The Dogs were unable to withstand a withering run of goals from the Cats, who piled on 14 successive goals from late in the first term to early in the third, by which time they led by 74 points.
A week after being shown up against Collingwood - a match which left some questioning the Cats’ capacity to be a legitimate contender in September - the Cats erased many of those doubts by demolishing the Dogs 25.11 (161) to 9.6 (60).
The final margin was a record for Geelong over the Western Bulldogs, with Shannon Byrnes bringing up the triple-figure gap when he slammed through a goal with just seven seconds left in the match.
The real damage was done in the second term.
The Cats led by just six points at quarter time but booted 10 goals in the second quarter while keeping the Bulldogs goalless, the onslaught setting up a 68-point lead at the main break.
The Bulldogs, perhaps sapped of energy after a virus had swept through the Whitten Oval in the past fortnight, had no answers but battled manfully after the main break to trade goals in the third term.
However Geelong fired home another eight majors in the last quarter to send a warning to anyone who might have been prematurely writing them off.
It was a forgettable night for the Bulldogs.
Matthew Boyd (35 touches, eight clearances) tried as hard as ever and the versatile Daniel Giansiracusa (27, three goals) was lively, while Robert Murphy showed dash and poise in defence.
The result ended a miserable week for Rodney Eade’s side, which was already without a host of key players due to the viral infection that swept through the Whitten Oval.
In a further blow, emerging run-with star Liam Picken may face scrutiny for a high hit to Selwood in the second quarter, while star defender Lake, who was briefly tried in attack, looked hampered by a hip complaint.
After a highly-entertaining first term in which the Bulldogs’ pressure was superb and they led the inside-50 count, the Cats took control and blew the Bulldogs off the paddock. They were unable to recover.
The Cats’ win consolidates second spot for another week, while the Bulldogs remain fourth, courtesy of Fremantle’s loss earlier in the day.
Western Bulldogs 3.1 3.2 6.3 9.6 (60)
Geelong 4.1 14.4 17.6 25.11 (161)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 3, Hall 2, Jones 2, Gilbee, Griffen
Geelong: Johnson 5, Podsiadly 3, Ablett 3, Varcoe 3, Byrnes 2, Selwood 2, Chapman 2, Mooney 2, Stokes, Menzel, Ottens
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Morris, Giansiracusa, Boyd, Murphy
Geelong: Ablett, Selwood, Enright, Milburn, Mackie, Bartel, J. Hunt
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Wood (hamstring), Williams (shoulder/neck), Higgins (calf)
Geelong: Lonergan (flu) replaced in selected side by Laidler
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Stevic, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 42,199 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
