Geelong heads to Sydney this weekend for the final game of the AFLW’s condensed period, which has seen the Cats play four matches in a two week period.

Sunday’s clash will be crucial for the Cats who are still searching for their second win of the season, following losses to Hawthorn and Fremantle at home in the past two matches.

The match will also see a number of milestones for some key Cats, with Kate Darby and Georgie Rankin both set to play their 50^th AFLW game.

Exciting young midfielder Bella Smith will pull on the Hoops for the first time, set to make her club debut against the Swans after joining Geelong via trade at the end of 2023.

Match Details 

Sydney v Geelong Cats
3.05pm AEST, Sunday October 6
Henson Park, Sydney

Last Time We Met

The Cats last meeting with the Swans came early in the 2023 AFLW season, with a five-goal haul from Chloe Scheer leading Geelong to a 27-point win at North Sydney Oval.

A blistering first quarter saw the Cats open up a big early lead, Jackie Parry chipping in three goals of her own as Geelong recorded 18 scoring shots from 33 inside 50 entries.

Nina Morrison and Amy McDonald both collected over 20 disposals and kicked a goal, Georgie Prespakis laid a game high 12 tackles while Claudia Gunjaca and Meg McDonald were both strong down back.

Player to Watch

Bella Smith is set to pull on the Hoops for the first time this weekend, named to make her club debut after joining Geelong via trade at the end of the 2023 season.

Smith is an exciting midfielder who excels in contested situations, possessing a clean set of hands which makes her dynamic around stoppages.

After an injury-interrupted two years in Brisbane, Smith was involved in a three way trade which saw her become a Cat ahead of the 2024 AFLW season.

Team Selection

In: Georgie Rankin, Bella Smith

Out: Bryde O’Rourke, Gabbi Featherston (Injured)

Milestones

Bella Smith – Geelong Debut

Georgie Rankin – 50^th AFLW Game

Kate Darby – 50^th AFLW Game

Health Update

Click here to see the full Week 6 Deakin AFLW Health Update. 

Broadcast  

The match will be broadcast live and free on Channel 7 and streamed via Kayo from 3.00pm on Sunday afternoon, ahead of the opening bounce at 3.05pm.  

Broadcast Guide 

GEELONG has held off a surging Sydney to record a three-point win in warm conditions at Henson Park.

The Cats led at every change on Sunday before the Swans mounted a serious fourth-quarter challenge to reduce a game-high 21-point lead.

Lexi Hamilton's goal brought the Swans within four points late in the last quarter, but the Cats held on to win 5.14 (44) to 6.5 (41) in front of 3,127 fans at Henson Park.

Geelong's second victory of the year comes past the halfway mark of the 11-round season, having started the campaign with one win, four losses and a draw.

Georgie Prespakis (19 disposals, 13 contested possessions) starred alongside Julia Crocket-Grills and Jacqueline Parry.

Geelong brought the heat early against the Swans, kicking the opening three goals to build a 3.2 to 0.2 lead at the first change.

With the breeze behind them in the second term, Sydney finally found reward on the scoreboard when Irish import Paris McCarthy kicked three goals in seven minutes.

The Swans came alive in the last term, with goals from Bella Smith, Privitelli and Hamilton, but could not leap ahead.

The wind of change
A strong breeze blew across Henson Park for most of the afternoon and it proved to be pivotal, with 10 of the 11 goals kicked to the northern end of the ground. The only major against the breeze was a decisive one, with Aishling Moloney's goal for the Cats to start the fourth quarter the difference in the three-point win.

Up next
With their season still alive, the Cats face a daunting task against the impressive Tigers next Saturday afternoon.

SYDNEY    0.2   3.2   3.4    6.5 (41)
GEELONG   3.2   3.9   4.12    5.14 (44)

GOALS
Sydney: McCarthy 3, Smith, Privitelli, Hamilton
Geelong: A Moloney 2, Parry, D Moloney, Crockett-Grills

BEST
Sydney: Gardiner, McCarthy, Hurley, Kennedy
Geelong: Crockett-Grills, Prespakis, A Moloney, Webster, Parry

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Geelong: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 3,127 at Henson Park