If you thought the Grand Final was unhealthy, the replay was downright horrific.
Geelong have continued their bounce again after beginning the season 0-3 by proving their Grand Final demolition job wasn’t a fluke.
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On Saturday evening in entrance of their residence crowd, the Cats unfurled their premiership flag earlier than placing the Sydney Swans to the sword as soon as once more.
The Swans entered the competition with a decimated backline with Dane Rampe and Paddy and Tom McCartin sidelined and the Cats took benefit.
Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins mixed for 10 objectives because the Cats ran away to document the comfy 93-point victory.
The loss turns into the largest defeat for the Swans underneath coach John Longmire and is the membership’s heaviest loss since 1998 once they had been overwhelmed by 101 factors by St Kilda.
Things turned so ugly within the second half because the Cats held the Swans to a dismal three behinds as they obtained on prime throughout GMHBA Stadium.
The second half output is the bottom rating since they relocated to Sydney and their lowest since Round 12, 1971.
Despite coming into with a under par backline, it was by the center of the bottom the place the Swans had been soundly overwhelmed.
Geelong’s midfielders did as they please as they regularly hunted the Swans and fed their ahead line again and again.
After dropping the primary three matches of their premiership defence, Geelong is within the eight for the primary time this season, whereas the Swans have slipped to tenth after a demoralising loss.
The Swans had received three of their earlier 4 outings in Geelong however by no means appeared possible with out famous person ahead Lance Franklin and Joel Amartey.
The absence of the McCartin’s left Sydney considerably undermanned of their backline and it was not lengthy earlier than the Swans defence was besieged.
In a first-rate instance of a mismatch brought on by the harm disaster on the Swans, Sydney’s co-captain Callum Mills discovered himself manning Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins.
Not solely was the Swans skipper conceding the Geelong champion no less than 11cm top and 15kg weight, the dearth of defensive choices robbed Sydney of the possibility to make use of Mills creatively.
With Rhys Stanley sidelined with a fractured eye socket, Geelong chosen former Hawthorn ruckman Jonathon Ceglar for his fifth recreation with the Cats.
But an hour earlier than play, the Cats introduced Ceglar can be a late withdrawal, with the previous Hawk changing into a father to a child boy throughout the week.
This left Mark Blicavs and Sam De Koning to share rucking duties towards Peter Ladhams.
The Swan had an edge in rucking duels, however it didn’t cease Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield from operating amok with 31 disposals when main the Cats in a romp.
Ceglar’s absence opened the door for Geelong father-son recruit Sam Simpson to play his first recreation because the 2021 qualifying remaining towards Port Adelaide 603 days in the past.
The 24-year-old suffered a concussion in that match and one other throughout a pre-season coaching drill main into final 12 months, forcing him on to the sidelines for a regarding interval.
Given his misfortune in current seasons, it was no shock to see the Cats flock to Simpson when he kicked the primary purpose of the match from a free kick.
– with Courtney Walsh, NCA Newswire
Source: www.news.com.au
