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Cameron Ling now arrives to present the premiership cup to Chris Scott and Joel Selwood. Geelong really is the best team out there.
Chris Scott is generous with Sydney, Swans fans and the club’s sponsors in his speech, reflecting on how the league was struggling at the height of the pandemic.
It is worth saying that two or three years ago our football club and the whole competition was on its knees. Those people could have run from us in a heartbeat, but they didn’t. They stuck by us and I think we all have to thank those people, the fans, for coming back. How good is the footy at the ‘G?
Joel Selwood goes through the motions thanking sponsors and stuff.
To my teammates and the club, to everyone involved, not just this year but the years that have gone by, I hope you’re sitting proud. And to our 72k+ members, we can’t thank you enough, and get back on board, these guys are so special. He’s coming home! Go back to where you belong!
John Nicholls presents Chris Scott with his medallion.
Joel Selwood is the last cat on the platform. He gives his boots to the little tacker who put the Prime Minister’s medallion around his neck.
2022 Norm Smith Medal Voting
14 – Isaac Smith, Geelong Cats10 – Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong Cats4 – Tyson Stengle, Geelong Cats1 – Sam De Koning, Geelong Cats1 – Mark Blicavs, Geelong Cats
— AFL House (@AFL_House) September 24, 2022
“Congratulations on your first term as prime minister,” says one of the nice kids to Patrick Dangerfield as his head is swallowed by a massive cap. THIS IS THE BEST OF US.
Isaac Smith, by the way, led the field in disposals, kicks and yards gained. Second for goals and marks, and fourth for clearance. Totally deserved.
Now is arguably the most poignant time of the year. If you don’t like watching little kids put medals around the necks of their heroes and get an oversized cap in return, you have a lump of coal for heart.
Isaac Smith wins the Norm Smith Medal
Nathan Buckley announces the award to a worthy winner.
Updated at 08.33 BST
Sydney co-captain Dane Rampe has the impossible task of making a speech in these circumstances, and he nails it.
To Chris and Col and Geelong Football Club, a hearty congratulations on the top spot this year. You guys have been the benchmark for god knows how long. It’s great to see a great reward for the effort.
I just want to play Joel Selwood’s record too. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself when you share the field with the giants of the game and you are an absolute giant. congratulations
Time for introductions, starting with Simon Meredith on behalf of the referees.
All those years of near misses, dominant home and away seasons and faltering finishes. Rivals’ frustration at never having to rebuild from scratch. Jealous of the capture of Dangerfield and Cameron. The ability to continually find and polish players like Tim Kelly, Tom Stewart and Tyson Stengle, and keep the cart on the road. The mockery of Chris Scott’s tactics. The hits at the age of the list. Selwood’s dislike: A four-time premiership-winning warrior because he wins a ton of free-kicks… all that angst and disappointment washed away in four supreme quarters of unrelenting footwork.
Selwood and Scott hug each other, breathing heavily through tears. What a leadership team.
Patrick Dangerfield:
This is Everest. This is the top. That’s what it means to be happy, I think. Well worth the wait and better than I could have imagined. It is very special.
Joel Selwood can barely talk to Matthew Richardson on TV. Tears in the eyes, disbelief on the face.
“They are very hard to beat,” he stutters. “They’re really hard to beat. Everyone says that, but I think we deserved one. I just blew it. We don’t apologize for being up there, having a crack at it every year.”
Patrick Dangerfield is the picture of contentment.
Tom Hawkins is full of tears.
Full time: Geelong 20.13 (133) beat Sydney: 8.4 (52)
Geelong are the 2022 AFL premierships.
Q4: 1 min remaining: Geelong 20.13 (133) v 7.4 (46) Sydney: Selwood rubs his eyes in disbelief. Is this your goodbye? If so, what way to retire.
Q4: 2 minutes left: Geelong 20.13 (133) v 7.4 (46) Sydney: Cats celebrate on the bench. Chris Scott has come down from behind the glass. The crowd erupts as Selwood takes an undisputed mark.
Q4: 2 minutes left: Geelong 20.13 (133) v 7.4 (46) Sydney: The Cats are not satisfied. Another delivery, another innings, Parfitt this time, and Cameron hits his second. We are now in all-time margin territory.
Q4: 3 mins left: Geelong 19.13 (127) v 7.4 (46) Sydney: The Cats are still racing and running like the game is in the balance. The back line fills its stats before the attack is created on the right. Selwood kicks a banana from 45m on the run under pressure. Of course it does. Everyone piles into the pattern. tears 40th final fourth flag Everything Geelong touched today turned to gold.
