THERE'S two sleeps until a potentially mouth-watering head-to-head clash at Simonds Stadium when Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield plays host to ex-teammate Rory Sloane and his Adelaide teammates.

Or is there?  

Much of the preview talk this week has centered around the in-form friends and how much time they'll spend on each other on Friday night.

Fair enough, too. They're currently first and second favourites for the Brownlow Medal, and have been significant in their respective teams' fortunes this season. 

It's led to plenty of chatter about what both sides will do about curbing the other's gun mid; will the two hard-running bulls be pitted against each other, or will a hard tag be employed? 

"It depends how you define tag," Geelong coach Chris Scott said on Wednesday. 

Crows ready to embrace 'Dangerwood' tightly

"Every team would go in when they're playing some of the best midfielders in the competition with a contingency, but one definition of a tagger would be what they've done with Sloane on Dangerfield in the past. 

"That may well be what they're referring to."

In round eight last year, Dangerfield's first clash with his former side and return to Adelaide Oval, the Crows didn't deploy a hard tag. 

Sloane played near him for 59 minutes, and while Dangerfield amassed 33 disposals, the physical attention he faced reduced his efficiency to 51.5 per cent. 

In the return match in round 18, Scott Thompson spent the most time (44 minutes) against Dangerfield, and fared better this time; 36 disposals at 61.1 efficiency. 

Last week, Sloane showed again with 30 touches against Fremantle he steps up even more when faced with the challenge of the opposition's best midfielder.

But what if Dangerfield goes forward like he did against Port Adelaide last week?

He drew Kyle Cheney when he ventured into attack last season; Cheney, like Thompson, is currently playing in the SANFL. 

Or, could the Crows pull a move from left field and go with someone completely unexpected for Dangerfield or even Joel Selwood, as floated by midfield coach Scott Camporeale?

"We've tried a couple of guys over the pre-season, but we won't be giving Geelong any idea if we do it," Camporeale said. 

"[Rory] Laird might be one. 

"They [Dangerfield and Selwood] are two quality players and they are two big barometers for their footy team. 

"We haven't necessarily done it in the past, and that's not to say we'll do it on Friday night either, but it's certainly an option we need to think about, like we do every week." 

Whatever the Crows are pondering, the Cats aren't expecting them to reinvent the wheel.

In fact, Scott said he considered the possibility of Laird – who is averaging nearly 33 disposals and over five rebounds a game – tagging either of his players was unlikely. 

"I know they didn't want to talk specifics but they did throw up Laird, and that would be a little bit different," he said. 

"I suspect they're a team that has a lot of faith in their system and it would take something extraordinary for them to turn their game plan upside down." 

In turn, what do the Cats do about Sloane, who is averaging nearly 27 disposals and 10 clearances a game and does his best work when he's playing the role he feels most comfortable in? 

Scott Selwood has returned from a toe injury, and in just two games has laid a massive 32 tackles.

His brother Joel thinks the former Eagle is primed to unsettle the Crows' ball-winner. 

"I think he'll have him at stages throughout the game. [Sloane] has been in some great form this year," Selwood told RSN927 radio on Tuesday. 

"I did watch bits of him on the weekend and he was getting sat on heavily early and still finding a way.

"He is the fire-starter for them, he's been playing some great footy, and we will need to make sure we calm his influence." 

Then there's Mark Blicavs, who spent time across from Power midfielder Ollie Wines last week, who could also have a go – he played on Sloane for a combined 22 minutes in the two games last year. 

The key match-ups don't just extend to the midfield. 

Last year, Geelong defender Jed Bews took Eddie Betts and kept him to three goals across both games. 

While Scott conceded Betts wasn't at his best on either occasion, he indicated Bews' magnet would likely be the first shifted into position at selection.

Whichever way the match-ups fall on Friday night and whoever gets to dictate them, the result will be determined by who plays the role better.

"Sometimes those sort of match-ups can be looked at a little bit superficially in my view," Scott said. 

"Generally it's midfield against midfield, and there will be so many combinations and different phases of play that require players other than just Dangerfield and Sloane to be effective. 

"They'll go in with plans for our good players as we will for them, and I'm certain those things will change throughout the game. 

"It's one thing getting the match-up you want; the execution of that match-up is the most important thing."