Friday night's qualifying final at the MCG sees Melbourne taking on the Swans in a match that looms as a huge contest, with both sides having earned the double chance by finishing top four and wanting a straight run into a preliminary final.
We've looked to break down four key points ahead of the highly-anticipated clash...
Last Time They Met
Swan's youngster Logan McDonald had a coming-of-age game in the Round 12 win, racking up 16 touches and kicking 3.2 to be the difference in the end while earning his Rising Star nomination.
The Dees were without the key defensive pillar of Steven May and the Swans were without their champion forward in Lance Franklin.
Jack Viney had a night out with 32 touches, and skipper Max Gawn took some crucial marks deep in the Swan's forward line, but eventually, the Swans ran over the top of the Dees by 12 points in an absolute thriller.
Clayton Oliver vs Callum Mills
The battle of the two 2022 All-Australians looms as one of the deciding factors of the match. Both players have been crucial to their club's success this season, with Zero Hanger TV's Jake Benoiton highlighting the star-studded matchup on this week's episode.
"If Sydney are on to it, they get Mills to go to Oliver," Benoiton said
"I think that's pretty much where the battle is won."
Oliver is averaging 35 disposals a game this season and is in career-best form, having picked up the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award alongside Touk Miller.
According to Benoiton, the 25-year-old will be hoping to replicate some of his form from last year's finals campaign to add to a stellar past two seasons.
"Oliver's (2021) September was unlike anything we've seen from an inside midfielder for a very long time," he said.
Mills is also in career-best form and the Swans midfielder was awarded his maiden All-Australian jacket last week. Both midfield bulls are key components to the ball movement of both attacking teams and will look to drive their clubs deep into September.
Each team's run home
Having had an easier run home, playing GWS, North Melbourne, Adelaide and St Kilda in their last five games of the home away season, the Swans now turn their attention to an uphill battle against the reigning premiers.
For reporter Mitch Keating, while the Swans managed to beat who was in their sights in the back-end of the season, it was a worrying sign for their best preparation.
"I just wanna see if they've had the right preparation in the rounds leading up to it," Keating said.
"Their run home maybe hasn't been as convincing, despite winning games we'd expect them to."
The Swans have had impressive wins against Fremantle at Optus stadium and a red-hot Collingwood at the SCG this year, adding to their current seven-game winning run.
Melbourne had a tough run home, playing five teams that were all in finals contention, however, the Dees won three of those games, including impressive wins against the Lions and Fremantle away from home to finish second on the ladder.
The stakes
The stakes of this game are massive, with the winner progressing straight to a preliminary final and the loser having to play Brisbane at home in a semi-final.
Melbourne will be more confident against the Lions, having comprehensively beaten them by 58 points at the Gabba in the last round of the season.
The Swans, on the other hand, lost against the Lions at the SCG by 24 points in round 7.
Melbourne vs Sydney kicks off on Friday night at 7:50 (AEST) at the MCG.
