IT'S ONE of the more glaring and unexpected head-to-head records in the AFL when you take into account Sydney's resurgence over the last two seasons and an inconsistent Port Adelaide run in recent years.
But come Saturday night at the SCG, the Swans will be looking to end a six-game losing streak against the Power that stretches over some 80 months.
To put that into context, the Swans have beaten every one of the other 16 clubs inside the last 25 months.
Granted, the four recent defeats for Sydney against Port have all taken place at the Adelaide Oval, but it's a record that's likely to make many take notice after Sydney's Grand Final run last season.
"I'm not sure if there's any reason [for losing to Port]," Swans midfielder James Rowbottom said.
"Maybe in the past they were a little more mature than our midfield but from the back end of last year and with our midfield having a lot of time together, there's no excuse and we're ready to rock and roll and bring it up to their bigger bodies.
"Coming off a disappointing loss in the Showdown they'll be wound up and ready to go. They were the number one contested side last week and that's something we hold in good stead here at the Swans so it should be a good match-up."
The Swans losing streak on the MCG is less jarring on paper - it sits at only two games.
But after the Grand Final hammering against Geelong and late fade-out against Melbourne last week that stretched the margin out to 50 points, it's led to some commentary that John Longmire's side has an issue at the home of footy.
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Considering their last win there was against Melbourne in a qualifying final last season, there's some bemusement from the Swans at that criticism.
"We beat the Dees twice there last year and obviously our last two games there haven't been too good, but I don't think it's got anything to do with the MCG, we love going down there as a group and seeing the South Melbourne supporters. I definitely don't think it's an issue with the ground," Rowbottom said.
"It just came down to our defensive transition (last week) and intent towards the back end of the third quarter which was really disappointing because it's something we hold ourselves accountable to and usually pretty good at."
An individual performance that has been isolated for criticism in the loss to Melbourne was that of Isaac Heeney.
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The reigning All-Australian failed to kick a goal from 10 possessions and is averaging just 11.6 touches a game from the first three of the season, with some pundits claiming he should be deployed in the midfield more often to influence games.
"There's no real adjustment from my point of view. He's just got a very high standard, his level of football that he's played over the last five or six years is much higher than the capabilities of most, so I'm sure he'll be able to get back to that," Rowbottom said.
As for Rowbottom, the midfield bull is coming off a breakout season that saw him finish fifth on the AFL's tackling table and win the Peter Bedford Trophy for finishing third in the Swans' club champion awards.
Despite that, he arguably remains an underrated performer in the AFL.
"That does not bother me at all," he said.
"I'm very happy with what everyone thinks of me inside these walls and that’s what’s most important. 'Horse' (Longmire) mentions it a lot that it doesn’t matter what people on the outside say, it’s what's mentioned here that matters the most and that's the approach that I take."
