GEELONG has celebrated inspirational skipper Joel Selwood's 200th game with a brave win against the Sydney Swans at Simonds Stadium. 

The Cats overcame a 13-point deficit at half-time to dominate the second half and run out 32-point winners. 

They won 14.11 (95) to 9.9 (63) and will move back into the eight, just pipping Adelaide on percentage. They play the Crows at home in the last round in what is shaping as a potential top-eight decider. 

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Selwood was brilliant all night but he broke open the game early in the last quarter with two low short passes to Tom Hawkins that led to goals and finally gave Geelong some scoreboard reward for the dominance.

It also led to Selwood's 156th career win, but more importantly it was the Cats' fourth in a row and keeps their quest for a ninth-straight finals campaign intact.

Geelong coach Chris Scott admitted after the game the Cats were good but they probably would not have won without Selwood.

The skipper received good support from fellow midfielders Josh Caddy, Cam Guthrie and Steve Motlop and the Cats' defence once again looked organised and stood firm. 

Five talking points: Geelong v Sydney Swans

It was a night loaded with emotion as Sydney Swans champion Adam Goodes returned to the arena for his 366th game and was thankfully spared the sustained booing that has followed him for most of the year.

Goodes showed flashes of brilliance but was generally quiet, kicking one goal in the first quarter as emerging defender Jake Kolodjashnij narrowly won their duel. 

The Swans were without Lance Franklin due to a back injury and only managed nine goals for the night, the fourth game in a row the Cats have kept the opposition to fewer than 10 goals.   

Geelong turned the game in the third quarter, recording 17 inside 50s to six but kicked 3.5 (23) and a number out on the full to cause concern. 

The Cats had dominated general play with 109 disposals to 80 but their inefficiency inside 50 was costly.

Scott did not hide the fact he was worried.

"We clearly had [momentum] but just took a few low percentage shots at goal [and we] could not find a way to score enough," Scott said.

"It felt like we were well and truly on top [at three-quarter time] but we were eight points up so that was a concern but fortunately in the last quarter our boys hang on well."

The Swans struggled to get the ball outside their defensive 50, with the Cats closing down space quickly. 

Longmire said the performance after half-time was ordinary and the midfield did not win enough one-on-one contests.

"That was the really disappointing part," Longmire said.

"They had their tails up after half-time and we needed to go but we didn't go."

It had been a similar tale for most of the game but the Swans were able to hurt the Cats' turnovers kicking all four of their second quarter goals following Geelong errors. 

Lewis Jetta was damaging in space and Isaac Heeney showed class beyond his years to set up teammates but they could not resist the flood of numbers the Geelong midfield racked up with 12 Cats winning 20 disposals or more.

MEDICAL ROOM
Geelong: No injuries

Sydney Swans: Franklin's back will be the Swans' biggest concern as they pick up the pieces from this one. Veteran Ben McGlynn was a late exclusion with hamstring tightness. He'll be monitored during the week.

NEXT UP
Back-to-back premier Hawthorn waits for the in-form Cats in a Saturday night blockbuster at the MCG. The Swans must manage a six-day turnaround to rebound against Collingwood at the SCG on Friday night. 


Tom Hawkins and Joel Selwood celebrate the Cats' big win. Picture: AFL Media

GEELONG                   3.4    6.4    9.9    14.11 (95)                 
SYDNEY SWANS         4.1    8.5    8.7    9.9 (63)   

GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 4, Duncan 2, Lang 2, Caddy 2, Mackie, Gregson, Stokes, Motlop
Sydney Swans: Jetta 2, B.Jack, Mitchell, Heeney, Goodes, Tippett, Parker, Hannebery 

BEST 
Geelong: Selwood, Bartel, Enright, Motlop, Hawkins, Guthrie, Kolodjashnij

Sydney Swans: Jetta, Grundy, Kennedy, Hannebery, Heeney 

INJURIES 
Geelong: Nil
Sydney Swans: Ben McGlynn (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Zak Jones

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Nakia Cockatoo replaced by George Horlin-Smith in the fourth quarter
Sydney Swans: Toby Nankervis replaced by Zak Jones in the third quarter

Reports: Ted Richards (Sydney Swans) for engaging in rough conduct on Tom Hawkins (Geelong) in the third quarter

Umpires: Rosebury, Pannell, Mollison 

Official crowd: 27,910 at Simonds Stadium