A strong response. That’s what Essendon needs and certainly what fans will be looking for against Sydney on Friday night at the SCG.

Last Sunday’s loss to Geelong was a major disappointment after the gains of the previous month, a big test against the ladder leader which the Bombers seldom appeared likely to pass.

There’s more to this match-up than meets the eye. Sydney might be down on its luck, but the Swans have a long and proud history of punching above their weight, and still have enough weapons to make this game nothing less than a fierce battle, at a venue which hasn’t been kind to the Dons over the years.

What will determine the outcome? Here’s five key questions.

1. Sydney is struggling for form. How does Essendon exploit that?

Make no mistake, this won’t be an easy task, despite Sydney being last on the ladder with a 1-6 record. While they’ve been losing, the Swans have remained competitive enough, five of their six defeats by only 26 points or less. But injuries have robbed them of critical players, with Lance Franklin absent again this week, and the backline particularly depleted, now missing Harry Cunningham along with Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Smith and Heath Grundy.

Those losses have been reflected in Sydney’s usually solid defensive record taking a pounding, the Swans conceding three more goals per game this season than last and ranked only 16^th for fewest points conceded compared to seventh last year. That inexperience presents a great opportunity to score with good enough forward entries.

The other dramatic drop for the Swans has been in contested ball. Last week, they won 42 fewer contested possessions than Brisbane, their current ranking last compared to ninth in 2018. Essendon’s ranking is ninth. And on the tight confines of the SCG, where contested ball is always important, the contested efforts of Dylan Shiel, Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell, Devon Smith and Darcy Parish will be significant.

2. What about pace? We’ve got the edge in leg speed haven’t we?

Should have. And it may be an even bigger edge with Orazio Fantasia returning to the line-up and Sydney having lost one of their quicker runners in Harry Cunningham.

The first priority (as above) must still be winning the contest. But Essendon has the capacity to hurt the Swans on the outside via Shiel, Merrett, Smith and Parish, with one of that quartet (probably Shiel) to be assigned to Sydney run-with role player George Hewett.

The Bombers, though, can generate run from elsewhere and in all parts of the ground. In that regard, Franklin’s continued absence for the Swans with a hamstring injury is a blessing, and not just because of his goal-scoring power. As a mobile forward who covers plenty of ground, 'Buddy' takes some minding.

Without him on the park, Essendon running defenders Adam Saad and Conor McKenna should be afforded more licence to generate rebound and run from half-back as well as performing their defensive responsibilities.

3. How’s the forward line going to look this week?

A bit different, that’s for sure. Consistency of personnel has been a bit of an issue inside 50 so far this season due to injuries, illness and management, Joe Daniher fitting the latter category and being handled carefully after three games within a 17-day period following a long injury layoff.

There’s been bad luck, with Shaun McKernan and then Mitch Brown both injured while playing very good football, while Fantasia’s illness has been particularly costly over the last fortnight against top-of-the-ladder teams Collingwood and Geelong. Having him back is a huge plus.

Orazio Fantasia will be a welcome inclusion against the Swans. (Photo: AFL Media)

Key forwards? Well, one thing the changes this week offer is some flexibility. With Tom Bellchambers sharing ruck duties with the incoming Zac Clarke, either of those men will be spending some time forward, while there’s more tall options in Aaron Francis and Cale Hooker if required. What Essendon will also need in attack is more methodical delivery (just eight marks taken inside 50 against Geelong) and better conversion, 7.12 a waste of what scoring opportunities did come the Bombers’ way.

4. How are we faring on the road these days?

Pretty well. The first venture outside Victoria in round one may have produced a loss to GWS, but the Bombers won five of six games on the road last season, in Adelaide, Gold Coast, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney. It’s been a dramatic turnaround from an interstate record which previously had been very poor, Essendon winning just two of 18 games outside Victoria between 2015-17.

What has been synonymous with those performances has been a solid start. In four of those five road wins in 2018, the Dons led at quarter-time, and trailed by only four points in the other victory.

There’s been plenty of scoreboard pressure, too, with two six-goal first terms, and a five- and four-goal haul in another two.

The opening-round loss this season to the Giants should be instructive on that score. Essendon went goalless in the first term while GWS had 3.2 on the board come quarter-time, and it was all uphill from there.

At the SCG, a good start will be no less important.

Essendon has won five of its past seven interstate games. (Photo: AFL Media)

5. Should we be worried about playing at the SCG?

Let’s be honest, this hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Essendon. The Bombers have lost their last six visits to the AFL’s smallest venue, the last victory all the way back in 2009. Last time was a shocker, the 2017 elimination defeat by 65 points against the Swans, and there was also that heart-breaking last-second loss the same season.

The good news is the SCG is these days proving anything but the fortress it once was for Sydney. Between 2014 and 2017, the Swans won 31 of 39 games on the pocket-sized ground. But since the middle of last season, there’s been a remarkable change, Sydney having won just one of eight games on its home deck, and its sole victory by just two points.

That’s in accordance not only with the Swans’ poorer form generally, but that dramatic fall-off in contested ball, always critical in the tight confines of the SCG. The capacity to capitalise on that and thus win the lion’s share of possession will be critical.

You can read more of Rohan Connolly’s work at his FOOTYOLOGY website.