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).
The victory ensured Chris Scott's men finished the home and away season with the same number of wins (17) as the top two sides, the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn.
Geelong will now face the Hawks in a qualifying final at the MCG on Friday night.
"It was a pretty good performance, especially the second half," Scott said.
"The preparation for our finals campaign was rounded off, I think, so we're in a good place."
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.
Ultra-consistent midfielder Mitch Duncan, who finished with 35 disposals at 86 per cent efficiency, was the star of the show for the Cats.
He was ably assisted by fellow midfielders Josh Caddy (25 touches and three goals) and Mathew Stokes (30 disposals and a goal) and evergreen defender Corey Enright (30 and a goal).
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.
His haul took his season's tally to 62 goals and lifted him to equal-second in the Coleman Medal standings.
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."
Josh Green runs head first into teammate Jonathan Freeman. Picture: AFL Media
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
