Dangerous Cats maul meek Swans
GEELONG are on a preliminary final collision course with Adelaide with former favourite son Patrick Dangerfield a driving force in the Cats thumping win over the Swans at the MCG last night.
Dangerfield led the way with a dazzling opening term and the Cats were never seriously troubled with their 15.8.98- 5.9.39 victory meaning they will take on the Crows in Adelaide next week for a spot in the grand final.
Both sides had the fumbles early but Dangerfield started deep forward and quickly kicked two of his four goals for the night.
Sydney’s defence was too worried about him when Sam Menegola ran free to mark in- side 50 and Sydney struggled mightily in contested marks.
The Cats all but shut Sydney out of the game in the second with Geelong’s physical pressure unmatched.
Sydney superstar Buddy Franklin failed to influence the contest in any meaningful way and Mark Blicavs quelled fel- low Swans key man Josh Kennedy.
The Cats continued on the march in the third term and the proverbial female songstress started her tune about halfway through the quarter.
Franklin let his frustration show as he missed another opportunity at goal, while Joel Selwood’s quiet night simply didn’t matter as his teammates led the way to yet another preliminary final for the resurgent Cats.
The final quarter got under way and Geelong picked up where it left of, with Blicavs kicking his first of the night and key forward Tom Hawking cracking the 50- goal mark for the 2017 season.
The Geelong win was made more impressive by the fact crucial key defender Tom Lonergan was a late withdrawal with food poisoning.