Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnji has revealed that he will be going head-to-head with Isaac Heeney in Saturday's Grand Final.
In an interview conducted before the Grand Final Parade, the lockdown defender declared that Heeney is "probably the match-up for most likely for me when he goes forward."
At face value, such a matchup seems quite unusual, particularly since Kolodjashnji is 195cm compared to Heeney's height of 184cm.
However, when taking into account Heeney's aerial prowess, Kolodjashnji may just be the man for the job.
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Heeney is coming off a career-best year, kicking 48 goals on his way to collecting his first All-Australian blazer.
Notably, Heeney's best game of the year came against the Cats in Round 2 where he kicked a career-high five goals on his way to collecting the three Brownlow votes.
Conceding this, Kolodjashnji said" "(Heeney) had a really good game against us last time so if I can limit his influence that's going to go a long way to us winning."
In that game, fellow All-Australian Mark Blicavs lined up on him and got caught out of position on numerous occasions as he tried to intercept and play off the Swans' star.
Aerially, the Heeney-Kolodjashnji battle seems to just about be a stalemate.
However, on the ground, the hybrid forward's agility will be an area that he will try to expose.
The matchup will prove to be one of the biggest of the day not only because of the impact that Heeney can have but also because of the ramifications it has on other matchups.
For example, it now seems almost certain that first-year-player Sam De Koning will play on AFL legend Buddy Franklin on Saturday afternoon in one of the most intriguing frand final matchups in history.
Looking back in about 15 years' time, it could end up being one of the best key defenders to ever play the game against one of the best forwards of all time.
Meanwhile, in the same interview, utility Mark Blicavs declared that Geelong will not tag anyone but rather focus on Sydney's midfield as a whole.
When asked if he would have a job on anyone, he replied "I think it will be more of a team focus, they run pretty deep through their midfield so I think as a midfield group we'll just go head-to-head with their midfield."
With so many star players lining up in the engine room for both sides, the midfield battle will prove absolutely pivotal for who wins the flag.
All in all, seven of the 22 All-Australians will be running out on Saturday afternoon.
