When the Goulburn Swans play perennial rivals in the Yass Roos this weekend, they will face a gargantuan challenge.
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The Roos, fresh from the 2020 grand final, come into this weekend's clash off the back of a scarcely-believable 35.26.236 to 0.2.2 thrashing of the Ainslie Tricolours last Saturday.
That 234-point effort was described as "incredible" on the Roos' Facebook page.
"The boys came in to the game today looking to make a statement and boy did they," the club said.
"Whilst we are happy with the win, special mention must go to the Ainslie footy club who were up against it right from the start. Thanks for the game boys."
According to AFL Canberra's records, the win is the third-largest in the history of the Fourth Grade competition, behind the RMC Rams' 268-0 victory over Tuggeranong in 2017 and Cootamundra's 244-7 win over Molonglo in the same year.
Goulburn, which has struggled so far this season, is coming off its third loss from four matches.
Last weekend's 9.10.64 to 2.3.15 defeat at the hands of the Googong Hogs, Swans coach Simon Treloar said, was closer than the scorecard suggests.
"The first quarter we started pretty slow, and they got on top of us early," he said.
"But we talked after the first quarter and said we need to get back to what we've been practicing. After quarter time the boys did that really well."
The scorecard backs up Treloar's assessment. After the first quarter, Googong had kicked five goals to Goulburn's one. In the next three, however, the Hogs managed only four more goals.
While Treloar knows a victory over the Roos is a long shot, he said the Swans will have to make life as difficult as possible for the visitors at Goodhew Park.
"We're definitely stronger at home and that makes it easier for us," Treloar said. "We've just got to keep playing to our game plan, do what works well for us, and be challenging.
"That's the best thing about us, we've been challenging in all our games and we've just had the odd bad quarter.
"We've got to be competitive with teams like that and not let them smash us. If they get on top, then it becomes about how we get back in the game, how we slow the pace down."
Regardless of the result, this weekend's match will provide crucial experience for many of the Swans' newest players, who are yet to play in a match with as much history and rivalry as that of Goulburn and Yass.
"It's tough as a new team, we've just got to tackle hard and try to give it to them," Treloar said.
"It's going to be a challenging game for a lot of the young players. It should be a massive challenge, which I think we're definitely up for."
The Goulburn Swans will take on the Yass Roos at Goodhew Park in Goulburn from noon this Saturday, May 22.
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