Sydney ruckman Callum Sinclair says the battle for spots at the top of the AFL ladder can be overwhelming and daunting, as his Swans prepare to host leaders Hawthorn on Thursday.The Hawks have clear air on 48 points, but just four points separate the next seven clubs, with the Swans, Crows and Bulldogs on 44, and the Eagles, Giants, Cats and Kangaroos on 40.A loss to the Hawks at the SCG could send the second-placed Swans sliding out of the top four, depending on other results later in the round.It can be a little bit overwhelming and daunting at times, I think that might be the case, Sinclair said at the SCG on Monday.It probably just shows the strength of the competition that if youre not on your game one week, it can really cost you and the race for top four is getting tighter and tighter every week, so theres very little time for mistakes.We need to keep the momentum going in our squad because the top eight is just so tight at the moment.You drop a couple of games and youre going to drop pretty low.Sydney will be going for back-to-back wins over Hawthorn having triumphed by 14 points at the MCG back in May.Its going to be a pretty fierce contest, obviously they are going to be fired up that we got the four points against them last time, Sinclair said.They probably dont like losing two games in a row to us, so were expecting a pretty combative contest, but I think our boys are up for it.He thought Hawthorns ability to change game plans was one reason why they were doing so well despite being only 13th in the competition in the contested possessions category.They are just an awesome side, theyve got multiple plans. Sinclair said.If plan A is not working theyve got plan B and plan C, so they are just a great total football side and theyve got a few strings to their bow, so its going to be a tough ask.He credited young Swans ruckmen Toby Nankervis and Sam Naismith for stepping up in the absence of the injured Kurt Tippett.Sam obviously had a really big influence on the game last week and Toby with his competitiveness and aggression has been a real plus. Wholesale Brewers Jerseys .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Cheap Brewers Jerseys Authentic . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. http://www.cheapbrewersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-robin-yount-jersey . 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ASHBURN, Va. -- Jay Gruden could be playing the Cincinnati Bengals on the moon and it wouldnt matter to him.The Washington Redskins coach will face his former team for the first time Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London. The setting doesnt matter; its a special game for Gruden, who was the Bengals offensive coordinator from 2011-2013. Its in Grudens makeup to treat it as an important game for the 4-3 Redskins, but he cant contain his excitement and nostalgia about going up against old boss Marvin Lewis.Im excited, man, Gruden said. I mean, I cant wait. Really, it sounds funny -- its such a big game for us. I really dont care where we play them. I just cant wait to play the game.Gruden will be able to look across the field at not only Lewis but his old quarterback, Andy Dalton, and receiver A.J. Green. Two coordinator changes since Gruden have changed plenty around the Bengals to the point Dalton isnt worried about Gruden knowing too much, but there are lessons from a few years ago that are helping now in Washington.A big one has to do with Dalton, whom Gruden groomed from a rookie starter into one of the more consistent passers in the NFL.Jay taught me a lot and he gave me a lot of freedom at the line of scrimmage, Dalton said Wednesday. He allowed me to change plays and get into plays that were better-suited for the defenses that we were getting, and so it taught me a lot just through the preparation of it. I feel like hes got a big part in the reason Ive been playing the way I have here recently, and hes got me to be the player I am today.Kirk Cousins is Grudens challenge now, even after Washingtons starting quarterback threw for 29 touchdowns and a franchise-record 4,166 yards last season. Even though they were only drafted a year apart Dalton (second round, 2011) and Cousins (fourth round, 2012), Gruden said theyre developmental curves are different because of the opportunities they got or didnt get early in their pro careers.Dalton was the man from the get-go in Cincinnati, while Cousins had to wait behind Robert Griffin III, who was the second overall pick in 2012. BBecause Dalton is in his sixth season as an NFL starter, Gruden said hes further along than Cousins at this stage.ddddddddddddCousins looked at Dalton as a blueprint when Gruden joined the Redskins in 2014 and still considers him a great example to follow.There was a desire to glean from Coach Gruden whatever he had taught Andy knowing that hes been able to make a quarterback very successful in this league, Cousins said. Im always studying quarterbacks around the league and hes included in that. Hes done a great job for them as a quarterback, as a leader, and I really admire his game. I certainly want to continue to take steps to play at his level and to do it consistently year-in and year-out.As a Dalton in-training, Cousins has the right guy teaching him in Gruden, a quarterback in his playing days who practices patience with that position. And Lewis thinks Gruden has a Dalton in-the-making in Cousins, who has similar size and can sling it when asked.I see a lot of similarities between Kirk and Andy, Lewis said. I think they both do an incredible job at the line of scrimmage surveying the defense and getting in and out of the right plays. You see the Redskins doing a lot of play changes at the line of scrimmage, which is what Andy has been so good at for us here.Game notes RB Matt Jones missed practice with a knee injury. Jones declined comment, and his status for the Bengals game is unclear. Gruden said if Jones cant play, undrafted rookie Robert Kelley would start and Chris Thompson would remain the third-down back ... TE Jordan Reed and CB Josh Norman partially participated in practice coming off concussions, though Reed said hes symptom free after missing the past two games. ... LT Trent Williams says he expects to play after leaving Washingtons 20-17 loss at the Detroit Lions with a knee injury. ... The Redskins practice Thursday before flying to London for a Friday practice.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '