FOR GEELONG to avoid a straight-sets exit from the finals, it could do worse than take a leaf out of arch-rival Hawthorn's book.
The Cats have lost their past three encounters with Sydney, and if they're to arrest that streak at the MCG on Friday night, the Hawks' ability to defeat the Swans twice this season through quick and precise kicking should be central in their planning.
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Running and gunning with plenty of handball as the Cats have done in the past will only play into the hands of Sydney again.
Use by hand tends to bring pressure from the Swans, which they thrive on. So I'd imagine Chris Scott will instruct his players to kick the ball more, use the width of the ground so Sydney can't get numbers to the footy, and make it a one-on-one defensive contest.
Implementing such a game plan won't be helped by the injury absence of Cameron Guthrie, as he's one of Geelong's better ball-users, so the Cats should be looking to get the ball into the hands of skilled playmakers Mitch Duncan, Zach Tuohy and Steven Motlop as much as possible.
The battle at the source, as always, looms as a critical aspect of the game, and the Cats have two of the best in the business in Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood.
Selwood will be better for the run last week after his injury layoff, so if he and Dangerfield can limit Sydney's greatest strength – winning contested ball and the pressure they put on the opposition around the contest – it will help open the game up.
It's been thrown up this week that the Cats should isolate Dangerfield up forward if things aren't going to plan after the tactic produced a match-winning five-goal haul from the Brownlow medallist against Hawthorn back in round 17.
While Danger's ability one-on-one can't be denied, with Guthrie out, do the Cats have enough depth in the midfield to get him the footy opposed to Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dan Hannebery?
Kicking a winning score against the Swans has also been a hindrance in recent times, with the Cats failing to crack the 10-goal mark in the past three losses.
Sydney defends so well on the smaller confines of the SCG, but the wider expanses of the MCG have tested the Swans in the past, so the Cats should look to keep key forwards Tom Hawkins and Harry Taylor closer to goal.
You're not going to score a lot of goals out the back against Sydney because the Swans protect the space as well as anyone with their extra man as the anchor player, so to counter that you need to play the big forwards deep.
The decision to recall Daniel Menzel is an attacking move I like, because while his defensive pressure is poor and it might cost you a goal or two, he has the ability to make things happen and kick two or three goals.
The pluses definitely outweigh the negatives.
You don't finish in the top four without being a good side, and while they were well below their best last week, a few tweaks to their game plan should bode well for the Cats progressing to another preliminary final.
