In the latest edition of Opposition Watch, Swans Media scouts the Geelong camp ahead of Sunday’s clash on the Gold Coast.
Recent form
The Cats are one of the form teams in the competition, having won six of their last seven matches.
Despite last week’s loss to the Tigers, Geelong look a formidable team heading into the finals series, having beaten top two teams Port Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions during the season.
While well entrenched within the top-8, this is no dead rubber for the Cats, with a potential top-4 spot on the line should they win.
Ins and outs
The Swans task of beating the inform Cats will be made even tougher by two superstar inclusions.
Geelong coach Chris Scott has confirmed that the team is set to welcome back Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood.
Ablett has completed quarantine on the Gold Coast and after returning to Melbourne for family reasons, while Selwood has missed the last four matches with a knee injury.
Key match-up
Tom Hawkins is in the midst of his 14th year in the AFL and one could easily make a case for it being a career best.
The 32 year-old is on his way to earning his first Coleman Medal, as the competitions leading goal kicker, and his 10th club goal kicking title.
He has booted 41 goals in the shortened season, including 10 over the last four matches.
Listed at 100kgs and standing 198cm tall, Hawkins is a nightmare matchup. Those duties may fall to Swans defender Lewis Melican, who at 193cm would concede some height and weight to the hulking Hawkins.
Last time they met
Round 19, 2019 @ SCG
Sydney Swans 12.8 (80) def. by Geelong 16.11 (107)
Geelong have proved somewhat of a bogey team for the Swans in recent times, having won four of the last five clashes.
Last time the teams met, it was a Sunday afternoon at the SCG. Despite three first half goals from Tom Hawkins, scores were level at half time.
But the Cats midfield dominance came to the fore in the second half. A hit-out advantage of +33 helped the stacked Geelong midfield, led by Tim Kelly, win the clearance battle by 18.
A 10 goal to six second half was enough for the Cats to claim a 27-point victory.
Hawkins finished with four goals, while for the Swans Jordan Dawson and Isaac Heeney kicked three apiece.
But it was the Cats midfield that proved the difference, with Tim Kelly, Mitch Duncan, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett and Patrick Dangerfield all amassing over 20 possessions each.
What they said
Geelong coach Chris Scott on the return of Gary Ablett…
“Yeah for sure (he will play), that’s always been our plan,” Scott said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“Having seen him up close, he’ll certainly play. I’m confident he’ll play well.
“He’s such a proud competitor he doesn’t want to use a physical issue as an excuse. He’s lacking some match fitness this year but he’s in better shape than 12 months ago.”
And on Joel Selwood…
“He will definitely play too. We’ve held him back a lot. He could’ve played in previous weeks.
“He and I along with others have put a lot of thought into this.
