GEELONG CATS vs SYDNEY SWANS
7:10pm Thursday, May 29, SCG

The SCG will host an exhibition of excellent football when Geelong clash with the Swans on Thursday night. The high quality contest will also be a celebration of indigenous culture and the contribution indigenous people have made to our native game. Both teams will wear a special jumper for Indigenous Round, designed by local aboriginal artists using symbols that collectively represent indigenous culture and Australian football. Far from a token gesture, the guernseys signify the role footballers play in promoting reconciliation, a cause lead by Mathew Stokes and Adam Goodes and the indigenous players they mentor at their respective clubs. Culture is a buzz word often used to describe football clubs, and Geelong and Sydney have both earned industry-wide praise for the strength of their club culture. In a competitive industry the Swans and Cats have enjoyed sustained success, built on a foundation of strong values and leadership. The two sides are poised yet again to compete well into September, but competition at the top of the ladder is fierce. Geelong need to win in Sydney or they will surrender their place in the top four to the Swans. Under lights at the newly renovated SCG, both teams will pause to reflect on their indigenous heritage before commencing battle in a high stakes contest.

KEY MATCH-UP
GEORGE HORLIN-SMITH vs JOSH KENNEDY

Josh Kennedy is an elite onballer, averaging 31.7 possessions per game and currently ranked second in the AFL for total disposals. He is in red hot form, collecting 39 touches in his last match against the Bombers and 36 the week before against his former club Hawthorn. Kennedy is an inside midfielder who averages 18 contested possessions, second highest in the AFL, and leads Sydney with 6.8 clearances per game, sixth highest overall. He has not missed a game in over four years and over that period has never finished lower than third in the club best and fairest. Kennedy won the award in 2012, along with All-Australian honours and a premiership medallion.
George Horlin-Smith played his first game of the season as a substitute in Round 2 and has started in every game since. A developing talent, the young Cat is set to play just his 20th AFL game on Thursday night. Like Kennedy, he plays a contested brand of football and is a stoppage specialist, second only to Selwood at Geelong with an average of 3.1 clearances. Horlin-Smith had a career-high 30 disposals against Fremantle a fortnight ago and has kicked more than a goal a game in 2014. He had a break out performance against Sydney in Round 4 last year, tallying 23 disposals, seven clearances and a goal. He tagged Josh Kennedy in that game and restricted the Swan to just six kicks. If he can have a similar effect this week it will be enormously valuable for the Cats.

THE STAT THAT MATTERS
Geelong and Sydney are two of the best pressure sides in the competition. The Cats are the top ranked team for tackles, averaging 75 per game, and the Swans are third in the AFL with an average of 74.

LAST TIME THEY MET
GEELONG 13.14 (92)
SYDNEY 7.6 (48)

Geelong hosted the Swans at Simonds Stadium in the penultimate round of the home and away season. The Cats were in scintillating form, returning from a 10 goal thumping of the Eagles in Perth to take on the reigning premiers. They started the game strongly and went into the half time break with a four goal lead. Geelong extended the margin in the third term and held of a late challenge from Sydney to secure a 44 point victory and strengthen their grip on second spot. Ruckman Mike Pyke was the best for the visitors, collecting 14 touches and kicking three of their seven goals. Mathew Stokes had a game-high 37 disposals, Steve Johnson kicked four goals, while his creative counterpart Steven Motlop contributed three goals and took a genuine contender for mark of the year.

DID YOU KNOW?
The jumper the Swans will wear for Indigenous Round was designed by Adam Goodes’ mother. Goodes famously took his mother, Lisa Sansbury, along as his date to the Browlnow when he won in 2003. She designed the indigenous guernsey with the theme city meets the sea. Geelong will also were a specially designed strip for Indigenous Round, created by young artist BJ. The images symbolise the Kulin Nation communities and their meeting places, with boomerangs symbolic of indigenous Cats moving to Geelong to play AFL before eventually returning home.

Sydney assistant coach Henry Playfair played 52 games for Geelong between 2003 and 2007. The  forward and part-time ruckman was traded to Sydney in 2008 where he played 16 more games before his career was cut short by injuries. Following his retirement he immediately took over development duties at the Swans and was elevated to forwards coach in Sydney’s 2012 premiership year.