Match

Geelong Cats vs Sydney Swans

Commentary / 01 Jun 2019

Pre Game

00:00
Geelong has taken a mark and immediately played on only 19 percent of the time this season, which is the lowest rate of any team.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:15
Mark Blicavs, who has been prominent early for the Cats, has won 42 percent of his defensive one-on-one contests this season, which is ranked equal-second of the top-25 players to have defended a contest.
02:30
An early stoppage goal to the Swans and Tom Papley. Sydney averages 14 points from forward half stoppages this season and is ranked fourth-last for overall scores from stoppages.
04:48
The Swans have won the first three clearances and generated the first five inside 50 entries to start the game. Sydney is ranked last for inside 50 differential and second-last for clearance differential this season.
07:00
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Luke Parker)
07:09
A fast start from the Swans who lead 6-3 in midfield intercepts while restricting the Cats to kicking efficiency of 40 percent. Across the past month, Geelong has recorded a kicking efficiency of 73 percent (ranked No.1).
09:20
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
11:13
The Swans average 85 marks per game this season (ranked 16th). Currently Sydney leads the mark count 24-8 with its precise ball movement picking through the Cat defence.
11:51
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)
12:38
The last goal to the Swans was sourced from an intercept in the defensive midfield. Sydney has already scored 1.2.(8) from seven such intercepts and averages just 13 points per game from this source.
15:00
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gryan Miers)
15:08
An opportunistic goal from the crafty Gryan Miers gives the Cats their first score of the game and it came from a forward 50 stoppage. Geelong averages 17 points from forward half stoppages this season (ranked fifth).
18:30
A brilliant counter-attack team goal from the Swans with the prodigious talent of Nick Blakey on display in providing the assist. Blakey has already recorded six running bounces and both of his disposals have been score assists.
22:48
Sydney has applied immense pressure on the Cats in the opening quarter, leading the tackle count 19-10 despite having also recorded more disposals.
23:17
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (James Parsons)
24:37
Both of the goals to the Cats have come from forward 50 stoppages which already exceeds their season average of eight points from this source.
25:58
After Sydney won the first five clearances of the game, Geelong has won 11 of the next 13 with Patrick Dangerfield contributing three of these after starting the game forward.
27:08
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tim Kelly)
27:33
Another stoppage goal to the Cats and this time from the talented Tim Kelly, who has had his hands full opposed to George Hewett who has recorded a game-high 11 disposals.
28:21
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Luke Dahlhaus)
29:28
The goal to Dahlhaus was the first of the game to come from a centre bounce clearance. Geelong averages 11 points per game from this source (ranked sixth).
30:23
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
30:30
Geelong has been easily the best team in time-on this season, outscoring opponent by 144 points. Sydney has been the worst team during this period (outscored by 114 points) and this is how the opening quarter played out.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:27
The Cats average 35 points per game from stoppages this season (ranked third) and have already scored 36 points from this source.
01:42
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
02:06
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
03:57
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Sam Reid)
04:03
Sydney leads 4-1 in forward 50 marks but has only scored 1.2.(8) from its set shots at goal.
06:16
A magnificent long goal from Lance Franklin after a strong mark. Sydney now leads contested marks 6-2 and average 12 such marks per game.
09:09
Sydney has again started the quarter strongly at stoppages, winning the clearances 5-1 this quarter and generating six of the first seven inside 50 entries.
11:21
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Daniel Menzel)
12:04
Sydney leads intercept marks 8-5, with three of these taken by Aliir Aliir who has taken 29 intercept marks this season, which is ranked No.1 at the club and third in the competition.
15:37
Geelong currently leads ground ball gets 46-34 and mature-age recruit Tom Atkins leads all players with eight, while also recording an equal team-high three tackles in a busy first half.
18:26
Tom Hawkins has won all three of his one-on-one contests tonight, taking his season tally to 21, which is ranked No.1 in the AFL.
20:00
While Geelong has won the ground balls (51-36), Sydney has won the aerial contests, leading in marks (50-29), including intercept marks (11-6) and contested marks (8-4).
20:32
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tim Kelly)
22:00
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Will Hayward)
22:44
Sydney has continued to use more short kicks (47-27) with this method of ball movement proving effective in picking through a strong Geelong defensive system.
25:18
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
26:12
Both teams have recorded tackle efficiency of less than 50 percent which is well below the AFL average of 65 percent.
27:09
The goal to Duncan was again sourced from a stoppage, resulting in all seven goals to the Cats coming from this source. Geelong averages 61 points from intercepts, but has scored only two behinds tonight from this source.
28:07
