Cats get the cream in AFL Grand Final triumph

THE Geelong Cats rode a wave of support from the entire Geelong community and finished off their season in imperious fashion, smashing the Sydney Swans in the Grand Final to become the 2022 AFL premiers.

Fans turned out in force on Monday last week to watch the Cats at an open training session at GMHBA Stadium, where injured winger Max Holmes stepped out on the track to loud applause.

Holmes was still in the mix to play as Geelong and Sydney took part in Friday’s Grand Final Parade on barges along the Yarra River, which received a mixed response, but he was officially ruled out early on Saturday morning.

After a typically bombastic pre-game performance from Robbie Williams, the Grand Final began in earnest at the MCG and the Cats took control of the game early, kicking six goals to one in a dominant first quarter.

The Swans steadied the ship in the second term as both sides scored three goals each, but Geelong ran away with the game with a decisive third quarter, racking up six goals to none.

With all the heat taken out of the contest Cats players soaked up the atmosphere as they ended the game 81-point winners – the club’s 10th flag and first since 2011. Geelong player Isaac Smith was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best afield.

The celebrations started immediately at the MCG, and continued the next day at Anthony Costa Oval back in Geelong as the victorious players and coach Chris Scott were presented to a huge crowd of rapturous fans, as well as on Tuesday during the grand final parade along the Geelong waterfront.