Q4: 5 mins left: Geelong 18.13 (121) v 7.4 (46) Sydney: Warner responds quickly for Sydney, not even recognizing his 70m bomb from the center of the city that eludes the marking contest he was in aiming and rebounding without opposition.
Q4: 5 mins left: Geelong 18.13 (121) v 6.4 (40) Sydney: Dangerfield almost takes a flying mark from a Cameron tackle. then almost gets a left foot around his body, but is stopped at the line by… De Koning, who appears out of nowhere to join the party. This is his first career goal. would you believe it
Q4: 7 mins left: Geelong 17.13 (115) v 6.4 (40) Sydney: Paddy McCartin scores a consolation goal from a free kick on goal.
Q4: 8 mins left: Geelong 17.13 (115) v 5.4 (34) Sydney: Dangerfield finally accepts a shot at goal from a mark, but it hits his face from a tight angle. Of course, Geelong tidy up at ground level. Of course, Close is involved. Of course, Parfitt kicks a goal with his first touch of foot.
Geoff is happy.
Nothing better in football than a big smile from Tom Hawkins.
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) September 24, 2022
Q4: 9 minutes remaining: Geelong 16.13 (109) v 5.4 (34) Sydney: Brandon Parfitt gets a ten-minute cameo in place of Cam Guthrie.
Q4: 10 mins left: Geelong 16.13 (109) v 5.4 (34) Sydney: Stengle almost gets his fifth but his effort from the boundary goes off the turf and onto the post. The Bronx cheers as Franklin accepts an easy tag up the middle. He deserves better.
Q4: 12 minutes left: Geelong 16.12 (108) v 5.3 (33) Sydney: The Cats continue to hunt through the midfield like starving jackals. They have been relentless. Close, excellent all day, drills a bullet into the leading Hawkins. The big man carves the inside of the post with his set shot.
Have a pint of Guinness in the morning for me, please!
Q4: 13 minutes left: Geelong 16.11 (107) v 5.3 (33) Sydney:
Q4: 14 mins left: Geelong 16.11 (107) v 5.3 (33) Sydney: Dangerfield and Smith work their way up the floor from the center bounce. The former should take the shot seven from 50m, but instead invites Cameron to belt the first of the day. Cameron is delighted, Dangerfield is a superstar.
Q4: 14 mins left: Geelong 15.11 (101) v 5.3 (33) Sydney: Sydney goal! Chad Warner with the ending while researching something else.
Q4: 16 mins left: Geelong 15.11 (101) v 4.3 (27) Sydney: The intensity has been absorbed a bit from the MCG, understandably, but with the ball stuck in Sydney’s defensive 50, we could- with some rubbish. time goals to spice things up.
Q4: 18 mins left: Geelong 15.11 (101) v 4.3 (27) Sydney: Parker wins the first clearance of the quarter but Stewart hits the ball away from Franklin and Atkins clears it. The Swans bounce through Papley, switch play down the right but Kolodjashnij intercepts and the Cats play to keep the ball from one end to the other but Cameron can’t hold a mark he should have taken. Unfazed, Miers takes a swan and earns a foul to keep the Cats in the hunt.
Now it looks like the only decision left to make is medalist Norm Smith. Isaac Smith is the favorite with three goals, 25 disposals, eight marks and 641 meters gained. Patrick Dangerfield is in the equation with nine clearances and an attractive level of influence. Don’t rule out Tyson Stengle (4.0) and Tom Hawkins (3.3), either, with both capable of finishing with a bag.
3QT: Geelong 15.11 (101) v Sydney 4.3 (27).
Geelong is a quarter away from a premiership.
Q3: 1 min remaining: Geelong 15.11 (101) v 4.3 (27) Sydney: I can’t narrate Sydney’s problems now. Just be calm every time they try to get out of defense they fail, and every time they have movement in the middle of the field it is intercepted. Just a horror show.
Q3: 2 mins left: Geelong 15.11 (101) v 4.3 (27) Sydney: Geelong could have scored four goals since last update without success. Another is theirs, but Isaac Smith smashes over from 50m when he might have found a team-mate earlier. Luke Hodge is clear that Smith will be looking for a Norm Smith Medal. It’s absolutely in contention, but for my money Dangerfield leads the race.
Q3: 4 minutes left: Geelong 15.9 (99) v 4.3 (27) Sydney: The ball almost reaches Franklin. I really forgot I was playing, and then I felt sad. It had no smell.