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Sydney welcome back Adam Goodes in a game that should provide a huge test for Geelong and its hope for more flag success. We’ll have live scores and updates from 7.50pm AEST.
It’s a rare Friday night game for the Swans, however this is a fitting match-up for the game’s biggest weekly stage.
Another rarity here is that both Goodes and ruckman Shane Mumford will take the field together. It’s happened just twice in 2012 as the pair have staggered to a collective nine appearances.
Given they would have to be the two most important Swans, you can’t help but be impressed at the side holding a top-four spot. You also feel their return will help them tonight.
The Swans have an 8-3 record and have the league’s best percentage (often a more accurate gauge of form) with 137.92.
Their most recent game, two weeks ago, was a narrow four-point road win against Essendon.
For the Cats, their run home – excluding the next two weeks against Port Adelaide and Gold Coast – is entirely against top eight opposition. So basically, they are either going to sink or swim in the second half of the year, and tonight’s our first glimpse at what it’s going to be.
The week hasn’t been kind to aspirations of swimming: Travis Varcoe had another injury setback and Jesse Stringer copped a much-publicised ban from senior selection for the rest of the year.
But I remain of the view that this is a side you simply cannot write off. Not yet, anyway.
The Cats are in seventh on the ladder, but have only lost one more game than the Swans.
They also had the bye last week. Prior to that, they accounted for, but did not dominate, Carlton in another Friday night game that was meant to tell us where they’re headed.
So who wins this one?
The Swans would be expecting a huge crowd and will be keen to get another win over a side they disposed of in Geelong last season.
Their pace could prove to be the crucial difference. Geelong struggled to contain the Blues in this area two weeks ago during the first quarter, but Carlton were unable to maintain the same level of pace for the whole game.
Meanwhile, the speedy Lewis Jetta was the most influential player in his side’s dramatic win over Essendon.
Geelong need to start moving into that “next gear”. Their draw demands it.
Crucial to that happening is their guns firing (Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel, Steve Johnson et al) and some of the youngsters stepping up (like Steven Motlop two weeks ago).
My tip: Sydney by 12.