Saturday night’s feature AFL Round 7 match is between last years grand finalists the Hawthorn Hawks and Sydney Swans with the game to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7:40pm local time with home team Hawthorn Hawks currently holding favouritism despite Sydney beating the Hawks in the Grand Final last year. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Hawthorn Hawks and Sydney Swans.
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Saturday 11th May, 7:40pm
Preview:
The other highly anticipated match of the round takes place on Saturday at 7.40pm at the MCG. The Sydney Swans take on Hawthorn in a re-match of last years Grand Final, and the Hawks will be more than keen to take revenge. Both teams have had a pretty good start to the year, with one defeat each and lots of promise shown. The Swans stepped up a gear last week against Brisbane however, and Lewis Jetta and Sam Reid will want to build on their return to form. This is looking like a very close match, in what would be match of the round in any other week.
Teams:
Hawthorn Hawks:
B: Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Luke Hodge
HB: Brent Guerra, Ben Stratton, Grant Birchall
C: Liam Shiels, Sam Mitchell, Bradley Hill
HF: Paul Puopolo, Lance Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne
F: Jack Gunston, Jarryd Roughead, Luke Breust
Foll: David Hale, Brad Sewell, Jordan Lewis
Int: Michael Osborne, Isaac Smith, Taylor Duryea, Jonathan Simpkin
Emerg: Kyle Cheney, Max Bailey, Matt Spangher
Sydney Swans:
B: Nick Malceski, Heath Grundy, Nick Smith
HB: Marty Mattner, Ted Richards, Jarrad McVeigh
C: Lewis Jetta, Ryan O’Keefe, Ben McGlynn
HF: Dan Hannebery, Sam Reid, Kieren Jack
F: Adam Goodes, Mike Pyke, Luke Parker
Foll: Shane Mumford, Josh Kennedy, Jude Bolton
Int: Tony Armstrong, Craig Bird, Jed Lamb, Dane Rampe
Emerg: Mitch Morton, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White
Form the only factor for Swans talls: Pyke
Sydney ruckman Mike Pyke believes form not height should determine whether the Swans can squeeze Shane Mumford, prize recruit Kurt Tippett and himself into their AFL line-up.
The Canadian on Saturday returns to the MCG for the 2012 grand final rematch with Hawthorn having played 24 straight games.
Pyke believes he now belongs on AFL grounds and that his spot had been reasonably secure since his a good run of games from mid-2012.
The 29-year-old has made a sizzling start to the season, running third in the competition for contested marks and fifth in hitouts.
“I like to think as my career continues, I’ll continue to get better and continue playing my best footy,” said Pyke, who reached the 50-game milestone for Sydney last month.
Tippett isn’t available until round 13 due to the suspension he incurred because of a salary cap breach with Adelaide, but the 202cm forward-ruckman casts a big shadow.
Conventional AFL wisdom suggests three is a crowd where big men are concerned and there won’t be room for 198cm Mumford, 201cm Pyke and Tippett.
“I think sometimes people get a bit caught up on height,” Pyke said.
“I think the most important thing is that your best 22 is in form and I think typically they pick themselves that way.”
He was adamant Tippett’s arrival in Sydney hadn’t been the spur for his own fantastic form.
“I’m a reasonably driven person myself, without sort of external influence and I just try and improve every session,” Pyke said.
“It (Tippett’s arrival) is a coincidence, maybe it’s not.
“I think there’s always been a fair bit of competition in the big man spot at the club so it’s sort of continued with Kurt coming.”
The tag team ruckman combination of Pyke and Mumford has been a strong factor in Sydney’s 5-1 start to the season.
“I think we’re fortunate that we can sort of complement each other,” Pyke said.
“Sometimes I think we sort of get to bully on some of the guys who go alone out in the ruck.”
Pyke adopted the typical Swans low-key stance when asked about Saturday’s much-anticipated clash.
“Last year was really special for us, but this year realistically for us it’s four points,” Pyke said.
A former Canadian rugby international, Pyke was disappointed he wouldn’t be in Sydney for the British and Irish Lions Test against the Wallabies in July.
The Swans are away in Melbourne that weekend, but Pyke said he would definitely watch the series on television.
AAP aw/
