SUMMARY
The Swans are the form team of the competition after winning four straight, and seven of their past eight games, but they must maintain their run after a 0-6 start to the year. Jarrad McVeigh's return in last week's win over Melbourne was important for Sydney, and along with Isaac Heeney, Dane Rampe, Tom Papley and Gary Rohan, who were also missing with injury early in the season, he'll look to ramp up his influence over the next month. Big forward Tom Lynch looms as a danger for the home side, especially with superstar midfielder Gary Ablett and Jarryd Lyons winning plenty of centre clearances and pumping the ball inside 50. If the Suns are to come to Sydney and beat the Swans for the first time, they'll need another monster game from Ablett, and a bag of goals from Lynch.
WHERE AND WHEN: SCG, Saturday, July 8, 4.35pm
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
R11, 2016, Sydney 11.13 (79) d Gold Coast 6.5 (41) at Metricon Stadium
R23, 2015, Sydney 19.13 (127) d Gold Coast 9.10 (64) at the SCG
R10, 2015, Sydney 13.15 (93) d Gold Coast 5.11 (41) at Metricon Stadium
R12, 2014, Sydney 17.7 (109) d Gold Coast 10.14 (74) at Metricon Stadium
R2, 2013, Sydney 17.12 (114) d Gold Coast 11.7 (73) at the SCG
THE SIX POINTS
1. The Suns continue to be the highest disposal team this season, averaging 408.6 per game and have won the disposal count 10 times. Sydney is 13th with an average of 379.1.
2. Sydney is yet to suffer a loss to Gold Coast, winning all seven matches, with four by more than 50 points. The closest margin so far is 35 points in 2014.
3. After 14 games the Suns are the best centre clearance team in 2017, averaging 15.6 per game, while in comparison the Swans have struggled, ranked 15th at an average of 12.
4. Sydney is three wins and four losses at the SCG in 2017; the Swans lost their first three at the venue before winning three of their next four. Gold Coast is two wins from five away games this season.
5. The Swans are the form team of the competition since round eight, with seven wins and one loss, which is two wins better than the next best team. In the same time the Suns have four wins and four losses.
6. Gold Coast midfielder Jarryd Lyons has been a big mover in the Schick AFL Player Ratings after jumping from 127th at the start of the year to 36th.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR … Tom Lynch.
The gun forward found some form last week with five goals from 20 possessions and eight marks against North Melbourne, but he'll find it tougher against an in form Sydney defence led by talls Heath Grundy and Dane Rampe.
AFL.com.au PREDICTION: Sydney by 37 points.
