Geelong hand Sydney their biggest defeat in 25-years in Grand Final rematch

An AFL team have been comprehensively swept aside as a sleeping giant delivered a brutal statement to the competition.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 22: Tom Hawkins of the Cats celebrates a goal with teammates Mark Blicavs and Sam Simpson during the 2023 AFL Round 06 match between the Geelong Cats and the Sydney Swans at GMHBA Stadium on April 22, 2023 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

If you thought the Grand Final was bad, the replay was downright horrific.

Geelong have continued their bounce back after starting the season 0-3 by proving their Grand Final demolition job wasn’t a fluke.

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On Saturday night in front of their home crowd, the Cats unfurled their premiership flag before putting the Sydney Swans to the sword once again.

The Swans entered the contest with a decimated backline with Dane Rampe and Paddy and Tom McCartin sidelined and the Cats took advantage.

Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins combined for 10 goals as the Cats ran away to record the comfortable 93-point victory.

The loss becomes the biggest defeat for the Swans under coach John Longmire and is the club’s heaviest loss since 1998 when they were beaten by 101 points by St Kilda.

Things turned so ugly in the second half as the Cats held the Swans to a dismal three behinds as they got on top all over GMHBA Stadium.

The second half output is the lowest score since they relocated to Sydney and their lowest since Round 12, 1971.

Despite entering with a below par backline, it was through the middle of the ground where the Swans were soundly beaten.

Geelong’s midfielders did as they please as they continually hunted the Swans and fed their forward line over and over again.

Too easy. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

After dropping the first three matches of their premiership defence, Geelong is in the eight for the first time this season, while the Swans have slipped to 10th after a demoralising loss.

The Swans had won three of their previous four outings in Geelong but never looked likely without superstar forward Lance Franklin and Joel Amartey.

The absence of the McCartin’s left Sydney significantly undermanned in their backline and it was not long before the Swans defence was besieged.

In a prime example of a mismatch caused by the injury crisis at the Swans, Sydney’s co-captain Callum Mills found himself manning Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins.

Not only was the Swans skipper conceding the Geelong champion at least 11cm height and 15kg weight, the dearth of defensive options robbed Sydney of the chance to use Mills creatively.

The Tomahawk was on fire. Pic: Michael Klein

With Rhys Stanley sidelined with a fractured eye socket, Geelong selected former Hawthorn ruckman Jonathon Ceglar for his fifth game with the Cats.

But an hour before play, the Cats announced Ceglar would be a late withdrawal, with the former Hawk becoming a father to a baby boy during the week.

This left Mark Blicavs and Sam De Koning to share rucking duties against Peter Ladhams.

The Swan had an edge in rucking duels, but it did not stop Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield from running amok with 31 disposals when leading the Cats in a romp.

Ceglar’s absence opened the door for Geelong father-son recruit Sam Simpson to play his first game since the 2021 qualifying final against Port Adelaide 603 days ago.

The 24-year-old suffered a concussion in that match and another during a pre-season training drill leading into last year, forcing him on to the sidelines for a concerning period.

Given his misfortune in recent seasons, it was no surprise to see the Cats flock to Simpson when he kicked the first goal of the match from a free kick.

- with Courtney Walsh, NCA Newswire