AMONG the toughest tasks in the AFL for a long time has been beating Geelong in Geelong.

Analysis this week by AFL.com.au shows the Cats have the best home record in the competition since 2010, winning a staggering 85.7 per cent of its games, and losing a maximum of one home game a season in 13 of their past 16 campaigns.

But two clubs have managed to crack the code in the past three years, with Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney each winning back-to-back matches at GMHBA Stadium, with the Giants winning their past three encounters (2023, 2021, 2019).

Sydney also achieved the feat in 2017 and 2018, but prior to that you need to go back to 2002 and 2003 when the Cats – who missed the finals each year – dropped consecutive home games against the same teams (Adelaide, Brisbane, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs).

Looking at how Fremantle (round 20) and Greater Western Sydney (round 11) have achieved their most recent wins in Geelong, there are strategic similarities with how they have tweaked their own game styles to suit the venue and their opponents.

Port Adelaide is sure to have studied both clubs' approaches as it prepares for a crunch game against the Cats on Saturday night and looks for its first win at what used to be known as Kardinia Park since Dom Cassisi kicked the match-winning goal with three seconds to play to secure a five-point win in round 21, 2007.

Using Champion Data statistics to compare the Dockers' and Giants' 2023 wins, kicking the ball more than usual is the first adjustment that stands out for both teams, who have sought to get the ball forward at all costs and avoided switching play in their usual manner.

For Fremantle, defenders Luke Ryan (644 metres gained, season average 556.2m), Corey Wagner (468 metres gained, season average 403.1m) and Jordan Clark (392 metres gained, season averaged 289.8) all played with more attacking intent.

In their round 11 win, GWS relied on Lachie Whitfield (721 metres gained, season average 446.9m) and Connor Idun (417 metres gained, season average 219.6) to drive the ball forward much more regularly.

The approach gave both teams significantly higher time in forward half and allowed them to better defend the Cats' own ball movement once their opponents won possession.

With their go-forward intent at GMHBA Stadium, the Giants and Dockers both slashed the Cats' own ability to chain the ball from defensive 50 to their forward line, halving a potential scoring source.

They also put themselves in a better position to force front-half turnovers and saw a significant lift in their scores from possessions chains in their own attacking half.

The final ingredient was arguably the simplest. Both clubs brought a level of pressure that exceeded what Geelong had been used to receiving this year, and the Cats were unable to meet the challenge.

How Port Adelaide plans to attack Saturday night's blockbuster will be intriguing, with the Power desperate for a win after three straight losses that could see them concede second place to Brisbane or Melbourne this week.

But while the Dockers and Giants cracked the code in their matches, it is unlike the Cats to lose at home twice in the space of eight days, with that last occurring in 2006.

>GMHBA Stadium remains a fortress, but there is a blueprint for former Cats assistant Ken Hinkley and the Power to work with.