THE POWER are preparing for what will be one of their toughest games of the year when they take on the Swans at the SCG on Sunday.

The Swans are one of only three teams with a winning record against Port Adelaide (Geelong and the Kangaroos are the other two) having claimed nine wins in 15 games played between the two sides and, unfortunately for the Power, the new AFL fixture has them coming up against the Swans twice in the space of nine weeks this season.

Last week Port Adelaide almost toppled the reigning premiers with just one half of good football and the Power are hopeful a four-quarter effort will help them break the Swans hoodoo.

Port Adelaide’s recent form: lost to Geelong by nine points.

Recent results against the Sydney Swans:
Round 8, 2006, Sydney 17.16 (118) d Port Adelaide 13.9 (87), SCG
Round 17, 2006, Sydney 10.17 (77) d Port Adelaide 7.8 (50), AAMI
Round 2, 2006, Port Adelaide 15.16 (106) d Sydney 11.14 (80), SCG
Round 8, 2005, Sydney 9.15 (69) d Port Adelaide 6.9 (45), SCG
Round 12, 2004, Port Adelaide 20.12 (132) d Sydney 8.12 (60), AAMI

Strengths:
The Swans almost snatched victory from St Kilda last week despite booting just six goals for the game. Sure, both St Kilda and the Swans were inaccurate, but if Port Adelaide finds a way to get its running game going, the Power could wreak havoc on the small SCG.

Port Adelaide kicked 14 goals in the narrow loss to Geelong and, like the Swans, had chances to snatch the four points late in the game. The Power trailed by as many as 37 points in the first half and it was the team’s forward line pressure that turned the game Port Adelaide’s way.

Warren Tredrea has restored his commanding presence in attack and when teamed with Brett Ebert, Daniel Motlop, Justin Westhoff, Chad Cornes and also pinch-hitters Shaun Burgoyne, Brendon Lade and Chad Cornes, the Power forward line is a 100-plus score just waiting to happen.

Potential weakness:
The match-up between the fast, hard-running Power and the slower, close-checking Swans presents a direct contradiction in playing styles, which ultimately means that only one team ends up playing the game on its terms.

In recent times, Port Adelaide has been the team backed into a corner and forced to play a decelerated style of football that suits the Swans and is visibly awkward for the Power.

Midfielder Steve Salopek says the only way to “break” the Swans is by creating space and dishing to a teammate at speed, but this is easier said than done against the best shutdown team in the competition.

The Power are focused on doing “the little things” on Sunday like blocks and tackles to help free-up their playmaking teammates. The inclusion of budding midfielder Matt Thomas will add hardness at the contest, but it will take a committed team effort if Port Adelaide is to break the shackles of the Swans.

They’re sweating on:
Swans forward Barry Hall booted four first-half goals on Toby Thurstans in the NAB Challenge game at ANZ Stadium earlier this year.

Thurstans, as the most experienced Power defender, is likely to get the job on Hall again this Sunday and will be hoping a better defensive effort from his teammates up the ground will help limit the lace-out supply to the bustling goalkicker.

Hall was restricted to just seven touches against St Kilda last week for a return of 1.2, but he looks fit and in front of a parochial Sydney crowd Hall will be steeled for a big game.

Dangermen:
Chad Cornes
Swans coach Paul Roos has already suggested he might again use the match-up of Adam Goodes on Chad Cornes to help get his Brownlow Medallist involved in the game. In round eight last year Goodes limited Cornes to just 15 possessions, which was well below the All-Australian’s season average of 26.

Cornes was quiet in the first half against Geelong last week after starting in a forward line that didn’t see much of the ball, but he worked himself into the game and finished with 28 touches and a goal. The elder Cornes brother is a barometer of this Port Adelaide team and the Power will need his hard body around the contests on Sunday.

Brett Ebert
Ebert booted four goals in a solo effort up forward against the Swans last season. The Power’s leading goalkicker from 2007 slotted through another three last week and on the small SCG ground, his raking left foot will be a weapon.

Dom Cassisi
Cassisi is likely to spend more time attacking and less time negating in the midfield this season, which will be a bonus for Port Adelaide on Sunday. The rugged West Australian had an equal game-high 10 contested possessions last week on his way to a 20-possession and eight-tackle game. Cassisi, Thomas, Salopek and Kane Cornes are the renowned tough nuts in the Power line-up and Mark Williams will be hoping they lead from the front at the SCG.

It’s not generally known:
Port Adelaide has not lost the first two games of a season since 2003.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.