Geelong Cats vs Sydney Swans: AFL live scores, blog

The Geelong Cats will look to extend their run at the top of the AFL ladder as the season reaches the mid point when they host the struggling Sydney Swans. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 4:35pm (AEST).

A strong Cats team generally find a way to turn their home ground at GMHBA Stadium in a fortress, and they are well on the way to doing that this season.

They have won three out of four there, but interestingly, the Swans have won on their last three trips to Geelong, so there may be more to this match than meets the eye.

On the surface, the Cats should run away with this game, almost without breaking a sweat. They sit top of the table with nine wins on the board, and have won six on the hop.

The quality of opposition in the past few weeks, with wins over the Gold Coast, North Melbourne and Western Bulldogs probably doesn’t give an accurate reflection of exactly where they are, but they are in fine form.

They will be missing Gary Abblett for this game after he was suspended, but ease that loss with the return of Patrick Dangerfield.

The Swans, on the other hand, make the trek to Geelong in 15th place on the ladder and with finals footy starting to slip away from them at a rapid pace.

They have won three of ten to start the season, and speculation about the direction the club will take in the footy department is rife, so they could do with a big performance against the league leaders to shut some doubters up here.

Sydney haven’t been all that far away in the last couple of weeks either, with a tight loss to Collingwood last week, and wins over North Melbourne and Essendon before that.

While all three games have been scrappy, and their kicking accuracy not unbelievably good, they may just be starting to turn a corner, with Jarrad McVeigh and Daniel Menzel back for this game.

If they can hit their forward line – led by Buddy Franklin – consistently, then they stand a chance here, but that same forward line has struggled against Geelong previously, so it all might be a bit dreamlike to imagine it coming off.

Prediction
The Swans might have had some recent success at GMHBA, but it won’t be the case this time. The class gap is simply too much on paper, and Geelong should run away with a heavy win, although a reasonable breeze and slight chance of rain might reduce the gap.

Cats by 31.

Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this AFL clash from 4:35pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

Game information

First bounce: 4:35pm (AEST)
Venue: GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
TV: Live, Fox Footy 504, Channel 7 (NSW Only)
Online: Live, Foxtel App, Foxtel Now, Kayo Sports, 7Plus (NSW Only)
Betting: Cats $1.16, Swans $4.80
Overall record: Played 64, Cats 38, Swans 26
Last meeting: Round 16, 2018 – Swans 9.5 (59) defeated by Cats 8.23 (71) at Sydney Cricket Ground
Last five: Swans 3, Cats 2
Record at venue: Played 28, Cats 18, Swans 10
Umpires: Chris Donlon, Brendan Hosking, David Harris

Geelong Cats
B 8. Jake Kolodjashnij, 2. Zach Tuohy, Tom Stewart
HB 46. Mark Blicavs, 7. Harry Taylor, 42. Mark O’Connor
C 35. Patrick Dangerfield, 11. Tim Kelly, 22. Mitch Duncan
HF 23. Gary Rohan, 17. Esava Ratugolea, 26. Tom Hawkins
F 30. Tom Atkins, 40. Luke Dahlhaus, 32. Gryan Miers
FOL 1. Rhys Stanley, 29. Cameron Guthrie, 14. Joel Selwood
I/C 38. Jack Henry, 6. Jordan Clark, 34. James Parsons, 3. Brandan Parfitt
EMG 28. Darcy Fort, 9. Zac Smith, 13. Lachie Fogarty, 24. Jed Bews

Sydney Swans
B 43. Lewis Melican, 24. Dane Rampe, 14. Callum Mills
HB 3. Jarrad McVeigh, 36. Aliir Aliir, 44. Jake Lloyd
C 5. Isaac Heeney, 29. George Hewett, 13. Oliver Florent
HF 11. Tom Papley, 20. Sam Reid, 22. Nick Blakey
F 30. Tom McCartin, 23. Lance Franklin, 9. Will Hayward
FOL 18. Callum Sinclair, 26. Luke Parker, 34. Jordan Dawson
I/C 42. Robbie Fox, 38. Colin O’Riordan, 4. Ryan Clarke, 2. Daniel Menzel
EMG 6. Jackson Thurlow, 48. Michael Knoll, 25. Ben Ronke, 8. James Rowbottom