Geelong head north for a vital clash this weekend, set to take on the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Sunday afternoon. 

With a win this weekend, the Cats can officially lock in a spot in September and move one step closer to securing a spot in the top four, heading into the final round of the home and away season. 

Sydney have found some form in the back half of the season winning seven of their last nine games, including a big victory over Brisbane at the Gabba last weekend. 

Geelong will also be looking to secure their first win at the SCG since 2020, recording three losses and a draw in their most recent four outings at the venue. 

Take a look at all the strengths of Sydney's game below, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

Ladder 

Sydney Swans: 10th (11-10)

Geelong Cats: 2nd (15-6)

Points For 

Sydney Swans: 1659

Geelong Cats: 2211

Points Against 

Sydney Swans: 1740

Geelong Cats: 1582

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week 

The Isaac Heeney Factor

While 2025 has not quite panned out the way that Sydney would have hoped, star midfielder Isaac Heeney has still pieced together an incredible campaign to confirm his status as one of the competition's best on-ballers. 

Heeney ranks in the top two players at Sydney in a plethora of different statistical categories, the most notable is his goal tally with the ability to push forward and kick 35 goals for the season, eight more than the next best Swan. 

His most recent outing against the Cats was equally as impressive, collecting 26 disposals and kicking two goals in the Round 13 clash last year. 

Heeney's form seems to be getting stronger as the year progresses too, collecting 23 disposals and booting five goals in the win over Brisbane last week, something Geelong will need to keep an eye on this weekend. 

Heeney's 2025 Stats

Controlling The Disposal Count

Take a look through the stats in Geelong's last three games against the Swans at the SCG and there is one common outlier; Sydney have been able to control possession for large portions of each match.  

Over the last three clashes between the two teams at the venue, Sydney have finished with +60 disposals (2024), +54 (2023) and +32 (2022), with big discrepancies in the uncontested possession count. 

This has also been evident in the Swans style recently, winning the disposal count in five of their last six games with a total differential of +193. 

Disposal Count - Last Three Geelong v Sydney Games @ SCG

Nullifying Errol Gulden

Another big factor in Sydney's wins over Geelong in recent times has been Errol Gulden, the star Swan able to get busy and hurt the Cats with his lethal kicking skills. 

In the 2024 clash, Gulden racked up a game-high 37 disposals while also adding seven inside 50 entries, three goal assists and a goal of his own. 

This followed on from a dominant showing in 2023 (Round 16) where the impressive midfielder picked up 26 possessions, nine tackles and five clearances against the Cats. The year before, in Round 2 of the 2022 season, he again proved influential with 21 touches and two goals.

Gulden missed the first half of the 2025 season but his return has coincided with Sydney's resurgence, averaging 26 disposals per game and kicked four goals across his eight appearances.