Where and when: SCG, Saturday, June 24, 4.35pm (2.35pm AWST)

TV: Live on 7 in WA, Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo

Last time we met: West Coast 9.4 (58) def. by Sydney 18.13 (121) at Optus Stadium, round five, 2022

Coming off a rousing upset of Collingwood on the road, the understrength Eagles entered the clash optimistic but were blown off the park early. Sydney kicked the first eight majors to kill the contest, before a five-goal final term for the blue and gold limited the scoreboard damage to 63 points at the full-time siren. Sydney’s midfield ran riot, dominating the inside 50 count 65-29. Liam Duggan (25 disposals) and Jack Redden (20, one goal) stood tall while Liam Ryan kicked three goals on a dirty night at Optus Stadium.

What it means for the Eagles: While the first half of the season did not go to plan, the Eagles had the chance to reset over the bye and are keen to produce some improved performances on the run home, starting against the Swans. Eagles leaders Tom Barrass and Liam Duggan are huge inclusions, and some more experience around the team should benefit the developing youngsters as they attempt to grab the opportunities in front of them.

The stat: This will be just the fifth clash with the Swans at the SCG since the Eagles’ famous one-point Grand Final triumph over Sydney in 2006, with the hosts winning the previous four encounters by an average margin of almost 38 points.

The match-up: Elliot Yeo v Chad Warner

The tight confines of the SCG usually makes for contested football and whichever team gets on top physically will hold a significant advantage. Yeo is the Eagles’ raging bull and appears set for a return to the midfield after being asked to stand star Crows key forward Taylor Walker last round to help cover for a depleted backline. The two-time Club Champion’s contested possession rate (44.6) narrowly shades Warner (42.6), the Swans' gun who also poses an attacking threat and averages an elite 1.5 shots at goal per game for a midfielder. Yeo looms as the ideal match-up with his defence-first mindset and it will be an intriguing battle in the centre square between the two East Fremantle products as they fight to give their team first possession.

It’s a big week for: Jack Williams

It has been more than a year since the strapping teenager made his AFL debut in a remarkable round two loss to North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium best remembered for the Eagles calling up COVID contingency players in order to field a team. Williams was barely 18 at the time, but should be better prepared for his second taste of the big time. The 198cm forward-ruck has played the past three games in the WAFL after returning from a ruptured spleen that derailed his impressive pre-season and will look to offer some more marking power and a back-up ruck option at the SCG.

Big call: Mid-season rookie draft pick Ryan Maric booted two goals on debut against Adelaide and will go one better at the SCG.

Sydney has handed West Coast the biggest loss in club history, thrashing the Eagles by 171 points at the SCG on Saturday.

It was a bloodbath from the Bloods, who piled on 31.19 (205) to the Eagles' 5.4 (34), as nine Swans kicked multiple goals. 

The Swans started strong, kicking nine goals in the opening term to West Coast's solitary major from Oscar Allen.

The Eagles showed fight in the second stanza - led by ferocious skipper Luke Shuey and midfield colleague Tim Kelly - booting three goals to Sydney's five to stem the bleeding somewhat.

But the floodgates opened in the third term with the Swans enjoying an 11-goal third quarter to head into the final break with their highest three-quarter time score in club history. 

Isaac Heeney led an impressive forward line, kicking five goals from 22 disposals, while Errol Gulden's attacking run from the middle was a highlight, with three goals and 32 disposals. 

Allen and Jack Darling both kicked two goals for the Eagles on a dirty day at the SCG when the Swans registered 77 inside 50s to the visitors' 34. 

The aggressive rebounding Swans of 2022 were back, albeit aided by a lethargic Eagles outfit.

Sydney looked to move the ball with speed through the corridor and delivered inside 50 with more clarity than the side has been able to produce in recent weeks. It dominated the stats sheet, including the clearances (49-36) and disposals (441-300). 

A lack of chemistry in the ever-changing Eagles line-up was clear early in the game, as all too often were they thwarted by an inability to make space for one another or acknowledge a teammate's superior positioning. 

West Coast did start to find more connection in the second quarter, putting together some neat end-to-end passages of play thanks to its running in waves and pinpoint handballs. As a result, it was able to put through three goals for the quarter.  

It was short lived, however, as the Swans were ruthless, slamming home 18 consecutive goals between the second and final quarters. 

Eagles captain Luke Shuey (eight tackles, 28 disposals) worked tirelessly all game, Tim Kelly (27 disposals, seven clearances and a goal) tried to get things going at the source, and Elliot Yeo (10 tackles) brought some pressure in the face of the onslaught. 

West Coast's injury woes continued, with second-gamer Jack Williams subbed out of the match before half-time.

SYDNEY                  9.4     14.9     25.14     31.19 (205)
WEST COAST         1.0      4.1        4.3          5.4 (34)

GOALS 
Sydney: Heeney 5, McDonald 4, Amartey 4, McLean 3, McInerney 3, Gulden 3, Warner 2, Parker 2, Clarke 2, Sheldrick, Papley, Fox
West Coast: Darling 2, Allen 2, Kelly

BEST 
Sydney: Parker, Campbell, Heeney, Hickey, Rowbottom, Gulden 
West Coast: Shuey, Kelly, Yeo 

INJURIES 
Sydney: Nil
West Coast: Jack Williams (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
Sydney: Will Hayward (illness) replaced in selected side by Ryan Clarke
West Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES 
Sydney: Robbie Fox (replaced Callum Mills in fourth quarter)
West Coast: Campbell Chesser (replaced Jack Williams in second quarter)

Crowd: TBC at the SCG