There are two things that are almost guaranteed in September: the sun will be shining in Sydney and the Swans will have booked a place in the finals. The Swans are back in the final eight once again, but it was a seriously bumpy road to get to the MCG against Carlton.
They battled patches of poor form and injuries all year. The departure of iconic player Lance Franklin to retirement also forced the coaching staff to hastily rearrange magnets on the whiteboard.
Sydney have made 18 out of the past 21 finals series and while it is an impressive record, it also creates a serious weight of expectation. At almost any club, there is an acceptance that there will be fallow periods. But Sydney don’t have that luxury.
The Swans fanbase are now completely accustomed to finals football and it is almost guaranteed every year. There are children in Swans jumpers who do not understand the season can end in August. This is not how the AFL is meant to work. Conversely, their opponents on Friday, Carlton have been starved of an appearance in the last eight for the past decade and will be desperate to prove they belong on the biggest stage.
The Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is one of the game’s marquee players, who deserves the opportunity to finally showcase his skills in September.
The reigning Brownlow Medal winner arrived at the club in 2014, one year after Carlton’s last appearance in finals, a defeat to Sydney at the semi-final. Until last year, Cripps had never played in a Carlton team that had gone above 10th place on the ladder. He will be primed to make a significant impact against Sydney.
Carlton star Patrick Cripps will be primed to make an impact in his first finals series Credit: AFL Photos
Carlton are a club with a rich history and one of the most loyal fan bases in the game and have 95,277 signed-up members, the fourth-highest in the AFL. Cripps and his teammates will be desperate to repay their loyalty with a big performance at the MCG.
The weather in Melbourne is due to be wet and cold, which could aid Carlton who are masters at winning the contested mark. Cripps and his midfield revel in hoovering up possession all over the ground and provide an express service to their star forward Charlie Curnow, who is averaging above three goals a game this season.
However, there is still some hope that Sydney can spring a surprise. Two months ago most of the AFL had written them off, but they fought back in Round 15 with an emphatic 205-34 victory over West Coast. They simply refused to roll over and the win inspired a turnaround in form.
The Swans have a distinct advantage over Carlton when it comes to understanding the unique pressure that comes with finals football. There are no second chances at the MCG and the combination of the youthful exuberance of midfielder Errol Gulden combines well with experienced operators such as Luke Parker and Isaac Heeney.
Young Swans midfielder Errol Gulden combines well with Sydney’s older headsCredit: Getty
Given the frenetic nature of this season, it has almost been forgotten that Sydney lost a grand final last year. It was a bruising experience against Geelong, but it can only help Sydney’s youngsters as they run out in front of a hostile Carlton crowd. The pressure cooker of finals football is nothing new to them, but for Carlton it is largely uncharted ground.
Throughout the season, one of the most booked venues in the eastern suburbs was the Swans’ medical room. The team have battled with injuries all year, making it difficult to build a consistent line-up. Against Carlton, Tom Papley and Justin McInerney are due to return, giving the Swans valuable experience.
The Swans are yet to win at the MCG this year and haven’t beaten Carlton at the ground since 1918. History is against Sydney, but there is fearlessness in young players such as Gulden, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey and Braeden Campbell, who will relish the challenge ahead of them.
The Swans fought back and proved many doubters wrong by still lacing up their boots in September, now they will be even more motivated to prove they deserve their place.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
