Sydney coach John Longmire faces some matchup headaches ahead of Friday night’s Gather Round clash against Richmond at the Adelaide Oval.
With the likes of Tom McCartin, Dane Rampe and Paddy McCartin all out injured, the Swans head into the big game with a makeshift defence.
Currently in their named backline, Nick Blakey is the tallest player at 196cm, but the 23-year-old isn’t expected to play on a key Tiger and instead fill a running half-back role.
With Blakey on a flank, Robbie Fox is the second-tallest Sydney defender at 185cm.
This lack of height prompted Kane Cornes and David King to discuss what if anything the Swans could do when it comes to containing Richmond’s talls inside 50 on SEN Breakfast.
Cornes: “I look at Sydney’s outs, (Dane) Rampe, (Paddy) McCartin, (Tom) McCartin and (Lance) Franklin, but I want to focus on the defensive set-up, who do they play?
“I’m looking at their named team … this gives you an indication.
“They’ve got (Braeden) Campbell, Robbie Fox who might be 190 (cm) at a stretch, (Harry) Cunningham who is smaller than Campbell, (Ollie) Florent who is smaller than that, (Jake) Lloyd is tiny and (Nick) Blakey is a skinny, running player.
“Who are Sydney going to play in defence, is it (Joel) Amartey? Is it (Hayden) McLean?”
King: “Amartey has to go back.”
Cornes: “He has to. Has he ever done it?”
King: “They’ll find a way to score, won’t they, it’ll just be going back.
“You’re going to have ask Robbie Fox to play as a key post, he can do that.”
Cornes: “You’ll probably have to ask Blakey.”
King: “No, you can’t play Blakey (as a key defender), his role is perfect (for him).
“I’m looking at it from the other angle, if I’m Jack Riewoldt and I’m desperate for a big performance I’m saying, ‘Hey, they’ve got no one, I could really fill my boots tonight’.
“He could get his season back on track, kick five or six goals.”
Cornes: “The other one as well, Dustin Martin, he has got that glint in his eye.”
King: “Who do they play on Dusty?”
Cornes: “He could kick six, it could be Lloyd it could be Cunningham.
“Like the other game (between Fremantle and Gold Coast), it’s not as significant for the loser, but if Richmond goes one win from their first five games with Melbourne at the MCG next week and their best player (Tom Lynch) out for an extended period, they’re in all sorts of trouble.”
Sydney may hope that Friday night’s weather in Adelaide quells the effect of Richmond’s talls in the air with a high chance of showers set for the evening.
The Swans enter the clash with a 2-2 record while the Tigers come in with one win, one draw and two losses to their name.
The bounce for Friday’s clash is set for 8:10pm (AEST) at the Adelaide Oval.