Ryder and Reid to add spice to AFL clash

Mar 24, 2017 - 3:45 AM The return of of impact players Sam Reid and Paddy Ryder, on opposite sides, promises to add extra spice when Sydney seek to maintain their recent AFL stranglehold on Port Adelaide.

Port ruckman Ryder sat out last year with an anti-doping ban imposed from his time at Essendon, while injuries prevented Swans' key forward Reid from playing a senior game in 2016.

Sydney have won 13 of their last 14 against Port, including their past seven at the SCG, where the South Australian club haven't won for 11 years.

However, the Swans head into Saturday's SCG clash without seven of last year's grand final team and nine players with 31 or less senior appearances.

Port will also have a youthful tinge to their lineup, with three debutants in Sam Powell-Pepper, Brett Eddy and Dan Houston.

But it's the inclusion of Ryder that could do most to help his side reverse their run of outs against Sydney.

"I'm sure you'll see at the start how excited he is by the way he jumps at the footy," Port coach Ken Hinkley said on Friday.

"Bringing Ryder back into the side will help us get a little bit of an understanding where the ball is going a bit better."

The Swans are wary of the problems Ryder could cause as they strive to make the finals for an eighth-straight season.

"He's a real athletic beast when he comes in, so it's going to be an absolute challenge for us in the ruck," Swans ruckman Sam Naismith told AAP.

Reid's return will give Sydney an extra tall forward and strong marking threat to supplement Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin, allowing the latter to spend more time causing havoc up the ground.

"He's so crucial for our forward line and our structure and the presence he has out on the field is huge for us," Swans midfielder Luke Parker said of Reid.

Outspoken Port president David Koch has demanded his club return to the finals after missing out the past two years.

Hinkley wasn't concerned if external expectations of the club weren't great.

'We certainly rate ourselves, we give ourselves the greatest opportunity to have a successful season, we expect that of ourselves," Hinkley said.

"We're going to Sydney with everything we've got and Sydney are going to have to play at their best to beat us."

Both sides will include a veteran who didn't play during the pre-season, with Port fielding defender Matthew Broadbent and Sydney doing likewise with Kieren Jack.

Captain Travis Boak will make his 200th appearance for Port.

Source: AAP