Four quarters away from making the 2024 AFL Grand Final, the Sydney Swans will come face-to-face with a team they haven't beaten in eight years.
Yet to taste success against the Port Adelaide Power since 2016, the odds still heavily favour the home team, who have been on top of the ladder since Round 9 and will be looking to perform in front of a euphoric sold-out crowd.
Aiming to clinch their first AFL Premiership since 2012, the Swans face a tough challenge on Friday.
Not only will the Power enter the clash with confidence, knowing they have the wood over their opponents, but they are close to completing one of the greatest arcs for coach Ken Hinkley.
Humiliated by the Geelong Cats in the opening week of the 2024 AFL Finals, which saw fans leave the stadium before the third quarter, it wasn't too long ago that Hinkley was looking likely to be sacked.
If the Swans aim to break their unfortunate streak of losses, they will need to rely on their big-game players, including All-Australians Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden, Chad Warner, and Nick Blakey.
One of few players who were a part of the Swans team in their last victory against the Power wasย Heeney. Tom Papley, Dane Rampe, Harry Cunninghamย and Jake Lloydย the others.
In what is arguably his best season to date in the AFL, Heeney has transitioned from a midfield-forward role to going back to the midfield this season and is one of the favourites for the Brownlow Medal.
"It's really nice to be there and to go out there and just have a lot of fun and play a role that I grew up playing throughout my whole childhood and my teenage years," Heeney said.
"I feel like I've always been someone that works my butt off and I'll give it 100 per cent no matter what I do," he added on if he worked on anything different in the pre-season with the transition of positions.
"That's why I put my head on the pillow at night knowing that I've had a crack every day and trying to get the most out of myself and it didn't change over pre-season.
"I think I've probably got a bit more of an opportunity in the midfield and the way it's worked has worked out beautifully.
"It's been amazing and just had a lot of fun this year with the way the coaches have handled the day to days throughout the club and then the way we've played has shone through as well."
Sydney and Port Adelaide meet at the SCG on Friday night at 7:40pm (AEST), ith the winner facing either Geelong or Brisbane in the grand final next weekend.
