Where and when: Skilled Stadium, Saturday, May 9, 2.10pm
Head to head: Geelong 111 wins, Sydney Swans 93 wins
Last time: Geelong 20.13 (133) d Sydney Swans 14.10 (94), round 20, 2008, at ANZ Stadium

MISSING IN ACTION
Geelong
Gary Ablett (adductor) - 2-3 weeks
Ranga Ediriwickrama (hamstring) - 3-5 weeks
Tom Harley (knee) - test
Cameron Ling (achilles) - test
Brodie Moles (ankle) - test
Steven Motlop (shoulder) - indefinite
Brad Ottens (knee) - 3-4 weeks
Scott Simpson (fractured ankle) - 12 weeks
Adam Varcoe (knee) - test
Mitch Brown (broken leg) - season
Matthew Egan (foot) - season
Josh Hunt (knee) - season

Sydney Swans
Leo Barry (knee) - test
Craig Bird (shoulder) - 1 week
Lewis Johnston (foot) - 9-10 weeks
Brendan Murphy (shoulder) - 7 weeks
Tim Schmidt (knee) - 1 week
Patrick Veszpremi (finger) - 3 weeks
Henry Playfair (hamstring) - indefinite
Campbell Heath (knee) - season

FORM
Geelong: WWWWW
Sydney Swans: WLWLW

SUMMARY

As their form line shows, the Swans have endured a bumpy ride in 2009. This weekend they will try to break their loss-win pattern when they take on the Cats at Skilled Stadium – a venue where they haven’t won for 10 years. Barry Hall and Michael O’Loughlin will be fitter for the run against Richmond last week. But Paul Roos’ team has struggled for consistency of effort throughout the opening weeks, especially away from home. Their three wins have all come in Sydney. The coach will hope his men can repeat their intensity from the first half against the Tigers as they try to bring down the unbeaten Cats.

PLAYER TO WATCH
David Wojcinski (Geelong)
The blistering-quick Cat doesn’t rack up numbers like many of his teammates, but when he takes possession fans notice him. Wojcinski seems to have shrugged off not only the disappointment of missing last year’s grand final but also a persistent achilles injury. He’s been in great nick this season, his run and carry adding to Geelong’s potent midfield mix.

Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
Goodes looms as a key figure in this clash. He has been steady enough this season but hasn’t really busted open a contest – yet. If Cameron Ling isn’t up to running with the dual Brownlow Medallist, then Goodes won’t get a better chance to do a number on Mark Thompson’s team. Despite copping a bit of a roasting from his coach in the aftermath of the corresponding match last year, he looked dangerous at times and earned two votes from the umps. Can he cut the Cats to shreds this week?

QUESTION MARKS
Last time the two sides met Mark Thompson used Joel Corey to great effect in shutting down Swan Ryan O’Keefe. Will ‘Bomber’ use his All-Australian midfielder in the same vein this week or back one of his permanent defenders to do the job?

Cats skipper Tom Harley hasn’t played since last year’s grand final loss to Hawthorn. How much game time will he have in his comeback match and just what influence will he exert on his troops?

WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
The Swans took it right up to the Cats at Skilled Stadium last year before Gary Ablett cut loose in the final term. There is no Ablett this time around, but Geelong’s midfield options seem just as lethal as 12 months ago. Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey and the in-form Paul Chapman provide the home side with a class edge on the dour Swans, while the likes of Steve Johnson add a little extra cream.

PREDICTION
Geelong by 28 points

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.