The injury-hit Sydney Swans are choosing to ignore the AFL ladder and are on high alert for their SCG clash against Richmond.
A home game against the second-last Tigers might seem easy on paper, but flag-fancies Sydney are licking their wounds heading into Saturday’s clash.
The second-placed Swans’ seven-game winning streak came to an end after a 27-point away loss to Geelong, losing livewire forwards Tom Papley (calf) and Malcolm Rosas Jnr (ankle) in the process.
Sydney captain Callum Mills also failed to prove his fitness with a calf injury, while hard-running ruck Brodie Grundy has been managed.
Richmond are looking to continue their momentum after an 18-point 'Dreamtime at the ‘G' win over struggling Essendon, but are similarly injury hit.
Tigers spearhead Tom Lynch (throat) won't be lining up at the SCG, as well as Jonty Faull (concussion) and Tom Burton (omitted).
The visitors at least welcome back veteran midfielder Dion Prestia (calf) and young defender Sam Banks (collarbone), with recalled Liam Fawcett.
Sydney recruit Jai Serong says his side aren’t taking anything for granted, knowing the Swans aren’t a finished product despite leading the league for eight weeks before round 11.
Back-up ruck Peter Ladhams has been given the nod for his first AFL game of the season, with teenager Harry Kyle making his debut in defence.
Harry Cunningham and Hayden McLean also return to the Swans line-up.
“A lot of (the review of the Geelong game) was around our effort and our work not being up to scratch,” Serong told AAP.
“You're just going to get punished if you don't get that going.
“We're under no illusions, the last month has not been to the standard that we expect.
“We've been able to get some wins along the way, but we know our game's not the finished product. We’ll get back to the drawing board.”
Richmond’s trip to the SCG will be their first since 2022, just the third visit in a decade.
The Swans had claimed a six-point win in 2022, after monstering the Tigers with a 113-point demolition job in 2016.
Well acquainted with the raucous SCG crowd since moving last season from Hawthorn, Serong still isn’t buying into any home deck advantage.
“Richmond are strong in the contest and their pressure is good - a smaller ground could suit them in that way,” Serong said.
“They're going to be hungry. They're going to want to hunt.
“When young groups get up and about and the pressure, and their contest gets up, it can get their tails up for sure.”
