OF ALL the questions to come from Geelong's 84-point drubbing of Port Adelaide on Thursday night, one rings loudest.

How do they keep doing it?

A year after missing the finals and with minimal off-season fanfare, the Cats had their admirers entering 2024, but even their staunchest fans would have struggled to see this.

As they have done so often this century, a preliminary final now awaits, and just one more win would see them reach a seventh decider in the past 18 seasons.

Unlike previous campaigns built on the back of some of the biggest names in club history, this time it's different.

Coach Chris Scott and his staff have had to fashion a new way, with new faces, and they were all on full display against hapless Port.

Sure, Patrick Dangerfield made a strong contribution and Jeremy Cameron kicked a couple of late goals to finish with four for the night, the first a freakish effort from the left forward pocket that ignited the visitors.

But with five-time All-Australian Tom Stewart a late scratching, the variety of contributions was quite something.

This was a team missing Tom Hawkins and Cam Guthrie, who will play in the VFL on Saturday, along with Sam De Koning and Gary Rohan.

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The midfield, questioned for so much of the season and seen as having a lack of depth, was magnificent.

On an Adelaide Oval surface that included Dangerfield, fellow Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines and vaunted trio Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis and Connor Rozee, it was Max Holmes who laid the foundations for the runaway victory.

Thrust into the centre square from the opening bounce, Holmes' first half was magnificent, as he not only helped stifle a perceived Port advantage in the middle of the ground, but was the catalyst for Geelong's rapid ball movement.

His centre clearance, ensuing three bounces and penetrating right-foot kick that led to a Tyson Stengle goal midway through the second term summed up his impact beautifully.

At the half, Holmes had 16 disposals, a whopping 485m gained and six score involvements. He finished with a match-high 28 and 668m gained.

Along with Holmes, Geelong used speed to exit congestion and run Port off its legs. Dangerfield was explosive. While Gryan Miers, Brad Close, Shaun Mannagh and Tyson Stengle provided the perfect combination of pressure, powerful two-way running and goalkicking nous to bamboozle their shocked opponents.

After kicking six goals in last year's VFL Grand Final, Mannagh was a revelation in his first AFL final.

Three goals, three goal assists and a game-high 12 score involvements from his 23 disposals was quite the performance.

His tackle on Rozee to win a holding-the-ball decision late in the fourth quarter was indicative of his tenacity.

Stengle added four and Miers three, but it was two other first-time finals performers that helped lift Geelong to the final four again.

In just his 10th career game Lawson Humphries was a difference maker, with nine of his 20 disposals coming in the pivotal second quarter that saw Geelong kick five consecutive goals to take a 20-point advantage to the main break.

His hard running to overlap and receives handballs from teammates was eye-catching, as was his exquisite kicking off both feet.

Former Sun Jack Bowes, now in his second season at the Cats, lapped up every minute in that midfield that got the best of Port Adelaide. Two goals from 18 disposals that included four clearances was a great night out.

Either Port didn't do its homework or its defenders failed to heed the warnings, as time and again the smaller Cats were able to get goalside and wreak havoc.

All nine of Geelong's first-half goals came from general play, with a Stengle hat-trick coming from a combined total of about 30m from goal.

The faces are different, but the results are the same. New midfielders, first-time finalists, it doesn't matter, when the Cats hit the field in September, you know they're playing for premierships.

Whether it's Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Brisbane or Carlton on the opposing side in another fortnight at the MCG, rest assured, the Cats will be ready.