Geelong staged a gallant second-half fight-back before going down to Brisbane by 37-points at the Gabba on Saturday night.
The Lions looked to be cruising when they hammered on eight goals in the second term to head to half-time with a 48-point lead.
But within ten minutes of the start of the second half, the Cats had roared back within 19 points and gave the hosts a real fright.
There was to be no miracle, however, as the reigning premiers did enough over the last quarter and a half to secure a 19.9 (123) to 13.8 (86) win and move into fourth on the ladder.
The young Cats have made a name for being gallant this year and this match was no exception.
With nothing on the line, they had every reason to completely fold up in the second half, but Mark Thompson’s charges refused to lie down.
Gary Ablett was especially damaging in the midfield in the third term.
Two other of the Cats’ young brigade also put in great efforts with Steve Johnson kicking six majors and Paul Chapman leading the resistance against Brisbane’s ‘fab-four’ midfield. Brenton Sanderson and Corey Enright provided plenty of run off half-back.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect for Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews was the return to top form of Jason Akermanis and Daniel Bradshaw.
With Michael Voss unusually quiet, the Lions’ midfield needed a spark and Akermanis obliged with a typically effervescent performance, grabbing 27 touches and kicking two goals.
Bradshaw also made the most of the poor form of a team-mate, in this case Alastair Lynch, to step up at full forward, kicking six goals to stake a timely claim for a place in the Lions’ best 18.
The Cats may have kicked the first goal, a great running effort from Gary Ablett, but it was the hosts who dominated the first term.
Akermanis roved brilliantly for the Lions’ first but the Cats’ defence, led by Matthew Scarlett, held firm for most of the quarter.
Scarlett grabbed 11 possessions for the term, keeping his opponent Lynch statless but the Cats allowed Bradshaw too much latitude.
He kicked the last two of the term, both from uncontested marks and the Lions led by 14 points at the first break.
Johnson swooped soon after resumption to reduce the margin but Nigel Lappin’s response was swift.
The Cats were then on the wrong end of two vital 50m penalties. The first led to Bradshaw’s third goal, while the second saw Aaron Shattock given an easy chance and the margin was out to 26 points.
That seemed the break the Cats spirit and the Lions took complete control in the midfield, with Lappin and Akermanis in the thick of the action.
In a devastating display, the reigning premiers piled on the last five goals of the half, including one to Justin Leppitsch who drifted up from full back, and the gap was an even eight-goals at the main break.
But Geelong wouldn’t lie down and with six of the first seven majors of the second half, three of them off the boot of Johnson, had cut the lead back to 19 points.
The difference was in the middle of the ground where Ablett was winning the clearances and getting the ball directly into the forward line.
The result was quick goals and the Lions looked under pressure before Lynch finally got his first major in two weeks.
Akermanis then threaded an improbable snap late in the term and the Lions’ lead looked safe again at 32 points at three quarter time.
The Lions confirmed that with the first three goals of a final term played at a snail’s pace. Geelong fought back with the next three, with two more to Johnson.
The home side won the final term honours with two out of the last three majors, but it was a far from convincing performance for a side with premiership aspirations.
BRISBANE: 3.4, 11.5, 14.8 19.9 (123)
GEELONG: 1.2, 3.5, 9.6 13.8 (86)
Goals: Brisbane: Bradshaw 6, Akermanis 2, Lynch 2, Shattock 2, Caracella 2, Black 2, Leppitsch, Lappin, Hart
Geelong: Johnson 6, Ablett 2, Chapman, McCarthy, Graham, Riccardi, Kingsley
Best: Brisbane: Akermanis, Bradshaw, Lappin, Black, Power, Leppitsch, B Scott
Geelong: Ablett, Chapman, Sanderson, Enright, Johnson, Scarlett
Injuries: Brisbane: Copeland (shoulder)
Geelong: Wojcinski (wrist)
Reports: None
Umpires: Baldwin, Rosebury, Ellis
Crowd: 30,515 at the Gabba
