Along with Tadhg Kennelly, Nick Malceski and Rhyce Shaw, Mattner provided plenty of drive for the Swans when they were at their best earlier this year, but he said that defence would be the first thing on his mind at Etihad Stadium against the Blues.
“[Betts, Garlett and Yarran] have been really important for them this year and I think when they’ve won, all three of them have been really good at kicking goals, taking lots of marks and kicking crumbing goals,” Mattner said on Friday.
“They’re probably their [most] dangerous players, and we need to stop them. We’re all pretty attacking players, so I think defence is the first thing we need to work on.”
The Swans are yet to defeat a current top-eight team, and Mattner said that apart from a lack of intensity over four quarters, it was hard to identify the reasons for his side’s persistent struggles against finals contenders.
With seven games of the home-and-away season to play, he remained confident that the Swans could still pose a threat to 2010’s best teams.
“With our performances this year, I don’t think they would [consider us a threat],” Mattner said.
“But we know as a club that if we are playing four-quarter efforts and doing what we have against some of the other teams like North Melbourne on the weekend … if we can do that against the better sides, we will be a threat.”
Mattner, who missed the North Melbourne game with a corked thigh, will be the only change to the winning Swans side.
Coach Paul Roos said he was yet to decide who would miss out, but Lewis Jetta and Jesse White will remain in the reserves to consolidate their strong form from last week.
Despite leaving the speedy Jetta out, Roos said he was confident that the Swans’ ability to move the ball quickly would compensate for any perceived pace disadvantage against the Blues.
“They are a quick side, [but] last week they looked a bit slow because the Bulldogs got hold of the ball. We’ve looked quick at times and we’ve looked slow at other times,” he said.
“Geelong are probably the best example of that. They’re not a really quick side … but they just move the ball so quickly.”
Rather than specifically lock down on one of more of Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Kade Simpson, Roos said he would back his midfield group to beat Carlton’s on-ball unit as a whole.
However, he predicted that rejuvenated Swans co-captain Adam Goodes would renew acquaintances with Carlton skipper Judd on Sunday in a battle to warm the hearts of football purists.
“They’ve had some great battles over the years. Adam will probably start [in a] half-forward, midfield-type role and … I’d expect 'Juddy' to start in the middle this week,” Roos said.
“I’d expect them to cross paths at some stage during the day.”
