“If Heeney gets injured, it’s over…”: King can’t understand why Swans aren’t resting players

Why isn’t Sydney resting their star players in Round 24 having already sewn up the minor premiership?

That was the question posed by David King to Kane Cornes on SEN Breakfast after the Swans named their strongest side possible for Saturday night’s clash against Adelaide at the SCG.

While the Swans are only one win ahead of second and could finish on equal premiership points with Port Adelaide and GWS, their percentage of 126.3 compared to the Power’s 114.2 and the Giants’ 111.7 means that they’ll finish first unless they suffer a club-record loss.

King thinks that the Swans should be resting any players that they can as he feels an unlucky injury to the likes of Isaac Heeney or Errol Gulden would ruin their entire campaign.

Cornes understands why the Swans opted to pick a full-strength team given the pre-finals bye and potential lack of footy Sydney could play across the next month if they keep winning.

King: “Why is Sydney playing all their stars?”

Cornes: “I think the bye before the finals sort of distorts those decisions.

“That's the reason the AFL probably brought it in when Fremantle rested 13 (in 2015) and didn't care about the last round because they knew they were guaranteed a position the following week.

“But it is difficult if you are the team that finishes first. If you rested Chad Warner this week, then you have a week off next week.

“If you have a first Qualifying Final win, then you have got another week off. That’s not a lot of footy as you head into the serious stuff. So, I think it's more just a conditioning thing and keeping things sharp.”

King: “How good is that though (not playing for weeks)? The risk of injury … I wouldn’t play any of them.

Cornes: “I mean, it’s not a lot of footy, though – a week off and then another week off.”

King: “I don't care what the player wants to do. The job of the senior coach and the coaching staff is to win the flag.

“You've finished top of the table. You've earned the luxury of resting. Why not take advantage of it?

“They’re the only team in the comp that can do this.”

Cornes: “Is it not enough footy though?”

King: “We've been going for 30 weeks. How much do you need?

“Warner and Luke Parker I can accept. But there’s no way I’m risking Heeney, Gulden is the first magnet off the board.

Cornes: “I think he (Gulden) is the one you could rest. His conditioning is elite, he’s played so much game time this year.

“You could have a look at Heeney as well, Grundy is the other one.”

King: “If Heeney gets injured, it’s over.  I don't care about your managing minutes and all this … if he gets injured, it's done.”

Saturday’s game against the Crows at the SCG begins at 7:40 pm (AEST).