By Justin Flynn
Geelong’s chances of defeating Sydney received a massive boost this week when skipper Joel Selwood beat a striking charge at the AFL tribunal.
Selwood had received a one-match ban for striking Port Adelaide’s Lyndsay Thomas but successfully appealed the result.
“I’m pleased to obviously get to plead my case tonight and have the opportunity to do it,“ Selwood said after the hour-long hearing.
“I’m really looking forward to taking on Sydney this weekend.“
And while the news was good coming out of the Cats’ camp this week, the same cannot be said for the Swans.
Sydney will be without superstar forward Lance Franklin with a bruised heel and midfielder Dan Hannebery with a groin complaint.
Franklin’s injury comes at a poor time for the Swans.
The gun forward was in superb form, but the Swans are not taking any risks with him.
Mark Blicavs’ match-up with Franklin would have been a genuine highlight of the game.
Blicavs has reinvented himself as a key defender this season and has taken on, and beaten, Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon, Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch and Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan.
With Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson out injured, Blicavs has taken on the key defender’s role.
“He’s strutting around like he’s better than Matthew Scarlett at the moment so he’s really happy with his game,“ Patrick Dangerfield joked on Monday.
Sydney was disappointing against an injury depleted Adelaide last week. The Swans never looked like winning, even though they made a late charge and eventually only went down by 10 points.
The Swans’ midfield was uncharacteristically quiet.
Geelong sits in fifth place on the ladder while the Swans are ninth. Both teams are on three wins along with six other clubs.
Sydney forward Tom Papley said the evenness of the competition was a good thing.
“It’s good to watch and it’s good for the game. If the league’s so even it’s good for the fans,” he said.
“The Crows came out firing after a loss to the Pies and we couldn’t quite match it. We’ll bounce back this weekend against the Cats.”
Geelong forward Tom Hawkins was a late withdrawal from the Port Adelaide game after experiencing back spasms during the team warm up.
Hawkins’ absence had a noted effect on Dan Menzel’s game.
Menzel, who has been in brilliant form, was double teamed by Port’s defence and couldn’t find his usual space. Hawkins’ inclusion should have a positive effect on Menzel against the Swans.
The loser of this game will find themselves at three wins and three losses. The winner will get a mini break on the rest of the pack.
Tomorrow’s game is at GMHBA Stadium at 1.45pm.
Cats by 19 points.
