BRISBANE Lions' coach Leigh Matthews loves the AFL's `copy-Cats' trend but hopes Sydney reverts to their ugly Swans roots at the Gabba.
Matthews was highly impressed by Sydney's dramatic change in style in their 11-goal drubbing of Port Adelaide at the SCG on Sunday.
The Swans threw off the shackles and joined the party in emulating Geelong's fast-paced spread-and-run game to kick 22 goals, an amazing 16 more than their dour opening round loss to St Kilda.
Even though Sydney bagged the 2005 premiership with their stop-start, chip-chip style, Matthews knows which game plan he'd rather face in Saturday night's round three clash.
"The one thing you identify with the Swans - that chip, chip, chip count down the boundary line - they didn't do that yesterday," he said.
"You hope they actually go chip-chip down the line really because they are much more dangerous with what they did yesterday in spreading and running."
Two years after the Swans vindicated their style with two grand final appearances and a flag, Geelong's vibrant football seems to have captured the imagination of the rest of the competition.
"I think everybody is trying to play the same at the moment, spread the ball and run," Matthews said.
"The team that's the best team at any point in time, the rest try to emulate to a degree and I think that's a great thing for footy because the way Geelong play footy is a great way to play footy.
"It's a great way to win if you're good enough and great for the spectators, so it's good the whole competition is trying to follow that trend."
The Lions' defensive depth will be stretched against the powerful Swans forward line with Josh Drummond (quad) out for at least a month while Jason Roe (quad) has yet to play this season.
Full back Daniel Merrett has been charged with rough conduct but will escape with a reprimand with an early guilty plea.
The Lions will need him on deck as a big-bodied opponent for Barry Hall, who rediscovered his form along with Michael O'Loughlin.
"Those two are high class and they complement each other well because O'Loughlin is not only a marking player but a ground-level player as well and you know that if Hall and O'Loughlin are on song the Swans forward group are dangerous," Matthews said.
Robbie Copeland has recovered from injury and is in the mix to replace Drummond along with Ash McGrath, Troy Selwood and Cheynee Stiller.
Drummond injured his right quad shortly after booting a monster goal in Friday night's two-point win over Collingwood.
"It will cut down our surge out of defence though because he does it better than most and that's unfortunate," Matthews said.
The Lions are without a win against the Swans in their last seven outings.
