SUMMARY
Both teams would have fancied themselves to win last weekend, but walked away losers and will be desperate to get their seasons back on track at Metricon Stadium. It's only early days, but at 2-4 the Suns can't afford many more hiccups, and will welcome back some senior personnel led by co-captain Steven May. May's return from a hamstring injury will bolster a Gold Coast defence that has had to play severely undersized in the past fortnight. Opponents Geelong will also be smarting after losing its first game of 2017 last Sunday to Collingwood. With skipper Joel Selwood (17 disposals) unusually quiet, the Cats couldn't muster enough. The midfield battle between Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield up against Gary Ablett will be reason enough to watch this one, while Tom Lynch and Tom Hawkins at either end of the ground provide two of the game's best forwards. Geelong has shown more consistency this year and deserve slight favouritism.
WHERE AND WHEN: Metricon Stadium, Saturday, May 6, 7.25pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
LAST FIVE TIMES
R6, 2016, Geelong 25.18 (168) d Gold Coast 7.6 (48) at Simonds Stadium
R3, 2015, Geelong 16.9 (105) d Gold Coast 13.18 (96) at Simonds Stadium
R14, 2014, Gold Coast 17.16 (118) d Geelong 11.12 (78) at Metricon Stadium
R10, 2013, Geelong 18.15 (123) d Gold Coast 10.11 (71) at Simonds Stadium
R15, 2012, Geelong 15.20 (110) d Gold Coast 13.18 (96) at Metricon Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. The Cats thrashed the Suns all over the ground when they met in 2016, dominating disposals (445-306), marks (142-62) and inside 50s (62-34). Tom Hawkins and Shane Kersten kicked four goals each.
2. The Suns are the number one centre clearance team in 2017, averaging 18.7 a game ahead of the Cats, ranked equal ninth with an average of 14.
3. Geelong leads head-to-head battles with Gold Coast by six games to one. Four of these wins have been by more than 50 points and two by more than 100.
4. The Cats are ranked fifth for marks inside 50, thanks largely to Tom Hawkins and Daniel Menzel who both rank inside the top 20. Tom Lynch is a standout for Gold Coast in this category, ranked second in the competition.
5. Geelong is the best team for disposal efficiency in 2017, operating at 75.4 per cent. Gold Coast is ranked sixth at 74.9 per cent.
6. Gary Ablett's remarkable 45-disposal performance last weekend has seen him vault 39 places in the AFL's Official Player Ratings. Ablett is now 66th overall after starting the season at No.164.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR … Who else but Gary Ablett?
The Suns superstar comes up against his former club for the sixth time overall and the first time since asking to be traded back there in the past off-season. Ablett is in white-hot form, fresh off 45 disposals and career highs in clearances (18) and contested possessions (27).
PREDICTION: Geelong by 21 points
