Sydney will finally field all four of their highly valued forwards against Hawthorn in Friday’s AFL clash at the SCG, but neither side is sure what impact the X-factor quartet will have.
In seventh place after three straight wins, Sydney (4-3) face the ultimate test of their revival against the competition-leading Hawks (6-1).
As expected, former Hawk Lance Franklin and last season’s leading Sydney goalkicker, Kurt Tippett, have been recalled to the Swans side after recovering from knee and rib injuries respectively.
It will be the first time the two have played together and the first chance Sydney coach John Longmire has had to use them alongside Adam Goodes and Sam Reid.
Franklin was listed at centre half forward and Goodes at full forward, with Tippett and Sam Reid named on the interchange bench.
“I’m looking forward to working with him (Franklin),” Tippett said.
“Also Adam Goodes. I haven’t played a lot of football with him either, so it’s very exciting to have a bit of a new-look forward line.”
It remains to be seen exactly how and where Sydney coach John Longmire deploys his four stars, and even Tippett isn’t sure what the combination will produce, given their lack of time together.
“That’s our challenge, to be able to come in together and to work well and to hopefully kick big scores together,” Tippett said.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson believes the injection of Franklin and Tippett into such a potentially high-powered forward line could work either for or against the Swans.
“The intriguing part about it is that we don’t know and neither does Sydney,” Clarkson said.
“Franklin and Tippett have never played together before so it could mean what we get is something that’s unbelievable or it could be that they really battle with.”
Hawthorn have won seven of their past 10 against the Swans.
For all the talk about Sydney’s forward riches, the Hawks remain the highest-scoring team in the competition despite losing Franklin, who will play his first match against his former club.
“If Bud’s there to tackle or spoil, we will try to negate his influence on the game, but he’s going to be no more important than any other Sydney player,” Clarkson said.
Hawthorn recalled defenders Ben Stratton and Kyle Cheney and midfielder Will Langford in place of injured stars Brian Lake and Sam Mitchell and the omitted Angus Litherland.
Franklin and Tippett replace the injured Mike Pyke and the dropped Brandon Jack.
Sydney opted against selecting tall utility Lewis Roberts-Thomson to replace Pyke, leaving Tom Derickx to do most of the ruck work in only his ninth senior game.