TOM HAWKINS booted a career-high seven goals as Geelong secured third place on the ladder with a 62-point win over the Brisbane Lions at Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.
The Cats, who went into the game needing a win to climb back above Fremantle and avoid a trip to Sydney in the first week of the finals, led from start to finish and won 21.17 (143) to 12.9 (81).
Both the Cats and Lions took depleted line-ups into their clash.
Hamish McIntosh, Steven Motlop and Allen Christensen were rested by the home side, while its opponent had to make do without gun midfielders Tom Rockliff (illness) and Dayne Zorko (family reasons), who were both late withdrawals.
Those changes were expected to impact more on the visiting side, yet the Lions were just 14 points down when they kicked the first two goals of the third quarter.
However, Geelong put its foot down after that and ended up recording its highest score of the season.
Brownlow Medal favourite Joel Selwood was another impressive contributor. He ended the game with 29 touches, nine tackles, six clearances and two goals.
Hawkins, who outclassed Justin Clarke and then Daniel Merrett, was the dominant forward on the ground.
Pearce Hanley tried his heart out in the Lions midfield, while Stefan Martin and Matthew Leuenberger had the better of their ruck duel against Mark Blicavs and Josh Walker.
Leuenberger, who was back in the team for the first time since round four, finished with 11 disposals and 36 hit-outs.
Rising star contenders James Aish and Lewis Taylor were among the other eye-catching performers on the losing side.
The Lions ended their first season under Justin Leppitsch with a 7-15 win-loss record.
"I thought (Geelong) outsmarted us more than anything," Leppitsch said. "They are a really well-drilled, well-structured team.
"We have got a bit of a way to go implementing some of the stuff we want to do, so we got reactive a fair bit."
GEELONG 5.2 11.6 16.13 21.17 (143)
BRISBANE LIONS 2.4 7.5 10.6 12.9 (81)
GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 7, Caddy 3, Selwood 2, Murdoch 2, Enright, Varcoe, Stokes, Walker, Bartel, Thurlow, Brown
Brisbane Lions: Green 3, Beams 2, Merrett, Martin, Bewick, Aish, Taylor, McStay, Lester
BEST
Geelong: Duncan, Selwood, Hawkins, Enright, Stokes, Caddy, Taylor
Brisbane Lions: Hanley, Martin, Lester, Taylor
INJURIES
Geelong: TBC
Brisbane Lions: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Billy Smedts replaced Tom Lonergan at three-quarter time
Brisbane Lions: Mitch Golby replaced Jackson Paine at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Leppard, Findlay, Mollison
Official crowd: 24,659 at the MCG
