SATURDAY night’s match between the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans at the Gabba is vital to each team for different reasons.

After a disastrous season, the Lions can make it three wins from their last four with a victory and give coach Michael Voss some confidence looking ahead to 2011.

For the Swans, the immediate incentive is much more obvious - win and secure fifth spot and a home final in the first week of the post-season.

The visitors are coming off an emotional win against the Western Bulldogs where they farewelled coach Paul Roos and club legend Brett Kirk at the SCG.

Conversely, the Lions are fresh from their first win in Melbourne in more than a year when they accounted for Essendon, thanks largely to returning skipper Jonathan Brown’s herculean effort in his 200th game.

Troy Selwood will be unavailable after the gutsy midfielder’s horrific collision at the weekend has left him with rib cartilage damage, while vice-captain Jed Adcock will play his 100th game.

Forward scout: Sydney Swans

2010 to date
There is little doubt the Swans have defied pre-season expectations this year. After losing Barry Hall (Western Bulldogs), Michael O’Loughlin, Jared Crouch, Leo Barry (all retirement), and Darren Jolly (Collingwood) in the off-season, most pundits wrote the Swans off as a team rebuilding and one likely to make up the numbers in 2010.

But after five wins from their first six, the red and whites have been in the top eight all season. They’ve had their stumbles, including a humiliating loss to Melbourne, but with three wins on the trot are now in fifth position and poised to grab a home final.

The coach
Paul Roos is coaching his last season in Sydney and will always be remembered in the Harbour City. He took over from Rodney Eade midway through 2002, and approaching his 200th game in charge, has a winning rate in excess of 55 per cent. More importantly, Roos delivered the Swans their first premiership in 72 years in 2005.

He is universally liked and has a handy knack for developing youngsters and getting the best out of recycled players. Roos is undoubtedly one of the best coaches of this generation.

The gun
He might not be having his best season, but Adam Goodes is the class player on the Swans team. Not only has he won two Brownlow Medals but he invariably gives the Lions headaches. Goodes played as a key forward for much of the season but has moved further up the ground recently and has been a handful.

He is athletic, marks well above his head and runs better than most players his size. When the Swans came to the Gabba last season, Joel Patfull manned him successfully, and may get the job again on Saturday night.

The sleeper
Kieren Jack is the son of former rugby league international Gary but is quickly making a name for himself. The small midfielder is developing into one of the best contested ball winners in the league and also has exceptional skills by foot to match. Has been compared to the inspirational Kirk and looks set for a long career in Sydney.

The bolter
It wasn’t long ago that no one outside of Sydney had heard of Trent Dennis-Lane. The small forward has now played five games and kicked 11 goals, including a career-high four against the Bulldogs on Saturday night. Dennis-Lane is an exciting prospect with his quick leads and good hands. He is just 180cm tall and 73kg and tough to run with.

Strengths
As with any of the Swans teams coached by Paul Roos, this one has a work rate that is hard to match. Jack, Kirk, Jude Bolton and Jarrad McVeigh have a hunger for the ball that ensures a great supply to their forward line.

And the work does not stop when they don’t have the ball either, as the Swans run back in waves to makes things difficult in their defensive 50m. With Dennis-Lane, Lewis Jetta and Jesse White, they also have a young and exciting forward line that is hard to match up on.

Weaknesses
Despite the enthusiasm of youth and the excitement of their forward line, the Swans can have troubles scoring. Since the exciting first six weeks of the season, they have topped the 100-point mark just three times. White and Goodes have been sporadic up forward and if the Lions can keep the smaller guys quiet, they can keep the Swans below a winning score.

At the other end of the ground, they will need to find another match-up for Jonathan Brown, with his usual stopper Craig Bolton missing most of the season with an achilles problem.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.