Geelong has held off a late Sydney surge to keep its mathematical hopes of playing a third consecutive AFLW finals campaign alive with a nailbiting three-point win at Henson Park this (Sunday) afternoon.
The Cats have climbed to 11th on the ladder, six points outside the top eight with four matches remaining, thanks to the 5.14 (44) to 6.5 (41) victory on a warm afternoon in the Harbour City.
Geelong appeared on track for their second win of the season when Irish star Aishling Moloney kicked the contest’s only goal to the western end of the ground to give her team a 20-point advantage early in the final term.
However, the Swans, who were also playing for their season, managed to kick three goals to cut the margin to three points.
The home team had an opportunity to snatch victory when Brooke Lochland was awarded a free kick, but she could not convert.
Geelong kicked with the aid of the westerly breeze in the opening quarter and built an 18-point lead thanks to goals from Moloney, Julia Crockett-Grills and Jackie Parry.
Sydney responded with three goals in the second term, while the Cats missed chances to lead by more than seven points at half-time after adding seven behinds to their tally.
Darcy Moloney kicked Geelong’s only goal of the third quarter to help push the margin to 14 points at the final change.
The Swans made their expected charge, but the Cats held firm in a frantic final few minutes.
Becky Webster led Geelong’s possession count with 20, Georgie Prepaskis gathered 19, and Julia Crockett-Grills opened the contest with seven disposals in the first term before finishing with 16 and a team-high 287 metres gained.
In her 50th AFLW match, Kate Darby battled hard in the ruck, tallying 13 disposals and 21 hitouts against the Sydney combination of Giselle Davis and Alexia Hamilton.
Geelong next faces double-chance hopeful Richmond at Punt Road Oval on Saturday in Week 7 action.
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