a push in Hamling's back. Buddy causes even umps to just stop and watch. Their umpiring of Buddy was as poor as Freo's forward ball movement.
664 the neighbour of the beast
Guest
"How can 3 field umpires not give a free to that high fend off? Because it happens so quickly and they obviously missed it, you know, being human and all!
Don Freo
Guest
There are many of this year's contenders who have played like that or worse this year. How they play one week is not, necessarily how they will play from here on in.
Swannies’
Guest
Don freo. Dockers are not playing finals for a few years buddy
Ray
Guest
Don freo. Tough loss mate
Ray
Guest
What a rubbish team the dockers are
Ray
Guest
In hindsight I will stick around and watch freo lose every week.. Lucky there is no relegation, dockets are terrible
Don Freo
Guest
Why would you want to change things? You are weird!
Jonboy
Guest
So what ! does it change anything ? No
Don Freo
Guest
Crows will be the only iffy one. That will be the 8th of last year's top 8. Freo has played the other 7 now and are only 2 games from 3rd spot. Don't let the hand -to -mouth followers get you down.