AAMI Practice Match Review: Sydney vs GWS — SuperCoach 2026 Takeaways

Here are the numbers that matter from Henson Park: 33 hitouts, 4 clearances, 15 disposals. All Brodie Grundy. All under the new ruck rules everyone said would hurt him.

Sydney dismantled GWS 14.13 (97) to 8.11 (59) in wet conditions, and while Curnow's 60-metre bomb on the run will get the replays, it's Grundy's dominance at centre bounces that should be reshaping your ruck strategy right now. The new rules don't hurt athletic ruckmen. They reward them.

The Match in 60 Seconds

Errol Gulden kicked the first goal from a 50m set shot before tweaking an ankle and not returning after quarter time (precautionary — expected fit for Round 1). From there, Sydney's midfield took over.

Grundy dominated at the centre bounces — leaping, tapping, and then running to provide a target around the ground. His 33 hitouts and 4 clearances set the standard for ruckmen adapting to the new rules.

Five straight goals either side of quarter time built a 38-point lead before GWS rallied through Jake Stringer (2 goals) and Jesse Hogan (2 goals) to get within 12. But Sydney reasserted in the second half, kicking the first three goals of the third quarter to put the game away.

Three Players to Watch for Round 1

1. Brodie Grundy (RUC) — Sydney

The numbers: 15 disposals, 33 hitouts, 4 clearances.

The new ruck rules were supposed to create uncertainty. Grundy just created certainty — that he's a top-3 ruck option in SuperCoach 2026. His athleticism at centre bounces was a clear advantage, and the Swans' star-studded midfield means his hitouts actually convert into scoring opportunities.

At his price, Grundy offers genuine value. He's reunited with John Longmire's coaching style (which historically maximised ruck output) and has midfield cattle around him to make his hitouts count.

Verdict: Top-3 RUC lock. The new rules suit his athletic profile perfectly.

2. Clayton Oliver (MID) — GWS

The numbers: 19 disposals, 1 goal. Showed his class.

Oliver at GWS is one of the most fascinating SuperCoach storylines of 2026. The former Demon still has elite talent — 19 touches and a well-taken goal showed the class hasn't disappeared. The question is durability and motivation.

If Oliver stays healthy and motivated in a Giants midfield with Callaghan, Ward, and Greene around him, he's significantly underpriced. GWS don't need him to be 2019 Oliver — they just need him to be 85-90% of it.

Verdict: High-risk, high-reward MID. If healthy, he's a bargain. The "if" is doing a lot of work.

3. Toby Greene (FWD) — GWS

The numbers: 26 disposals, 8 tackles, 6 clearances. Best on ground for the Giants.

Greene was the only Giant who matched Sydney's intensity, and the stat line reflects it. Twenty-six touches with eight tackles from a forward is elite output. He's moved into a genuine MID/FWD hybrid role and the clearance numbers prove it.

For SuperCoach, Greene's dual-position eligibility (if FWD) combined with midfield minutes makes him one of the most underrated premium options in the game. He doesn't get the hype of other MID/FWDs but the output is consistently elite.

Verdict: Set and forget FWD premium. The midfield time makes his floor incredibly high.

Other SuperCoach Notes

• Charlie Curnow (FWD): 2 goals from 6 touches. The 60m goal on the run was spectacular. Conditions were terrible for a key forward — don't read into the low disposal count.
• Isaac Heeney (FWD): Strong contributor across the game. The Brownlow medallist is a lock in any format.
• Nick Blakey (DEF): Dynamic off half-back as always. His metres gained will be astronomical in 2026.
• Angus Sheldrick (Sydney MID): Continued his development with a solid performance. Watch for his price — potential mid-price value play.
• Jake Stringer (GWS FWD): 3 goals. Still capable of big games but the consistency remains the question.
• Jesse Hogan (GWS FWD): Appeared to tweak an ankle but returned and played out the game. Two goals.
• Malcolm Rosas Jr (Sydney): Reported for abusive language late. Minor concern.

Injury Watch

| Player | Club | Issue | R1 Impact | |--------|------|-------|-----------| | Errol Gulden | Sydney | Ankle (tweak) | Precautionary — expected fit | | Jesse Hogan | GWS | Ankle (apparent) | Returned — monitor | | Finn Callaghan | GWS | Missed both practice games | Expected to play R1 vs Hawthorn |

The Bottom Line

The data is clean on this one. Grundy's hitout-to-advantage rate under the new rules suggests top-3 RUC is conservative — he could be number one. Oliver's 19-disposal, 1-goal output at GWS translates to a viable mid-pricer if the body holds. And Greene's 26/8/6 line from a FWD? That's hybrid elite.

Don't overthink it. The numbers are right there.

-SMc

The AAMI Community Series wraps up the 2026 pre-season. Round 1 kicks off Thursday, March 5. For the full pre-season landscape, check our complete AAMI Series wrap and the Rookie Power Rankings Traffic Light Guide.