An even first half with the better ball movement of the Swans enabling them to lead 7-3 in forward 50 marks and 68 percent to 62 percent in kicking efficiency.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:01
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
01:07
The Cats finally scoring a goal from an intercept and Gary Rohan against his old team providing the assist with just his second disposal. Hawkins again is looming large with a game-high five score involvements including three goals.
02:34
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Esava Ratugolea)
02:42
Geelong now leads centre bounce clearances 9-5 and also leads 24-1 in points scored from this source with the Swans defenders struggling against three quick forward entries.
05:01
After Sydney dominated the early stages of the first two quarters, Geelong has controlled the opening of the third quarter. The Cats lead the disposal count 20-8 this quarter and Dangerfield has contributed five of these.
07:40
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
09:59
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
10:08
Five goals in a row to the Cats for the second time tonight. Tom Hawkins has taken three of their four forward 50 marks and now kicked four goals for the fourth consecutive week.
11:29
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Sam Reid)
11:58
The goal to Sam Reid was the first of the night to the Swans to come from a centre bounce clearance. Sydney averages a competition-low seven points per game from this source.
14:39
Tom Stewart has recorded 100 inside 50 and rebound 50s combined so far this season, which is ranked No.1 in the AFL. He has again been prominent offensively tonight with a team-high 371 metres gained including four rebound 50s.
17:32
The week off for Patrick Dangerfield seems to have agreed with the star Cat who has team-highs for score involvements (7), clearances (5), contested possessions (10) and disposals (20).
19:12
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
19:38
Both teams have scored four goals from set shots despite the Swans holding a 9-4 advantage in forward 50 marks.
22:47
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
22:53
Both teams are still yet to score a goal from a forward half intercept. The Swans lead 18-17 in such intercepts, but the teams have scored a combined eight behinds from these chances.
23:53
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)
25:31
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
26:58
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)
27:33
The Swans took a team season-high 17 contested marks last week, and have again been strong in this area tonight currently leading this count 16-5.
29:50
A strong third quarter from the Cats who won the inside 50 count 17-8 and were powered by Dangerfield who contributed eight contested possessions and was involved in five of the six scores by Geelong.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:13
The Cats have recorded a shot at goal accuracy of 53 percent this season (ranked No.1) and the AFL average is 46 percent. This accuracy has continued tonight with the Swans recording more scoring shots but still trailing.
00:18
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Tom Papley)
03:10
Geelong also led the Swans by 22 points at three quarter time when these two teams met last season, before Sydney kicked seven goals to one in the final quarter.
03:46
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Nick Blakey)
05:51
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Esava Ratugolea)
06:07
Geelong has scored 3.1.(19) tonight from free kicks, while Sydney has not scored from this source. The Cats have also scored 5.2.(32) from their set shots at goal while Sydney has scored 4.4.(28).
08:05
SCORE GOAL - Swans (Daniel Menzel)
08:33
The goal to Daniel Menzel was sourced from a forward half stoppage. Sydney has now scored 3.3.(21) from ten forward half clearances, while Geelong has scored 6.1.(37) from 17 such clearances.
11:13
Geelong is ranked fifth for differential in intercept marks this season, but tonight the Swans lead this count 22-11 which is the most such marks Sydney has taken in a game this season.
12:36
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jordan Clark)
12:53
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Stewart)
13:38
In the final quarter the Cats lead contested possessions (23-10), inside 50 entries (11-3) and time in forward half is 78 percent with the Swan defenders constantly under siege.
15:16
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Luke Parker)
17:13
At centre bounce the Cats lead 5-1 in hitouts to advantage and 14-8 in clearances. At around the ground stoppages, the Swans lead 10-3 in hitouts to advantage but have still conceded the clearances to the Cats (21-26).
19:28
Geelong has been in front of its opposition from 76 percent of game time this season (ranked No.1) and has been in front tonight since the 28 minute mark of the first quarter.
21:01
Cats Interchange - Jack Henry off due to the blood rule.
21:30
The Swans have lost the groundball-get count by nine per game this season (ranked 17th). Tonight the Cats have a big advantage in this area (107-83).
23:43
Sydney has now taken 28 intercept marks which equals the most taken in a game by any team this season (Hawthorn also took 28 in Round 1 against Adelaide).
23:54
SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)
27:43
In the final quarter, with the game slipping away, the Swans have taken more risk with their ball movement and had 48 disposals in the corridor compared to the Cats 21.
28:53
A good win for the Cats who were able to score in bursts, predominantly from stoppages. Geelong led 67-29 in points scored from stoppage and the Swans will regret some wasted chances, scoring 2.10.(22) from turnovers.
29:00
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
29:11
The siren has sounded to end Q4.