AFL Sydney vs Brisbane: The big questions Swans and Lions have to answer in grand final rematch

Sydney will persevere with its new-look bookends while it is back to the future for Brisbane and Eric Hipwood. Callum Dick and Lachlan McKirdy analyse the upcoming grand final rematch.

The grand final rematch often arrives several weeks into the season but this year’s edition comes in round one with the Swans and Lions set to do battle at the SCG on Saturday afternoon.

For the Swans, they’re looking to get on the board early in 2025 and also atone for a performance that haunts them. They spent an entire day reviewing their loss to Brisbane last September and this weekend’s game gives them a perfect chance to put their plans into practice.

The Lions meanwhile still have that premiership glow and threaten to be even stronger as they prepare for a campaign in which going back-to-back is the ultimate goal.

Joe Daniher’s retirement has left big question marks over the Brisbane Lions’ forward line. Picture: David Caird

HIPWOOD TAKE TWO

It is back to the future for the Brisbane Lions who will once again hand the reins of their high-powered attack to Eric Hipwood following the shock retirement of Joe Daniher last October.

While much of the off-season commentary was centred around who would fill Daniher’s ruck-forward role, perhaps the more pertinent question was from where the Lions would manufacture his 58 goals from last season that steered them to the premiership.

Last year the medium-forward brigade of Charlie Cameron (44 goals), Kai Lohmann (36), Cam Rayner (31) and Logan Morris (24) excelled around the focal point of Daniher but this season, for the first time since 2020, Brisbane’s forward 50 belongs to Hipwood.

Two seasons removed from a career-best 41-goal campaign as Daniher’s capable lieu

tenant, Hipwood has had to deal with his fair share of doubters over the past decade but this year the stage has been set for him to shine again.

Despite battling a debilitating groin injury for the second half of last season, the 27 year old still booted 33 goals from 24 games including his unforgettable Akermanis-esk snap from the pocket in the grand final.

Although his rehabilitation stretched through much of the pre-season, Hipwood returned to action in the February 27 Community Series clash against Adelaide and impressed with a game-high three goals.

Crucially, the 204cm target’s searching lead from wing to wing in the third quarter put to bed any doubts over his groin gremlins.

Eric Hipwood will once again assume the role of forward 50 leader following Joe Daniher’s retirement. Picture: David Caird

“I saw that play and thought it was a great sign,” Brisbane great Alastair Lynch told this masthead.

“That 100 per cent speed to get to the other side of the ground and provide an option – he moved well for not a lot of training under his belt.

“I thought he looked very good (against Adelaide). His speed was good, he didn’t look hampered at all physically.

“He should be leading that forward line. He should feel confident and I think the club will help him.”

It signalled the Sunshine Coast product was ready to retake his place as the Lion King in Brisbane’s front six – and Saturday’s grand final rematch against the Swans looms as the perfect litmus test.

The Lions will take an almost identical line-up into the SCG blockbuster as the one that trounced the Swans by 60 points last September.

Grand final heartbreak story Oscar McInerney reclaims his place as the No.1 ruck option after missing last season’s decider with a dislocated shoulder, while boom father-son rookie Levi Ashcroft earns his AFL debut as the sub.

Daniher is the glaring omission while utility Connor McKenna has been named as an emergency in place of Ashcroft.

Hipwood’s output will be the decisive factor in whether or not this version of Chris Fagan’s Lions is superior to the champion team of 2024.

Tom McCartin has made the swap to attack since Brisbane and Sydney played in last September’s grand final. Photo: Phil Hillyard

SYDNEY’S NEW BOOKENDS

If there was ever a time for the Swans to capitalise on a Lions attack that may take some time to find its feet, it’s now.

Sydney’s defensive restructure has come under heavy scrutiny following their 20-point defeat in opening round to Hawthorn. They only managed six intercept marks for the match and conceded scores from 51 per cent of the Hawks’ inside 50 entries.

However, individually, they weren’t let down by any of their defenders. Lewis Melican is the new leader down back and looked strong, Sam Wicks was a revelation in his new role while Nick Blakey continues to show why he’s one of the competition’s elite defenders.

“I think that’s one thing we want to do, we want to defend as strong as we can as a unit behind the ball and collectively as an 18,” Dean Cox said.

“When Day kicks three, Newcombe has shots at goal as well. We’ve generally been the other way where our mids have kicked goals. We have to try to rectify that and pull that a little bit back. But overall, they scored more than us and we’ve got to restrict that as much as we can.”

Cox has already pulled some strings in his second team selection, bringing in Joel Hamling for his Swans debut. Hamling will offer Sydney more height if required in defence and could potentially free up Blakey for more of his maurauding runs.

They have also brought in Werribee product Riley Bice for his AFL debut as they try and generate more movement off their halfback line.

They only produced 40 inside 50s against the Hawks, and if they’re to give the Lions’ defence a workout, and Tom McCartin a chance to have an impact in the forward line, that simply won’t do the job.

McCartin and Amartey can both create contests in the forward line, which will be key against the likes of Harris Andrews and Jack Payne. If they can nullify their opponents and bring the ball to ground, the Swans’ small forwards, Tom Papley and Tom Hanily in particular, can go to work and create scoring opportunities.

Riley Bice will make his AFL debut on Saturday. Photo: Phil Hillyard

The Swans will have five different faces from the team that fell to the Lions on grand final day last year. Three of them hadn’t even played for the club before this month. Errol Gulden, Logan McDonald, Robbie Fox and Harry Cunningham all remain injured, while Luke Parker now plies his trade at the Kangaroos.

The test for Cox is simple. His new defensive system is all about stopping the opponents’ uncontested mark game and defending with intensity all across the ground.

It didn’t quite click against Hawthorn, and it was born out of a day-long review of the grand final loss. So simply for Cox, there has to be some signs of improvement against a team that caused them so much pain six months ago.

Originally published as AFL Sydney vs Brisbane: The big questions Swans and Lions have to answer in grand final rematch