FORM GUIDE
Geelong are clearly one of the form sides of the competition, with a tight loss to Collingwood the only blemish on an otherwise perfect season.

The Cats sit second on the ladder, with only percentage separating them from current ladder-leaders Hawthorn.

The Lions are in 15th position, having lost their past three matches - all against top eight sides.

However, the team will take some confidence out of their improved performance against Fremantle in Perth. Before running out of legs in the final term, the Lions pushed the Dockers for most of the match.

SELECTION TABLE
The Lions have welcomed back some more key personnel headlined by skipper Jonathan Brown and Daniel Merrett, who have served their respective suspensions.

Brent Moloney has also been given the green light after missing last weekend’s match with a back injury, while James Polkinghorne has been named on an extended bench.

Niall McKeever is the only omission to the side that lost to Fremantle last weekend, although three more players will be trimmed before Friday’s 5pm deadline.

Harry Taylor, Taylor Hunt, Mark Blicavs, Josh Caddy and Steven Motlop have all been named in the Cats’ squad, with Trent West and Mitch Brown (both omitted) set to miss the trip to Brisbane.

KEY MATCH-UPS
Andrew Raines could once again be given the task of running with Joel Selwood this Sunday, after keeping the Geelong Captain relatively quiet on the Cats’ last visit to the Gabba.

Things got a bit heated between the two on the last time they met, with Raines getting under Selwood’s skin before copping a one-match suspension for an off-the-ball incident.

On that same night, Cats forward Tom Hawkins proved the main difference between the two sides with a game-high six goals in wet conditions.

Hawkins ranks among the AFL’s leading goal-kickers this season with 29, so you can probably expect the returning Daniel Merrett to get first crack at the Geelong spearhead.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jordan Lisle enjoyed one of his finest senior AFL matches to date against the Dockers, kicking a career-best three goals against arguably the most defensively-minded side in the competition.

The inclusion of Jonathan Brown means Lisle won’t be the focal point this week, however his role at centre half-forward will be critical.

If he can contribute a couple of goals and take some strong marks, he will take another step towards becoming that second forward that the Lions have been craving this season.

Part of Geelong’s dominance this season has been largely due to the significant improvement from their second-tier players, and Matthew Stokes is the most notable example.

Stokes has long been a dangerous player, but a shift to the centre in 2013 has seen him emerge as an elite midfielder.

He is the Cats’ leading disposal-getter this season with 296 (43 more than second-placed Selwood), has booted nine goals, and boasts a team-high 15 goal assists.

Whoever gets the task of minding him will certainly have their hands full. 

MISSING IN ACTION
The Lions will field one of their strongest sides of the season, thanks to the returns of Daniel Rich, Matthew Leuenberger, Mitch Golby, Tom Rockliff, Jonathan Brown and Daniel Merrett in the past couple of weeks.

Only Stefan Martin (ankle) and Jared Polec (ankle) remain on the Lions’ injury list – with the exception of Claye Beam and Stephen Wrigley who suffered long-term knee injuries.

Paul Chapman is probably the most notable absentee from the Geelong side, along with off-season recruits Jared Rivers and Hamish McIntosh who have been hampered by injury.

RECENT HISTORY
Like most clubs over the past seven years, the Lions haven’t had a terrific record against the all-conquering Cats.

The Lions last success was back in Round 15 when Geelong sent an undermanned side to the Gabba on the eve of their Finals campaign.

Since then, the Cats have won the past four encounters by an average margin of just under 53 points.