THE fact that Melbourne has only played at the SCG once in the past nine years won’t be a factor in its quest to overcome the Sydney Swans on Sunday, according to assistant coach Ben Mathews.

Eight players in Melbourne’s squad of 25 have played at the SCG, yet only four have worn the red and blue at the ground.

Nathan Jones, Tom McDonald, Jack Trengove and Jack Watts are the only players to have represented Melbourne in a home and away match at the SCG, while Tomas Bugg, Sam Frost, Dom Tyson and Bernie Vince have played at the venue representing their previous AFL clubs.

Colin Garland has played on the SCG twice – he made his AFL debut on the ground in round five, 2007 – and Lynden Dunn has also played there, but neither is playing this round. Garland returned to the VFL last weekend after missing with a cheekbone and Dunn is out with a hamstring.

But Mathews said the fact Melbourne had only played at the SCG once since 2007 – in round eight, 2012 when it was thrashed by 101 points – had little bearing on this game. 

“It’s a smaller ground and it suits the contested style of play and that’s what we want to build our game on, so really if you want to start figuring in bigger games, you’ve got to win away from home,” he told Melbourne TV.

“There is no bigger challenge than Sydney in Sydney, so we’ll talk about it with our players. The opportunity to go a little more direct at times on the SCG can be important, but we want to win the contest and win the ball around the contest.

“That will deny, hopefully, the opportunity for the Swans to go forward and we’ll play the game in our forward half – which is no different to any other team really.”

Mathews has intimate knowledge of the SCG, having played 198 games with the Swans from 1997-2008, but said that counted for little.

“They probably don’t want to hear from me or my career,” he said with a laugh.

“[There is an] understanding that the ground and the dimensions of the ground [are different] … but at the end of the day, it’s a patch of green grass and there is one football out there and there are going to be a lot of contests.

“The Swans are going to be going hard at it and we’re really confident that our boys are going to be going at it as well and matching the Swans. We need to do it for 120 minutes – that’s what great teams do and that’s what we want to build for. It’s a super challenge for us.”

Regardless of the ground, Mathews said there was “no doubt the contest will raise a level this week”.

“They’re a really hard-nosed, disciplined team, the Sydney Swans and have been for a number of years. They’re coming off a loss against GWS and they’ll really want to make amends,” he said.

“It’ll start around the contest – they’ll tackle, chase and harass, and they’ll want to win the contested ball. That’s great for our group, because to challenge ourselves against one of the best teams in the comp in that area is what you want. That’s what great teams are built on.

“It’s a wonderful challenge for us and a wonderful challenge for our younger players and our older players to lead the way. There is no better spot to do it than Sydney on their home patch – it’s a real challenge.”

Mathews said the team took plenty of positives from its review of the Queen’s Birthday 46-point win over the Magpies at the MCG.

“It was really pleasing. From a coaches’ point of view, the players executed all that we wanted to do against Collingwood on Monday,” he said.

“Their adherence to structure, attack on the footy and the contest was really, really good and the standard we want to set for 120 minutes every week – understanding that the opposition isn’t always allowing you to do so.

“The boys played really well and they deserved the credit they got.”