AFL Grand Final 2022: Isaac Smith and Patrick Dangerfield star as Geelong Cats defeat Sydney Swans in decider

After a decade of knocking on the door only to find they never had the right key when it mattered most, Geelong ultimately smashed it down to claim the premiership. The Cats fielded the oldest team in history, but all that matters is they became the greatest team of all after Saturday’s comprehensive 81-point romp over a devastated Sydney. Perseverance, unstinting belief and ferocious pressure proved a powerful cocktail as the grand final returned to the MCG, with Geelong strolling home 20.13 (133) to 8.4 (52) in front of 100,024 fans. Isaac Smith was a deserving winner of the Norm Smith Medal with three goals and 11 inside-50s to go with a game-high 32 touches. But there have been few better grand final performances not to be acknowledged with the best-on-ground medal than Patrick Dangerfield’s midfield masterclass. Dangerfield had six direct goal assists to go with 26 disposals and nine clearances and was the catalyst in close. Captain Joel Selwood started his day with 12 touches in the first quarter and ended it with an unforgettable goal in the dying stages, a moment that was drenched with emotion as the question of whether this was the end was left unanswered. A cagey opening where players from both sides appeared nervy quickly gave away to a blue and white procession, with the Cats having one hand on the cup by the first change thanks to a 35-point buffer. It was a quarter of total control from Geelong, underpinned by a 48-29 domination in contested ball and further highlighted by the lopsided disposal (113-67) and mark (35-13) counts. The Cats had 11 scoring shots to one, with veteran Tom Hawkins getting the party started by twice outpointing Tom Hickey at boundary throw-ins. Smith, another veteran who was no stranger to this stage, got two of his own. Dangerfield didn’t get on the scoreboard in the early going, but played with the desperation of a man chasing his first flag in his 303rd game and was the impetus in the middle. Dangerfield set up Mark Blicavs’ first-quarter goal and then played a hand in Smith’s first, finishing the first half with a game-high six clearances including four out of the middle. At the other end, 21-year-old key defender Sam De Koning was playing with a maturity that belied his years as an important intercepting presence with Tom Stewart sat on by Sydney’s Ryan Clarke. The Swans were able to lift in the second term, but were unable to dent Geelong’s massive lead as the sides added three goals apiece. The Swans stemmed the bleeding without genuinely threatening to get back into the match, as coach John Longmire was left to rue the decision to include a hobbling Sam Reid before subbing him out early in the third term. The Cats piled on six goals to nothing in the premiership quarter, with Smith getting his third while Tyson Stengle got his third and fourth. Dangerfield was immense throughout but probably needed a goal or two on top of his engine room grunt to enhance his Norm Smith credentials. When his opportunity came after marking 45m out in the final term, he instead offloaded to the left boot of Jeremy Cameron who was cruising past. It was a moment that summed up the selfless nature of the premiers. And there were more beautiful moments to follow. Brandan Parfitt goaled moments after coming on as the sub – something concrete for history’s scoreboards and enough for the 23rd man to feel every bit a part of it as the 22 who started. An iconic exclamation mark was provided by Selwood’s running banana goal. GET ME OUT OF HERE Trailing by six goals at half-time, it was obvious the Swans were desperate to get the first couple of the third quarter if they were to mount a challenge. Instead, Sydney defender Tom McCartin found himself at the centre of a quick pair of Geelong goals as the rampant Cats shut the gate. Having already had his hands full with Hawkins, McCartin was run down from behind by Mitch Duncan and caught holding the ball before a nightmare turnover across the face of goal allowed Brad Close to follow it up. A six-goal deficit had become eight goals just four minutes into the third stanza and it was over. BUDDY’S SHOCKER It’s just as well Lance Franklin is going on for another year because this would have been a terrible way for a legend to bow out. On the wrong end of a 65-32 inside 50 imbalance, Sydney talls Franklin, Reid and Hayden McLean were unable to get involved at all. Franklin was barely sighted as he went goalless from five touches, with four of them coming on the wing or in the defensive half. The 35-year-old, who recently signed a one-year extension with the Swans, hit the post in the second quarter with his only scoring shot. Franklin’s dirty day included giving away a 50m penalty to Zach Guthrie for a standing on the mark infringement.