IF GEELONG has dared to flirt with its form in recent weeks, let the competition be warned: there will be no teasing going into September.
Last night, the Cats put aside their last-gasp loss to their nearest challengers Port Adelaide last week, disposing of the Brisbane Lions by 35 points to cruise into the finals with an imposing 18-4 win-loss record for the season.
The Lions did little more than nip the Cats' heels for the first half. From that point, they were blown away. Only four late last-quarter goals to Jonathan Brown prevented a hiding.
Collectively, Geelong was an impressive combination of evenness and deadly firepower: seven of the Cats' nine goalkickers finished with at least two majors.
Brad Ottens and Cameron Mooney finished with four each while Matthew Stokes and Steve Johnson each kicked three.
Cameron Ling continued to press for All-Australian honours, beating Simon Black and kicking two goals.
Joel Selwood took an iron grip on the Rising Star award. And so it went on. It was hard to find a poor player for the Cats.
The Lions, at least, will know how far they still have to go. Brown secured the Coleman Medal with seven goals — a career-best 77 for the season — but it was a sad way for Chris Scott and Chris Johnson to finish their decorated careers.
The home side had begun the match competitively, but after a subdued opening, Geelong unleashed a 10-minute burst of football a class above its opposition.
Steve Johnson didn't have to be asked twice when fed the ball in the square by Paul Chapman; Mooney kicked another and was making his presence felt upfield, while Stokes kicked two for the quarter.
However, the Cats took an injury toll back to the huddle, with defender Matthew Egan hobbled by what appeared to be an ankle injury and Mooney nursing a sore hand.
It forced Matthew Scarlett into a stay-at-home role on Brown, who broke into the game with two second-quarter majors, the beneficiary of raking passes from Josh Drummond and Anthony Corrie.
While the Cats restructured, the Lions briefly clicked, closing to within a kick when Scarlett was caught with the ball and Robert Copeland seized the advantage to run into an open goal.
Chris Johnson kicked a goal in his final game to keep the Lions in touch at half-time, but it was Geelong that roared away after the break, kicking six goals to three for the quarter.
Brown gave his fans some last-quarter highlights, and the home crowd stayed to farewell Scott and Johnson. Their glory days are gone. For Geelong, they surely lie ahead.
GEELONG 5.2 9.4 15.10 22.13 (145) BRISBANE LIONS 2.1 6.6 9.10 15.13 (103)
GOALS Geelong: Mooney 4, Ottens 4, S Johnson 3, Stokes 3, Chapman 2, Byrnes 2, Ling 2, N Ablett, Kelly. Brisbane Lions: Brown 7, Copeland 3, Brennan 3, Adcock, Johnson.
BEST Geelong: Selwood, S Johnson, N Ablett, Stokes, Enright. Brisbane Lions: Lappin, Selwood, Brown, Adcock.
INJURIES Geelong: Egan (ankle).
UMPIRES: Grun, Wenn, Woodcock.
CROWD: 34,107 at the Gabba.
