Sydney Swans vs Adelaide Crows Preview
Friday night's clash at the SCG has all the makings of one of the matches of the round, with Sydney to gain the upper hand late against Adelaide.
The Crows have surged into the top five on the back of a relentless contested game and elite defensive pressure, while Sydney have been one of the competition's benchmark sides all season, particularly on their home deck.
Adelaide will look to win the contest around stoppages through Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine and Sam Berry before applying fierce defensive pressure behind the ball. They have become one of the hardest teams to score against when they control field position, making life difficult for opposition forwards.
Sydney, however, appear to have slightly more avenues to goal. Charlie Curnow is in devastating form as the key focal point, but the Swans don't rely solely on their spearhead. Tom Papley and Logan McDonald provide other threats inside 50, while Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner are midfielders that regularly hit the scoreboard, giving the Swans multiple threats that Adelaide will struggle to contain across four quarters.
Expect a genuine arm wrestle for much of the evening before Sydney's depth of attacking options proves decisive late. The Swans remain unbeaten at the SCG this season and should be able to grind out another home victory without blowing the Crows away.
Sydney look the play in the 1-39 margin market in the Round 19 match, Isaac Heeney appeals to continue his outstanding record against Adelaide with another 2+ goal performance, while Errol Gulden is building nicely after returning from injury and looks well placed for another big disposal tally. For Adelaide, Jordan Dawson should again lead from the front and shapes as the Crows' most influential player.
- Sydney have won all eight matches at the SCG this season by an average of 39 points.
- Isaac Heeney has kicked 15 goals in his past six matches against Adelaide
- Jordan Dawson has had 25+ disposals in eight of his past 11 matches
- Errol Gulden has had 25+ disposals in his last two matches
Head to Head
Adelaide were 90 point winners against an undermanned Sydney outfit the last time the two sides met, with that match played at the SCG in Round 12 last season. The Swans have won six of the past seven between the two sides.
Standout player performances in the recent head to heads have come from;
- Rory Laird (Crows)- 30+ disposals in four of his past five against the Swans, with 28 in the other.
- Errol Gulden (Swans)- 30+ disposals in two of his past three against the Crows.
- Charlie Curnow (Swans)- as a Blue he has kicked 16 goals in his past five matches against Adelaide
- Joel Amartey (Swans)- nine goals in the Round 14 encoutner of 2024, which was the last time the two sides played each other at the Adelaide Oval
- Taylor Walker (Crows)- 16 goals from his past six outings against the Swans
- Isaac Heeney (Swans)- 15 goals in his past six outings against the Crows, hitting the 2+ in five of those.
Sydney Swans Form Analysis
Sydney sit second on the ladder with a 13-4 record despite suffering a 38-point loss to ladder leaders Fremantle last round. The Swans were right in the contest for three quarters before conceding 12 of the final 14 goals, but they remain one of the competition's strongest teams.
Charlie Curnow continued his brilliant season with five goals against the Dockers, giving him 28 majors across his past six matches after kicking six against the Bulldogs the previous week. Errol Gulden's return from a serious shoulder injury continues to gather momentum, producing 30 disposals, 22 uncontested possessions, 15 handball receives, five score involvements and 622 metres gained. That followed 27 disposals against the Bulldogs, while Isaac Heeney gathered 25 disposals against Fremantle and has now reached that mark in six consecutive matches, including four games of 30 or more.
The SCG has become one of the league's biggest fortresses. Sydney are unbeaten in eight home matches this season, winning by an average margin of 39 points while averaging 115 points per game. Their ability to score through both their tall forwards and damaging midfielders continues to make them one of the AFL's most potent attacking teams.
Sydney Swans Team News
Sydney escaped last week's clash with Fremantle without any injury concerns. Tom Papley made a successful return from injury, while Errol Gulden continues to build fitness and consistency following his lengthy shoulder layoff. Logan McDonald is a chance to return, while Riley Bice has some solid form in he VFL.
Adelaide Crows Form Analysis
Adelaide have climbed to fifth on the ladder after winning eight of their past 10 matches and five of their past six. Following their Showdown loss to Port Adelaide, the Crows have responded impressively with victories over West Coast and Gold Coast, culminating in last week's comprehensive 79-point win over the Suns.
Taylor Walker rolled back the years with five goals, while Josh Rachele added three. Izak Rankine continued his outstanding form with 31 disposals and a goal, while captain Jordan Dawson again led from the front with 29 disposals. Adelaide dominated virtually every key statistic, finishing with a 60-38 advantage in inside 50s, winning clearances 60-39 and overpowering Gold Coast with a 90-55 tackle count.
Dawson has now recorded 25 or more disposals in eight of his past 11 matches, while Rankine has produced 25+ disposals and a goal in each of his past two. Josh Rachele continues to lead Adelaide's goal-kicking with 30 goals this season, including 12 across the past five rounds. The Crows have also become a dangerous travelling side, winning their past two interstate matches to improve to a 4-3 record outside South Australia this season.
Adelaide Crows Team News
The major concern from last week's win over Gold Coast surrounds Rory Laird, who was ruled out during the first half after suffering a left ankle injury. He finished the night in a moon boot and will require scans before his availability is determined.
Outside of Laird, Adelaide remain in good health, with Matthew Nicks noting the club has a strong list to choose from and increasing selection pressure as several players continue pushing for senior opportunities.