TONIGHT

CATS V SWANS

MCG, 7.50pm

Recent record: Geelong 4 Sydney 6

Last time: R20 2017: Sydney 16.11 (107) d Geelong 8.13 (61) at Simonds Stadium

AMAZING to think in round five Geelong sat first and Sydney last. Fast forward 20 weeks and it's the Swans marching towards (at least) another preliminary final, having won 17 games since then, the last of which was a demolition job on Essendon. The Cats have ... well, the home-state advantage, playing at the 'G. But whether they've met in Geelong or Melbourne, the Swans have had their measure, winning the past three played in Victoria. They've kicked a combined 18 goals to five in the first quarters of those wins. The Cats' attack is a mess; the Swans' up and about with Lance Franklin to be front and centre, corkie or no corkie. It'll all be happening in the midfield though where the Swans' power and depth should be too much for Paddy Dangerfield and co. Cam Guthrie is sidelined and Joel Selwood proppy.

TOMORROW

GIANTS V EAGLES

Spotless Stadium, 7.25pm

Recent record: GWS 2 West Coast 5

Last time: R22 2017: GWS 12.9 (81) d WC 9.6 (60) in Sydney

THEY probably shouldn't be playing finals (they can thank the Demons for that), and then managed to beat Port Adelaide in extra-time. All of a sudden, the Eagles are on the verge of reaching the final four. It'll be a huge ask, heading to Sydney where they lost to GWS just four weeks ago, but one thing in their favour is they are fit and firing. You can't say the same thing about the Giants, who have lost their past two games, and are now without key forward Jeremy Cameron (hamstring) and ruckman Shane Mumford (foot). That's two massive blows. The Giants have kicked just 14 goals in the past two games, and have to try to get around the Eagles' intercept king Jeremy McGovern (12 marks last week). Steve Johnson may yet be the unlikely hero for the hosts.