AFL Grand Final result, score as Geelong thrash Sydney to become oldest premiership team in history

Kieran Francis

AFL Grand Final result, score as Geelong thrash Sydney to become oldest premiership team in history image

Geelong have won their 10th AFL premiership and first since 2011 with an 81-point thumping of Sydney in the grand final in front of a crowd of 100,024 at the MCG on Saturday.

The Cats kicked six goals-to-one in the first quarter to open a match-winning 35-point lead at the first break, before nailing six goals-to-zero in the third term to effectively end the contest.

Chris Scott's team, with an average age of 28.1 years, went into the game with the oldest team ever in any match in AFL/VFL history, subsequently becoming the most senior premiership team ever recorded.

Isaac Smith was Geelong's best player, kicking three goals, gathering 32 touches and gaining 771 metres, while Tyson Stengle snagged four goals in a lethal display and Tom Hawkins dominated early with three.

Patrick Dangerfield had enormous impact with 26 disposals and nine clearances, while Joel Selwood kicked a memorable goal in the last quarter and had 26 possessions.

There weren't many winners for Sydney with Chad Warner kicking two goals from 29 disposals and Robbie Fox performing valiantly across defence with 26 touches.

Geelong dominated the opening stages of the game, having 90 per cent of the ball in their forward half in the first nine minutes.

Hawkins missed with the first shot of the game from the boundary, but the big Cat made no mistake from a stoppage, pushing Tom Hickey out of the way, before snapping the opening goal of the grand final.

The veteran was everywhere in the first half, also kicking the second goal of the match in the same fashion to the first, rag-dolling Hickey before snapping a six-pointer.

Sydney finally struck back mid-way through the quarter with Will Hayward gathering front-and-centre to make no mistake from 20m out.

But the Cats momentum continued as they strangled the Swans' famed ball movement to pile on the next four goals to open up a 35-point lead at quarter-time.

Isaac Smith drew on his grand final experience to kick two consecutive running goals, bookended by set shots from Mark Blicavs and Brad Close.

At quarter-time, Geelong had 20 inside 50's to eight and 113 disposals to 67, with a 19 advantage in the contested possession tally.

Lance Franklin hit the post early in the second quarter as the Swans looked for a lift, with Geelong striking another blow with the first goal of the quarter to Tyson Stengle, via a long set shot.

A big one-handed mark in the goal square allowed Hayden McLean to kick Sydney's second goal and reduce the margin to 36 points - with a feeling the Swans could mount a comeback.

But Hawkins drew a free kick with his big frame and snuffed out the Sydney charge with a pinpoint set shot from 35m to extend the lead out to 42 points.

Excellent run and dare from Chad Warner created a goal for skipper Callum Mills from outside 50, but Stengle cancelled that six-pointer out with his own set shot from near the arc.

With only his third possession for the half, Isaac Heeney continued the goal-for-goal pattern in the quarter and the half-time margin was 36 points - one point more than quarter-time.

Sydney needed a flying start in the third quarter but they had the exact opposite with two Tom McCartin mistakes giving Geelong the first two goals on a platter.

First Duncan caught McCartin holding the ball 20m out and minutes later, the Sydney defender turned the ball over to Close only 15m out.

When Smith kicked his third goal - a long-running shot from 50m - the margin was out to 54 points and the game was over early in the third quarter.

The floodgates then opened at the MCG with the Cats piling on the goals as they humiliated the Swans at the home of football.

Cam Guthrie nailed a set shot, before Stengle took his match tally to four goals with two classy snaps from set shots.

With the match over in the last quarter, Chad Warner and Jeremy Cameron traded goals in the early stages.

Junk time in the last quarter was filled with some memories including an excellent Selwood snap, while Paddy McCartin moved forward to kick a goal in a grand final.

But ultimately a long Cameron goal, his second, put the cherry on top of a gigantic 81-point grand final win.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.