Sydney co-captain Craig Bolton has declared the Swans wouldn't be intimidated by the Geelong machine and believed the versatility of their defence would be a key in a potential season-shaping AFL match for his club on Saturday.

The Swans host the ladder leader at ANZ Stadium knowing they hold a tenuous grip on fourth spot.

The Cats head into the clash bolstered by a massive win over Melbourne while the Swans enjoyed a confidence boosting victory over Fremantle.

"We respect the fact they are a really good side, but we're looking forward to taking them on," Bolton said at the SCG.

"We think and we know we can beat them, for us it's a big challenge.

"We're not going to be intimidated by them but we're going to go out there and give it a crack and look forward to it.

"I'm really looking forward to the game and I know the guys are. You see a really big challenge against a team like this and one that could really shape our season."

The Swans occupy fourth on percentage ahead of North Melbourne, with Adelaide just a further two points adrift and Collingwood and St Kilda six points behind Sydney.

"We've been pretty lucky with the way the results have fallen and now the ball is firmly in our court with three games to go," Bolton said.

"If we can win two or three of them we can really get ourselves up for another crack at it.

"It's up to us now, there's no excuses and there's no point on relying on other games, we've had our luck in that respect, it's up to us."

Bolton, who was a peripheral player of the awesome Brisbane team earlier this decade before moving to Sydney, believed Geelong had the potential to enter the same exulted territory of that Lions team which won three successive premierships.

"Geelong are doing everything right and certainly look on course to put their name out there in respect to teams like that," Bolton said.

Bolton wasn't fussed the Swans were taking on the Cats away from their SCG base.

"We're happy to take them on wherever, I think ANZ Stadium is going to be really good, it's going to be a finals type atmosphere on the ground and if we can get a big crowd out there it should help."

Asked how Sydney intended to stop the Geelong juggernaut, Bolton said: "It's a good question, hopefully Roosy (Swans coach Paul Roos) has got a few things to tell us this week, a few secrets.

"They are just one of those sides that they haven't got any real major weaknesses you can pick out, they are really good all over the field."

Geelong's already potent attack is expected to be bolstered by the return from injury of lively goalsneak forward Paul Chapman.

"They don't rely on any one forward and as a defence coming in against a team like that, it makes it pretty difficult to plan."

"They've got threats everywhere and probably one of the biggest advantage of our defence is we can be pretty versatile and we are going to have to be this week.

"I think you will probably see a few different matchups throughout the course of the game."

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