Port Adelaide
Form: WWWWWLLLLLW
Ranked: 10th
Sydney Swans
Form: WWWLWWLDWWW
Ranked: 4th
Last time
Despite pushing the Swans to within three points at three quarter time, the Power couldn’t hold on as the eventual premiers cruised to a comfortable win at AAMI Stadium.
Round 3, 2012: Port Adelaide 12.11 (83) def by Sydney Swans 16.9 (105) at AAMI Stadium
Form Guide
Past 5: Power 0 v Swans 5
Past 21: Power 6 v Swans 15
The fine print
AFL Round 13
Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans
Saturday June 22
AAMI Stadium
Turner Drive, West Lakes
First bounce: 1:10pm (CST)
Broadcast: Live on FOX FOOTY, delayed on Seven
Live Social: #pafclive #aflpowerswans
After match function at the Port Club, Queen Street Alberton
Buy tickets
The three
1. Jay Schulz
Jay Schulz will be an important focal point for Port Adelaide this weekend. He kicked four goals against the Giants and continues to lead the Power’s goal kicking. He’s been in fine, injury-free form this year and will relish the opportunity to duke it out with one of the best defensive sides in the competition. That in itself demands support for him and if other talls like Justin Westhoff and John Butcher can perform their roles and give the Swans defence some headaches, life for the accurate Schulz will be made much easier.
2. Cam O’Shea
Coming off arguably his best ever performance for Port Adelaide, Cam O’Shea will look to continue his strong performance against Sydney at home this weekend. He was dropped after last year’s match against the Swans at AAMI Stadium and will want to make amends with a good defensive and offensive showing on Saturday. He has improved significantly since that game and it is his endurance and running capacity that he's used to good effect in 2013. With Travis Boak out injured he may get the opportunity to exhibit that running ability in an greater run through the middle of the ground.
3. Jack Hombsch
He’s played just two games for the Power but Hombsch has been one of the club’s shining lights throughout. He has ably covered the loss of Jackson Trengove and is clearly an effective tall defender. Along with another of this year’s young improvers in Tom Jonas, Hombsch will no doubt take to one of the Swans’ important forwards – potentially the returning Kurt Tippett. If he can continue to build on his recent form he will certainly cement his place in defence, which could have a very different look when senior backs like Trengove and Jasper Pittard return fit in the coming weeks.
Final Word
Port Adelaide has a poor record against Sydney and faces a big task against a Swans side that is not only the reigning premier, but also coming off a combination of the bye and a clinical win over Adelaide two weekends ago.
While the Swans have failed to win three games this year, Port has dropped five.
Coming up against a fresh Swans outfit with another key forward in Kurt Tippett, Ken Hinkley’s Power will want to continue its improved starts again this week.
Port kicked poorly against a similar league pacesetter in Geelong a month ago and will need to ensure an accurate return against the Swans – Jay Schulz is the focal point with Justin Westhoff expected to hold down a joint forward-ruck role.
It will be important for third tall John Butcher to continue his steady improvement again this week and draw one of the Swans key defenders.
But perhaps most important of all for the Power will be its endeavour; the way it plays the game.
Hinkley speaks often of the team’s ‘behaviours’ and there will be no greater test of this young side’s durability than this match against one of the league’s top contested sides.
A four-quarter effort has been elusive for some weeks - Port came very close to achieving it against the Giants last Sunday.
That endeavour over a full match will be necessary if the young Power charges want to push the soaring Swans.
Current odds
Port Adelaide 7.50 – 1.08 Sydney Swans
