Where and when: Adelaide Hills, Mt Barker, Saturday, April 6, 1:00pm (10:30am WST)

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

Last time we met:

West Coast 5.4 (34) def. by Sydney 31.19 (205) at the SCG, round 15, 2023.

It was carnage the last time these two teams met, with Sydney delivering the Eagles their biggest loss in club history. The Swans started strong from the get-go, kicking nine goals in the first term to West Coast’s one. The Eagles showed some fight in the second quarter, led by Luke Shuey and Tim Kelly, kicking three goals to Sydney’s five, but the floodgates opened for the Swans after half time, kicking 11 goals in the third and another six in the final term. Shuey (28 disposals, eight tackles) and Kelly (27 disposals, seven clearances and a goal) worked tirelessly all game, and Elliot Yeo (10 tackles) brought some pressure during the onslaught. 

What it means for the Eagles:

The last time the Eagles had a 0-4 start to the season was in 1989, a 35-year record the team would prefer to keep intact, but the bigger picture that fans want to see is continued progress on-field and a more competitive effort is required against Sydney. Supporters have seen encouraging signs from some emerging players: Harley Reid has shown plenty of promise in his first three games, while big-bodied midfielder Reuben Ginbey, key forward Jack Williams and defender Brady Hough are developing in front of our eyes. The energy that comes with the youngsters has been complemented by the experience and leadership of the older group, but the team needs to show better cohesion and connection around the ground, and hopefully, more productivity inside the forward half.

The stat:

Liam Duggan hit the target with all 17 kicks last round, took 10 marks, and won a team-high 15 uncontested possessions.

The match-up:

In the absence of Matt Flynn (knee) so far this season, Bailey Williams has reprised his primary ruck role and will be matching up with Sydney’s Brodie Grundy on Saturday. Grundy has struggled to recapture his All-Australian form in recent years, but has made a strong start to life at his third AFL club and Williams will have a tough task on his hands coming up against the seasoned Swan.

It’s a big week for:

West Coast’s forward line. In last week’s game against the Bulldogs, the team were able to get the ball inside their forward 50 a total of 51 times, yet the entries only converted to three goals on the scoreboard. If the team hopes to remain competitive against the Swans, they will need to see some reward for effort in front of goals this week from their forwards.

 Big call:

Jack Darling will kick three goals to equal Peter Sumich in second place on the club’s career goal-kicking list.

Milestone:

Jamie Cripps and Jack Darling will suit up for the 200th time as teammates on Saturday.