Scheer class helps Cats fight off surging Swans

Chloe Scheer (left) scored five goals as Geelong got the better of the Swans at North Sydney Oval. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Geelong have dragged euphoric Sydney back to reality with a comfortable 27-point AFLW win to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season.

The Swans kicked off their second AFLW campaign with their first-ever win when they beat city rivals Greater Western Sydney last weekend, but they were cut down to size by the Cats on Saturday, losing 10.8 (68) to 5.11 (41) at North Sydney Oval.

Wasting no time to get on the scoreboard, Cats star Jackie Parry (three goals) kicked the opener for the second consecutive game just two minutes in.

Three unanswered majors to Chloe Scheer (five goals) in the span of eight minutes and another from Parry took the Cats 26 points away from the hosts by the end of the first quarter.

"She's a real threat in front of goal - left foot, right foot," Geelong coach Dan Lowther said of Scheer post-match.

"She showed her class when she's anywhere inside 40.

"You just have to give her half a sniff and she makes the most of it."

Sydney managed to reduce the distance in the second term, fighting hard to even the clearance numbers to nine apiece. 

A bit of magic from Chloe Molloy (one goal, 22 disposals) kept the contest alive, with the Swans co-captain booting a goal from just outside 50, while 50-gamer Aliesha Newman added three goals.

Laura Gardiner stood up for the Swans in her first game against her old side, racking up a club record 27 disposals along with eight clearances, ahead of star Cats Georgie Prespakis (15, four) and Nina Morrison (21, six).

Rising star nominee Ally Morphett added six points to the Swans cause in the second half but Geelong continued to break away thanks to goals by Amy McDonald and Morrison.

The Swans fought until the final siren but the Cats were a class above, taking 95 uncontested possessions to 70 and 203 disposals to 175.

"I'm pretty proud that they competed," Swans coach Scott Gowans said. 

"(But) being really honest about it, I thought we were always a step behind them most of the day.

"That happens and we've just got to work harder but I never felt like we had momentum."

Both sides face tough challenges next weekend, with Geelong up against Jasmine Garner and North Melbourne, while Sydney travel to the Brisbane Lions for their first away match of the season.

Morrison said the Cats had moved on from the disappointment of their two-point finals-series loss to the Kangaroos last year.

"It feels like a long time ago now. We're onto a new season," she told AAP.

"The real challenge for our team is how we perform against the top four sides - and North are one of those."

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