Geelong have stormed into an AFL preliminary final against Adelaide with an emphatic 59-point win over Sydney at the MCG.

Patrick Dangerfield starred for the Cats with four goals in the 15.8 (98) to 5.9 (39) win in front of 55,529 fans on Friday night.

Geelong were rocked by the late withdrawal of key defender Tom Lonergan to illness, but Harry Taylor stepped in to help keep Swans superstar Lance Franklin goalless.