Updated November 14, 2026 — 6:39pm,first published 5:45pm
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Sydney secured their maiden AFLW semi-final win on Saturday, overpowering an injury-stricken Geelong to win by three points in a stunning upset.
A Chloe Molloy goalkicking masterclass propelled the Swans to victory, beating the Cats on their home GMHBA Stadium turf, 8.2 (50) to 7.5 (47).
Maddie Quinn celebrates a key goal for the Swans.AFL Photos
The result dumped the Cats from the finals in straight sets after two losses by under a goal.
It’s been a challenging few months for the Swans’ women’s program, which was hit by collateral damage from the Pullman Hotel scandal.
On Friday, news broke that suspended Swans players Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and James Jordon, and North Melbourne recruit Nick Blakey had been cleared by Victoria Police after an investigation into alleged sexual assaults.
The announcement ended three months of scrutiny, however the women at the centre of the complaints have vowed to push on with civil action.
Swans president Andrew Pridham was in Geelong supporting the women’s team on Saturday as they looked to secure their first-ever semi-final win.
It was a dream opening for Geelong, with dependable Irishwoman Aishling Moloney slotting a goal within the first 30 seconds of the game – an apt celebration for her 50th game milestone.
But Molloy immediately posed a problem for the Cats. The league’s leading goal-kicker was last to line up for the national anthem before the siren, spending as much time as possible slotting practice goals in.
That would prove telling.
Molloy added to her goal tally, firing two goals in the first quarter to give her Swans the lead, followed by another goal in the second that seemed to defy physics, bending through then air to sail through the goals.
It was injury carnage for the cats before halftime, with Amy McDonald out with a hamstring issue, and star midfielder Georgie Prespakis briefly leaving the field after getting crunched.
Prespakis was back on field after half-time, however her influence was significantly dulled by defender Tanya Kennedy. After tagging Bulldogs co-captain Isabelle Pritchard last week, Kennedy had the job on Prespakis and curbed the usually explosive Cats star.
Play was temporarily halted in the third quarter for around eight minutes after Cat Piper Dunlop suffered a horror head knock during the ruck contest.
Dunlop collided with Kennedy and suffered an accidental knock to her temple. Sydney’s Alexia Hamilton appeared to notice Dunlop was struggling and falling down, rushing to her aid.
Piper Dunlop receives medical attention after an accidental head knock.Getty Images
Hamilton, a paramedic, eased her rival to the ground and held her head in place as medical staff rushed on field.
As concerned Cats and Swans players looked on, medical staff swarmed around Dunlop, supporting her head and easing her on a stretcher.
The 23-year-old appeared to be conscious, received a standing ovation and cheers from the crowd as she was stretchered off on a medical cart.
Play resumed, and both sides continued to wrestle for the lead. Cynthia Hamilton piled on another goal in the fourth, and suddenly Sydney were up by 16 points.
But Geelong’s Chloe Scheer was eager for redemption after last week’s loss to Melbourne. Scheer missed a set shot at the end of that nail-biting game, handing the victory to the Demons.
But she bounced back and kicked three goals on Saturday, including a pivotal major in the final quarter to give the Cats a sniff.
Jacqueline Parry kicked another, and suddenly the margin was only four points.
An arm-wrestle continued by the next 10 minutes, with both sides belting the ball back and forth, desperately trying to score a goal.
As the clock ticked down, the Cats’ home crowd screamed and cheered as the ball soared towards their goal square.
But, there was Molloy again – taking a telling mark and preventing what would have been a crucial Cats goal.
Moments later, the siren went and pandemonium ensured. Cats players fell to their knees as Sydney rushed to embrace each other, ignoring the boos that rained down.
AFLW commentator, and columnist for The Age, Kelli Underwood said on Kayo that the game was one of the best in the league’s history, and long-time AFLW star Ellie Blackburn agreed with her.
“That game was amazing, we stuck to our system and our contest pressure – it was just the best,” Swans ruck-forward Maddie Quinn told Kayo Sports.
“We got the job done, and I’m just so excited for next week [the preliminary final].
“I had one main focus and that was to be physical in the ruck and then everything else came from that.
“You can feel the belief around the club. All our coaches have belief in us, the rest of the club believes in us and that’s why we are winning games and are into a prelim.”
When asked if the Swans were ready to take on two-time reigning premiers North Melbourne in next week’s preliminary final, Quinn was emphatic.
“100 per cent – I don’t think we played our best game against them in round eight, and we will be ready for the fight and bring what we brought today,” Quinn said.
Dunlop was sent to hospital for scans after the contest.
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Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and Formula 1 writer at The Age.Connect via email.From our partners