Match preview: Sydney Swans v North Melbourne Kangaroos
Sunday April 22, 3.15pm, SCG

TEAMS
Sydney
B M.Mattner, H.Grundy, A.Johnson
HB A.Everitt, T.Richards, R.Shaw
C K.Jack, J.Bolton, L.Jetta
HF J.McVeigh, S.Reid, G.Rohan
F C.Bird, R.O'Keefe, B.McGlynn
Foll M.Seaby, J.Kennedy, D.Hannebery
I/C T.Armstrong, N.Malceski, L.Parker, J.White
Emg H.Cunningham J.Moore T.Walsh

In: M.Seaby , T.Armstrong
Out: S.Mumford (Back), A.Goodes (Suspension)

New: T.Armstrong (Adelaide)
Milestone: A.Everitt - 50 games

North Melbourne
B: Scott McMahon, Scott Thompson, Liam Anthony
HB: Daniel Wells, Michael Firrito, Jamie MacMillan
C: Sam Wright, Andrew Swallow, Shaun Atley
HF: Ryan Bastinac, Aaron Edwards, Kieran Harper
F: Matt Campbell, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
Foll: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Leigh Adams
I/C: Hamish McIntosh, Ben Cunnington, Luke Delaney, Brent Harvey

Unchanged


Preview: Swans will outmuscle the Roos

This is a game that demands some of the league?s biggest clich?s: ?season-defining? being the first to crawl onto my laptop screen, "milestone" being another. No, I'm not talking Everitt?s 50th, but the belated 30th anniversary celebrations of our first SCG home game.

Whatever. Sunday's contest for the first Heartkids Cup will tell us a good deal about two teams who frankly resemble each other a little too much for my taste.

Both have been anchored mid-table for the last several seasons; both have reloaded with new coaches and new talent; both have begun the year in fine form.

North of course are coming off a cracking win against the premiers, racking up a seven-goal lead early in the last before a late Geelong burst trimmed it to 17 points.

The previous week they gave the Giants a 129-point shellacking and in Round 1 almost stole it against the Bombers.

Pundits marvelled at North?s run and spread against the Cats ? they racked up a hefty 62 more handballs - but they also dominated the clinches, comfortably winning the clearance and contested possession counts.

Harvey led the way, while young midfielders Ziebell and Ryan Bastinac had a day out, kicking four goals and clocking nearly 30 stats each. Defender Sam Wright kept Stevie J to one behind.

OK, enough of the Roos already.

They haven?t beaten us in five years, although they snagged a draw in 2008 and lost a one-point nail-biter at Etihad last year.

But we have some critical outs. Not just everyone?s favourite sausage monster and our Brownlow medallist co-captain; our hyphenated reborn ruck/forward and our backpocket shutdown specialist will also be in the grandstand tomorrow afternoon.

No wonder North have shortened to $1.85 favourites.

But on the confines of our home turf I think the Swans mids will outmuscle the young Kangaroos. McIntosh and Goldstein may give North the edge in the ruck, but I can?t see Swallow, Boomer, Bastinac and Ziebell getting the spread they need against Kennedy, Bolton, Parker and Hannebery.

We can expect Sydney to display the same game style as it showed against Freo, moving the ball quickly from stoppages and bombing it long into Reid, White and Rohan.

Besides the unstoppable Kennedy, the Swans are reaping the benefits of improvements from players like Jetta, Malceski, Bird and even White, who drew praise from the coaches for his efforts against Port.

Our defence has begun the year in traditional fashion, conceding the fewest points of any team so far. The Roos website helpfully points out that the we haven?t had more than 112 points scored against in our last 56 games at the SCG.

The Swans? biggest challenge will be to play four quarters. We?ve lost the last two third terms by 23 and 13 points respectively, and were even shaded by a point by in the final quarter against GWS.

If the Swans can sustain the intensity they showed in the first half against the Dockers they will take the points, the cup and the bragging rights.


Matchups*
Shaw might get the job on Harvey because of his pace ? if not maybe Jack.
Bird may play the defensive forward job on Thomas.

Highlights
Tony Armstong ? a big role as rebounding defender in first game for Sydney
Sam Reid ? in the absence of Goodes will have even a bigger weight on his broad shoulders
Daniel Petrie ? if he gets the supply could be a matchwinner

Finally, in a nice pre-match gesture, Swans chairman Richard Colless has revealed that Longmire had signed on as Sydney coach two seasons before taking the job. Message to North: we had him in the bag long before you thought you needed him.


Last week
AAMI Stadium
Sydney 5.2 8.4 10.6 16.9 (105)
Port Adelaide 3.3 5.6 9.9 12.11 (83)

Best ? Hannebery, Kennedy, Malceski, Parker
Goals ? Jetta 3, Bird, Goodes, White, O?Keefe 2

Etihad
North Melbourne 4.5 9.5 16.8 20.11 (131)
Geelong 1.3 5.8 9.14 16.18 (114

Best -Harvey, Bastinac, Wells, Ziebell, Wright Edwards, Firrito,
Goals - Edwards 4, Bastinac 4, Ziebell 4, Adams 2, McIntosh 2, Anthony, Thomas, Harvey, Harper


Last time they met
May 28 2011 Rd 10, Etihad
Sydney 1.4 5.8 8.11 10.12 (72)
North 3.4 5.10 7.13 9.17 (71)

Goals
Swans ? McGlynn 3, Goodes 2
North ? Petrie 3, Thompson, Edwards 2

Brownlow votes
Kennelly 3 Swallow 2 Thompson 1

Previous 5 meetings
July 11, 2010 Rd 15 Sydney 12.13 (85) d North 7.13 (55) SCG
April 17, 2010 Rd 4 Sydney 14.16 (100) d North 8.12 (60) Etihad
July 5, 2009 Rd 14 Sydney 15.10 (100) d North 13.7 (85) SCG
April 27, 2008 Rd 6 Sydney 8.16 (64) drew with North 9.10 (64) Telstra Dome
Sept 6, 2008 EF Sydney 17.8 (110) d North 11.9 (75) ANZ Stadium

Odds
TAB Sportsbet North 1.85 Swans 1.95

Experts
Caroline Wilson (Age)? Swans
Liam Pickering (Longmire's agent) ? North
The Adjudicator (Fox Sports)? Swans by 28
Julia Gillard ? Swans
Ted Ballieu - Swans
ShockOfHair ? Swans by 11