Sydney coach John Longmire says a key factor in stopping Geelong in Friday night’s AFL table-topper at the SCG will be curtailing the output of Tom Hawkins.

The key forward has made a big start to 2013, with eight goals in the Cats’ three wins.

Ted Richards and Heath Grundy are two options to get the job on Hawkins, who won Geelong’s best and fairest award in 2012.

“He’s one of the hardest key position players to stop when he’s in full flight,” Longmire said.

“He’s got an enormous body size on him and he’s got a big jump and he’s got a huge kick, so you can’t really drop off him at any point of the ground.

“He’s got a big presence in the forward 50, he’s got everything you want out of a power forward.

“I remember watching him play at under-18 level and I couldn’t keep my eyes off him, as far as his ability to do what he wanted to and when he wanted to.”

The Swans and the Cats are among five teams still undefeated after three rounds.

They have also won the last two premierships and five of the last eight.

“I’ve been generally pleased with the ability to restrict the opposition when they’ve got their chance at it, we can still get a little bit better,” Longmire said.

“But I think we’re heading in the right direction and we need to, because there is hardly a bigger test in footy than the Geelong footy club.

“Geelong have been over the last five or six years the best team in the competition.

“They are consistently playing good football … we respect the football club enormously on and off the field.”

Sydney defender Rhyce Shaw will miss a second straight game with an abdominal injury.