Saturday’s AFL 2018 Round 23 match is between Sydney Swans and Hawthorn Hawks. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:25 local time with the game to be played at SCG. The home team Sydney Swans are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Sydney Swans and Hawthorn Hawks.
When: 19:25 | Saturday 25/08/2018
Where: SCG
Preview:
Sydney has hit top form at the right end of the season but the result of this game hinges on the fitness of Buddy Franklin who is in doubt with a groin injury.
Buddy was held in check by Phil Davis last week and I’m not so sure the Swans will risk him this week which tips the scales in favour of the Hawks.
Hawthorn are also in the hunt for the top four and if they can win the midfield battle and get enough supply to Luke Breust and Jack Gunston inside 50, the Hawks will kick a winning score.
KEY BATTLE: Dane Rampe v Jack Gunston
Rampe did an exceptional job on Giants forward Jeremy Cameron last week and is the perfect matchup for Gunston who was on fire last week with 4 goals.
The Verdict
If Franklin plays against his old side and is fit, I’ll tip the Swans, if he doesn’t play I think the Hawks will win.
Sydney has a 9-4 (69.2 percent) record after winning as an underdog since 2014.
Unibet Odds:
Sydney Swans at $1.66
Hawthorn Hawks at $2.25
Odds:
Tip: Sydney Swans at $1.68
Value Bet: First Goal Scorer: Will Hayward at $11.00
More Info:
Teams:
Sydney Swans: 
B: Rampe, Grundy, Lloyd
HB: Newman, Aliir, McVeigh
C: Cunningham, Kennedy, Florent
HF: Hannebery, Franklin, Hewett
F: Hayward, McCartin, Jack
FOLL: Sinclair, Heeney, Parker
I/C: Jones, Papley, Robinson, Ronke
EMG: Cameron, Dawson, Fox, Towers
IN: Grundy
OUT: Fox
Hawthorn Hawks: 
B: Morrison, Schoenmaker, Stratton
HB: Miles, Brand, Hardwick
C: Gunston, Mitchell, Shiels
HF: Burton, Mirra, Smith
F: Bruest, Roughead, Puopolo
FOLL: McEvoy, O’Meara, Worpel
I/C: Henderson, Impey, Burgoyne, Nash
EMG: O’Rourke, Ceglar, Glass, Cousins
IN: Mirra, Roughead, Henderson
OUT: Pittonet, Glass, Frawley
AFL News:
They haven’t clashed on an AFL field for almost six years, and this wasn’t the reunion Alex Johnson and Heath Shaw hoped for.
Unfortunately the duo are in close proximity in a Melbourne hospital, sharing the same room as they recover from knee surgery.
Luckless Sydney Swan Johnson was booked in for a sixth knee reconstruction after a short-lived comeback for the 2012 Premiership winner ended against Melbourne at the MCG on August 12.
Shaw suffered a season-ending medial ligament injury playing for the Giants in Canberra the night before Johnson’s latest setback.
The notoriously garrulous GWS star tweeted a picture of his hospital roommate on Tuesday.
“People thought things couldn’t get any worse for Alex Johnson having his 6th knee reco, think again … he ends up with me as his roommate.” Shaw tweeted.
Giants forward Harry Himmelberg confirmed Shaw was likely to be an irritating roommate for Johnson, who has played just two games in almost six years.
“What I know of Heath, he will be annoying Alex in the hospital, I know that for sure,’ Himmelberg joked before Giants’ training on Tuesday.
Even the normally earnest Swans’ head coach John Longmire wore a smile on Tuesday when the subject was broached before training at the SCG.
“It put a smile on Alex’s face which is great. It was good to see him have a smile at Heath’s expense before he had his sixth operation,” he said.
The only times the pair have played against each other was in 2012 when Shaw was a Collingwood player.
They met in round 20 and again in a preliminary final.
