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Geelong captain Joel Selwood bursts out of the middle to drive the Cats forward. Picture: Philip Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph
A VINTAGE Joel Selwood performance has led Geelong to a 21-point win over Sydney, as it confirmed its premiership credentials.
The Geelong captain was exceptional at the SCG as the Cats extended their unbeaten run to four wins to start the season.
Selwood had 30 possessions in a dominant display, again leading from the front as the Cats fought from 19 points back in the early stages of the second quarter, to run out comfortable winners.
The 4-0 start to the season, with the Western Bulldogs to come next week, sets up a perfect run to the second half of the season that includes six of the last 10 games of the season at Simonds Stadium.
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Geelong beat Sydney at its own game, picking the perfect time to turn around its form at the stoppages which saw it ranked last in the competition heading into this round.
The Cats' intensity and work at the clearances blew the game open in the third quarter, as they piled on seven goals to one for the quarter.
They stopped Sydney's run through the middle which strangled its scoring opportunities.
The Swans didn't kick a goal between the 11-minute mark of the second quarter, when the margin was out to 19
points, to the 26-minute mark of the third quarter, as Geelong completely got on top.
Selwood played a quarter to remember in the third term, picking up seven disposals, at 100 per cent efficiency, which eventually led to seven Geelong scores, including six goals.
AFL - Sydney Swans v Geelong Cats at the SCG. Sydney's Adam Goodes gets out a diving handball ahead of the Cats Joel Selwood. Picture: Hillyard Philip Source: The Daily Telegraph
Geelong's pressure on Sydney became its trademark, particularly from the midway point of the second term, as it applied the screws.
The Swans simply couldn't find the answers.
Geelong dominated the clearances in the middle two quarters when the game was really in the balance.
They won seven to four out of the centre in those two terms.
Young Geelong midfielder George Horlin-Smith vindicated his promotion back to the senior team, ably assisting
Selwood in the middle with 23 touches and doing his lion's share at the stoppages, winning seven clearances.
Swans lose discipline, composure
Daniel Hannebery worked tirelessly for the Swans all night, battling on after copping a couple of huge knocks to finish his two-goal game with 29 touches.
It was a night when Geelong's key forwards didn't get it their way, but the spread of goalkickers is what did the Swans in.
Twelve Geelong players kicked goals last night, with the main target, Tom Hawkins, getting his three when the Cats finally had all the momentum.
Hawkins battled Ted Richards, who probably still finished with the points, despite Hawkins finishing with a credible three goals.
The contest was setup by an extraordinary first quarter that produced 15 goals.
For two teams renowned as tough, contested sides, it was an unexpectedly open, end-to-end term, as both teams ran the ball out of their back half, and converted remarkably accurately.
Lewis Roberts-Thomson was started up forward, but Chris Scott countered that, sending his own swingman, Harry Taylor, forward in a cameo in the middle of the first term that produced two goals.
The Cats were clearly intent on using the corridor, going inside at every opportunity as they tried to slice through the middle of the SCG.
AFL - Sydney Swans v Geelong Cats at the SCG. Sydney's Adam Goodes gets out a diving handball ahead of the Cats Joel Selwood. Picture: Hillyard Philip Source: The Daily Telegraph
The Swans were pushing all their numbers back, and then trying to outrun Geelong on the way back to goal.
Josh Kennedy, after a quiet start, started to get into it the longer the first quarter went.
The Swans started to get the game on their terms in the second quarter, restricting Geelong as it battled to get the ball past centre or half-forward.
They had kicked five of six goals either side of quarter time and were really starting to step up the scoreboard pressure on the Cats.
Geelong put the clamps down on Jarrad McVeigh, who had a game-high 10 possessions, four clearances and two goals in the first quarter.
He was held to just two touches in the second quarter as the Cats held in as Sydney threatened to open a comfortable lead.
With Steve Johnson and Steven Motlop held to just three touches for the second quarter, Sydney had stifled Geelong's creativity, and that had flow-on effects as it tried to go inside 50s.
Daniel Hannebery continued on his way, racking up 18 touches by the main break, but it was Selwood who stepped it up for the Cats, picking up 10 second-quarter possessions, as he lifted the intensity in the middle.
And while it was Sydney that looked to be getting on top in the first half of the second quarter, Geelong had pegged the margin back to just five points by half time.
The damage was restricted because of Geelong's dominance in the middle, winning 11 clearances to Sydney's three for the second term.
They had 100 possessions to just 77, and had control of the uncontested ball as the tried to find space.
Sydney's setup was also hampered by a knee injury to Roberts-Thomson, who was subbed out of the game during the second quarter.
Geelong kicked six unanswered goals from just before half time to the final 10 minutes of the third quarter, to establish an ascendency Sydney would never peg back.
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