Tom Atkins feels the Cats are ready for the battle awaiting them on Sunday, when they journey North to play the ladder leading Sydney Swans at the SCG.

Geelong will have a fantastic opportunity to play the in form Swans this Saturday, who presently sit clear on top of the table after winning 10 of their opening 11 games.

The Cats will enter into the contest with momentum following a great comeback against Richmond last week, which saw them boot 12 of the last 15 goals to earn a vital 30 point win.

Atkins added that the Cats are looking forward to Sunday’s meeting, particularly the opportunity to test themselves against one of the greatest midfields in the championship.

Tom Atkins Press Conference | Round 13

Listen to Tom Atkins, ahead of Geelong’s Round 13 battle with the Sydney Swans. Proudly Presented by Ford

“We started to build some momentum in the second half against Richmond, we clicked along the line and we are looking forward to the challenge this week,” Atkins added.

“We’ll be eager for the fight, we know they are a well contested midfield and they have a great deep midfield.

They have certain players that are amazing to watch, there have always been similarities between us and them in terms of the club culture and being a terrific environment to play at.

We have had some fantastic clashes throughout the years, and we are looking forward to another one on Sunday.”

Historically the SCG has proven to be a fruitful road trip with the Cats boasting a 57% victory rate at the venue, which is the third greatest percentage of any visiting club in AFL history.

Geelong have also experienced recent success against Sydney throughout the past five seasons, only losing two of their previous nine matches with the Swans in that time frame.

Tom Atkins will try to maintain his excellent form on the back of a magnificent performance against Richmond, with the tough on-baller gathering 27 disposals and 10 clearances, while also laying 11 tackles.

The 28-year-old claimed that the Cats will be aiming on establishing the game on their terms early, seeking to keep Sydney quiet by putting lots of pressure right over the ground.

“We have to try and get the game played on our terms from the start, which is something we struggled with a little bit this month,” Atkins added.

“The sooner we can get the game played our way, the better it sets us up for the rest of the day.

We don’t go into any weeks thinking it’s going to be easier or harder, it is an even battle and we simply need to be ready each and every week.”
The Cats will face the Swans at the SCG on Sunday, with the first bounce at 3.20pm.

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