FOR all but 25 minutes of a free-flowing round 20 contest at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night, the Sydney Swans matched Geelong, blow for blow.

Unfortunately for the Swans, the reigning premier only needed 25 minutes to set up an imperious 39-point win and drop the home side out of the top four after Adelaide’s win over Essendon earlier in the day.

Gary Ablett starred with three goals and 32 touches as Geelong recorded its 19th victory of the season, 20.13 (133) to 14.10 (94), in front of 44,955 fans.

Tom Lonergan and Shannon Byrnes also added three goals apiece, while usual midfield suspects Jimmy Bartel and Joel Corey enjoyed productive nights.

Defenders Martin Mattner and Craig Bolton were among the Swans’ best and Barry Hall managed five goals and 15 marks in a dogged forward display. 

While Paul Roos’ men were competitive for sustained periods, the game was effectively decided by two scintillating bursts by the Cats in the first and third quarters.

After Brett Kirk gave the Swans the perfect start with a goal in the first minute, the Cats replied with a flurry of six goals in 12 breathtaking minutes to firmly wrest control from the home side.

Geelong’s seventh goal of the term illustrated just why the Cats top the AFL ladder with two home-and-away games to play.
James Kelly scooped up a loose ball in the Swans’ forward line and kicked long to Lonergan. His marking attempt was spoiled, but Byrnes gathered the loose ball, outpaced two defenders and coolly drilled his second goal from 40m.

Undeterred, the Swans rallied with three late goals, including two to Hall, to cut the margin to 21 points at quarter time.

Where the first quarter was an avalanche of goals, the second term provided just a trickle, as the Swans improved at the stoppages and slowed the game to their usual tempo.

Jarred Moore’s first major brought the Swans within three goals, but the Cats’ defence held firm thereafter.

Travis Varcoe and Ablett both burst clear to goal on the run, while Goodes returned the favour with a smart roving goal at the other end to leave the Swans 22 points down at half time.

Moore added his second goal early in the third term to cut the gap to just 16 points, but that proved the last of the Swans’ challenges.

Geelong produced a second withering burst of brilliance that reaped another six goals in 13 minutes, blowing the margin out to 53 points.

Well held by Paul Bevan, Steve Johnson had endured a quiet night, but he was prominent in the Cats’ third-quarter scoring spree with two goals.

Byrnes, Lonergan and Ablett also added to their tallies as Geelong took an unassailable lead into the final term.

The Swans continued their habit of scoring early in each quarter as Hall slotted his third goal of the night, but the events of the final term were only ever going to affect the margin, not the result.

In the end, Geelong was outscored six goals to four in the last quarter but the competition points were never in doubt.

In round 21, Geelong will host North Melbourne at Skilled Stadium in a clash that will be pivotal to the Roos’ top-four hopes, while the Swans face a resurgent Collingwood at Telstra Dome.

SYDNEY SWANS  4.1  6.4  8.5  14.10 (94)
GEELONG  7.4   9.8  16.10  20.13 (133)

Goals
Sydney Swans: Barry Hall 5, Jarred Moore 2, Jarrad McVeigh 2, Adam Goodes 2, Brett Kirk, Martin Mattner, Craig Bird
Geelong: Shannon Byrnes 3, Gary Ablett 3, Tom Lonergan 3, Steve Johnson 2, Cameron Mooney 2, Travis Varcoe 2, Mathew Stokes, Brent Prismall, Jimmy Bartel, Ryan Gamble, Brad Ottens

Best
Sydney Swans: Barry Hall, Tadhg Kennelly, Paul Bevan, Jarred Moore, Martin Mattner, Craig Bird
Geelong: Gary Ablett, Joel Corey, Jimmy Bartel, Cameron Mooney, Tom Lonergan, Travis Varcoe

Injuries
Sydney Swans: Matthew Scarlett (back) replaced by Varcoe in selected side.
Geelong: Leo Barry (hamstring) replaced by Malceski in selected side.