Both Jarrad McVeigh and coach Paul Roos have underlined the importance of concentrating on their side’s strategy against a fearsome opponent in Saturday’s clash.
Defender Ted Richards stuck to the party line again on Friday as the Swans prepared to fly to Melbourne but he did confess to some admiration for Geelong’s mix of daring and skill.
“There are some passages of play this year which have been really impressive,” he said at Sydney Airport.
“They’re very quick to move the ball and very skilful.”
Richards said the Swans were desperate to produce a four-quarter effort against the Cats – an achievement that has eluded them so far this season.
He said last weekend’s win against a tenacious Richmond had given the players some confidence but they knew a greater effort would be required this weekend.
“We’re not going to be able to go down there and play at 75 per cent or 80 per cent and get away with a four or five-goal win,” Richards said.
“We need to play our best football and even if we do, it’s still going to be a close game.
“It’d be great if they were off their game but I can’t control that. We’re just trying to make sure that we play the best we can.”
The Swans have been highly competitive in recent years at Skilled Stadium but Richards said the club’s one-on-one, contested game plan wasn’t necessarily the reason.
“There’s different ways you could look at it. I wouldn’t say Geelong have a weakness [in that area] but that’s the way that we play our best football, so that’s what we’re going to try and do,” he said.
“We have played some good football in patches against them but we’re aware that patches of good football don’t work.”
