Geelong have secured their place in the top four heading into Finals after defeating West Coast by 93 points at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Cats gained ascendancy early in the contest and never looked back, piling on 18 goals in the first half to extend the lead to triple figures at the main break.
Jeremy Cameron was phenomenal finishing the day with an equal career high nine goals, Jack Bowes amassed 24 disposals and 12 score involvements while Max Holmes (26 disposals) and Zach Guthrie (24 disposals) both found plenty of the footy.
With a spot in the top four now locked in, the Cats will await results from GWS and Port Adelaide’s final games to find our their final ladder position and their opponent for Week One of the Toyota AFL Finals Series.
Ollie Henry and Jeremy Cameron took no time getting the Cats rolling, booting five goals between them in the opening term as Geelong raced out to a 44 point lead at the first break.
It was a simply dominant first quarter from the Cats who led every major statistical category including disposals (+62), inside 50’s (+3), clearances (+6) and contested possessions (+10).
Geelong continued to inflict plenty of damage on the scoreboard in the second term, piling on 10 goals in another sensational quarter of football to remarkably extend the lead to 100 points at half time.
It marked just the third time in AFL history that the Cats held a lead of 100 points or more at half time.
Cameron led the charge booting seven majors in the opening half, while Tom Atkins (16 disposals & five clearances), Max Holmes (16 disposals) and Jack Bowes (15 disposals & five tackles) were all prolific through the middle.
In his final game at GMHBA Stadium, Zach Tuohy ignited the crowd one last time with a beautiful snap to kick the Cats first goal of the third quarter.
Cameron followed suit shortly after with his eighth of the afternoon, but the Eagles managed to trim the margin to 84 points at the final break.
It was that man Cameron who got Geelong going again in the final term with his ninth goal, before Ollie Henry equalled his career high with a fourth major just moments later.
The Cats eventually went on to close out the 93 point win, now waiting for other final round results to determine who they will face in Week One of the Toyota AFL Finals Series.
AFL Round 24
GEELONG 8.3 18.6 21.8 26.12 (168)
WEST COAST 1.1 2.2 7.8 11.9 (75)
GOALS
Geelong: Cameron 9, O.Henry 4, Stengle, Neale, Stanely 2, Bowes, Miers, Dempsey, Holmes, Tuohy, Mannagh, Dangerfield 1
West Coast: Darling, Waterman, Cripps, Reid 2, Allen, Hutchinson, Dewar 1
BEST
Geelong: Cameron, Holmes, Dangerfield, Stanley, Atkins, Mannagh
West Coast: Waterman, B.Williams, Yeo, Reid
INJURIES
Geelong: Humphries (lower leg), Stewart (hamstring tightness)
West Coast: Hough (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jed Bews (Replaced Tom Stewart at half time)
West Coast: Ryan Maric (Replaced Brady Hough in the third quarter)
Crowd: 32,545 at GMHBA Stadium
