CHRIS Scott needs to bottle whatever he delivered his Geelong side at half-time on Thursday night.
Trailing by 10 points after a spluttering three-goal first half, the Cats bombarded Brisbane with seven unanswered goals in an extraordinary third term.
It started with Sam Menegola and Patrick Dangerfield in the midfield, while Gary Ablett produced his vintage best across half-forward and Tom Hawkins was involved in everything in attack as the Lions rolled over.
It landed the Cats the highest scoring quarter in the competition this season and propelled them to a 11.7 (73) to 6.10 (46) victory at the SCG, leapfrogging the Lions into second place.
The win on the Cats' makeshift 'home' ground was made even more remarkable after being reduced to two rotations at quarter-time with Mitch Duncan and Quinton Narkle suffering hamstring injuries.
After Ablett's goal from beyond 50m in the opening minutes, the Lions kicked four consecutive goals as the Cats were left over-possessing the ball.
When Lachie Neale dribbled through a brilliant goal from the pocket, the Lions led by 22 points to look every bit the second-placed team on the ladder.
Two settling goals from Menegola and Hawkins – both set-up by Ablett – on the stroke of half-time wrestled back some momentum before the Cats went berserk in the second half.
The Lions suffered their own injury concern when Mitch Robinson limped off during the third quarter before sitting out the rest of the match with ice on his right thigh.
The influence of Charlie Cameron?
Chris Scott was questioned from all corners when he said Charlie Cameron wasn't the difference, despite five goals in the Lions' one-point win when the sides last met. After conceding Cameron was the premier small forward in the competition during the week, Scott sent Irishman Mark O'Connor to the Virgin Australia All-Australian to start the match. Cameron managed one goal – via an O'Connor clanger – from three scoring shots in a mostly uneventful evening manned by O'Connor or Jed Bews.
GEELONG 1.4 3.4 10.7 11.7 (73)
BRISBANE 1.6 4.8 4.9 6.10 (46)
GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 3, Ablett 2, Rohan 2, Menegola 2, Ratugolea, Parfitt
Brisbane: Rayner 2, Cameron, Neale, Hipwood, McCluggage
BEST
Geelong: Dangerfield, Menegola, Hawkins, Guthrie, Blicavs, Ablett
Brisbane: Neale, Rayner, Zorko
INJURIES
Geelong: Narkle (hamstring), Duncan (hamstring)
Brisbane: Robinson (quad)
