WHILE the sides might be 0-2 and 2-0 on the ladder, Geelong and Sydney have some quality players across the board and the match looms as far closer than the respective positions might suggest. The Cats have played two premiership contenders, with the Swans storming past two lower ranked sides, and will now face their biggest challenge to-date down at The Cattery.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Saturday, August 30
Venue: GMHBA Stadium
Time: 3:05pm local

TEAMS

Geelong:

Sydney:

CHANGES

It should come as no surprise that the red-hot Swans have opted to go in unchanged against the Cats, with Geelong only making the one swap themselves. Zali Friswell – who was omitted for Round 2 – returns to the lineup in exchange for Bryde O’Rourke.

MISSING IN ACTION

Geelong is waiting for a host of players to return with Kate Darby between two to three weeks away recovering from a calf injury, while newcomers Sienna Tallariti and Caitie Tipping face a similar timeframe. Shelley Scott is a little longer with her calf between five to seven weeks away.

Remarkably, Sydney has the shortest injury list in the entire competition, with a season-ending ankle injury to Maddy Collier the only one of note for the Swans.

WHERE THE GAME WILL BE WON

The midfield battle will be intense and so critical to gaining forward half possession. Laura Gardiner has been huge for the Swans and alongside Cynthia Hamilton will continue to rack up the ball around the coalface. The work of Tanya Kennedy has not gone unnoticed by coach Scott Gowans, while Round 2 Rising Star nominee Zippy Fish will continue to stretch the opposition with her bursting runs. She might well have a player like Zali Friswell look to limit her influence.

Geelong’s onball trio is right up there with the best in the league, as Georgie Prespakis, Amy McDonald and Nina Morrison know how to find the ball and use it effectively to get it forward. Sydney will likely get first hands to it through Ally Morphett, so the Cats midfielders will need to be ready to swoop in.

Coming off a record-equalling individual performance of seven goals, competition leading goalkicker Chloe Molloy already has 11 to her name, so she will be a key player to stop for teh Cats. Skipper Meghan McDonald might get the job, though it could fall to the likes of Rachel Kearns or Georgie Rankin to stick with her.

Up the other end, Aishling Moloney is last year’s equal leading goalkicker and poses a massive challenge for the Sydney defence, while ex-Falcons Chantal Mason and Ashleigh Van Loon could go head-to-head. Watch for the battle between Montana Ham and Claudia Gunjaca as a possibility given Ham is also in red-hot form.

PREDICTION

A fascinating contest where it seems Sydney should be the tip, but down in Geelong and the Cats playing mostly good football aside from a few lapses, leans towards the home side. It could well end up being a nail-biter. But if Sydney gets away like it has in recent weeks, watch out.

Geelong by three points.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Round 3 action kicks off tonight in Darwin as Richmond plays host to Essendon. These two sides drew in the corresponding fixture 12 months ago, with both teams losing quality players and are blooding debutants. Watch for Sierra Grieves to be a like-for-like replacement for Grace Egan, while injury replacement players Jess Verbrugge and Amelie Gladman come in for Bonnie Toogood and Sophie Van De Heuvel.

Danger signs are there for GWS Giants when they play host to Adelaide. The Crows have been a step off the pace up until midway through the third term against the Cats, where they booted 10 goals in half an hour. They have gone in unchanged, with Daisy Walker and Daisy Walker returning to the orange team.

West Coast has blooded debutants Charlotte Riggs and Courtney Lindgren for its match against the Saints, also recalling Sarah Lakay. The Eagles omitted athletic forward Amy Franklin and last week’s debutant Kayley Kavanagh while lose Dana Hooker for personal reasons. St Kilda has welcomed back both Olivia Vesely and Hannah Stuart for the massive contest between two 1-1 sides.

A bottom two battle between Port Adelaide and Gold Coast Suns is obviously a must-win for both sides at Alberton Oval. The Power regain tall defender Amelie Borg in exchange for Jasmin Stewart, while Gold Coast has swung the axe for three players including experienced ruck Lauren Bella. Tayla Gregory, Jacqui Dupuy and Clara Fitzpatrick all return for the Suns.

In the last Saturday game, Western Bulldogs host Hawthorn at Whitten Oval with Analea McKee coming in for the injured Kaylee Kimber, while ex-Stingray Elli Symonds makes her AFLW debut. She is in for the Hawks alongside the valuable Jenna Richardson as the pair replace Jess Vukic and Lavinia Cox for Round 3.