While it was the Cats' 11th straight win to open the season, it was arguably their least convincing, with a number of star players well held in the 15.9 (99) to 11.11 (77) victory.
Their most dominant period was the first 13 minutes of the match, rampaging to a five-goal lead before most of the Subiaco Oval crowd had taken their seats.
From there, however, the premiership favourites never dominated the match as they seemed likely to - even letting down their guard for a 20-minute period either side of half time when West Coast got as close as three points.
It was definitely one of the Eagles’ gutsiest performances this season, but with inexperience on every line, they were held at arms’ length for most of the day and remain in the bottom four with a 3-8 record.
Joel Selwood (26 possessions) was the only Geelong midfielder that had a presence for the whole match, while Paul Chapman emerged when his side was most challenged in the third term, finishing with three goals and 24 possessions.
Second-tier players David Wojcinski, Travis Varcoe and Shannon Byrnes played bigger roles, while Corey Enright and Matthew Scarlett held an undermanned backline together.
Gary Ablett finished with a massive 43 possessions (15 kicks and 28 handballs), but Adam Selwood did plenty to blanket his usual effectiveness.
Tyson Stenglein didn't give the in-form Steve Johnson an inch, his efforts restricting the in-form Cat to 17 touches and a goal, while Darren Glass and Adam Hunter had solid games in defence.
Dean Cox (30 possessions and 32 hit-outs) bounced back to form, and the young West Coast midfielders that surrounded him showed plenty of promise matched up against the best in the business.
After the Cats smashed the Eagles by 135 points at Subiaco Oval last season, Geelong’s first 15 minutes set the scene for another massive win in the west.
Tom Hawkins kicked two, Ablett found space for one, and Byrnes stepped around his opponent with ease to kick his first and stun the home crowd.
When Ryan Gamble snapped truly, the Cats were 31 points clear and West Coast hadn't looked like scoring.
It took a crafty goal from Cox around the body to get the home side on the board, and the Eagles went into the first break tarred, feathered and 22 points down.
It was a much-improved West Coast in the second term as young midfielders Scott Selwood, Matt Rosa and Chris Masten started to have an impact.
The young trio provided the run, while burly forward Josh Kennedy provided the muscle, marking courageously running back with the flight and kicking the side's first for the term.
Quinten Lynch's goal from the boundary left West Coast 16 points down, but Cameron Mooney and Varcoe grabbed opportunities up the other end.
Eagle Mitch Brown shifted forward for a two-goal cameo – his second created by rapid ball movement off half-back that the Cats themselves would have been proud of – and West Coast entered half-time 11 points down, but with all the momentum.
When Lynch got the first after the main break, West Coast was within three points, and Geelong had plenty of reasons to panic.
They didn't, of course, calling on stars Johnson, Ablett and Chapman to kick four of the next five goals.
Byrnes got the next in cruel circumstances as young Eagle Jamie McNamara roved Dean Cox's tap beautifully but ran the ran wrong way, gifting Geelong a forward entry and Byrnes an easy goal.
A lapse in concentration from Wojcinski saw Scott Selwood catch him and boot a goal, but the Cats were just doing enough and entered the last break with a comfortable, but unconvincing 22-point lead.
The final term swung back and forth, but the Eagles couldn't manage to string the goals that they needed to kick together, Chapman sealing the deal 26 minutes into the finale with his third of the match.
Both sides entered the round 11 clash as named, with high-profile Cats emergencies Joel Corey and Max Rooke sitting out the match. The Cats now have a week off for the split round, returning to Subiaco Oval to play Fremantle on June 21, while the Eagles are next in action next Saturday night against Richmond - and new caretaker coach Jade Rawlings - at Docklands.
Geelong 5.1 7.5 12.7 15.9 (99)
West Coast 1.3 5.9 8.9 11.11 (77)
GOALS
Geelong: Chapman, Hawkins 3, Ablett, Byrnes 2, Gamble, Johnson, Mooney, Stokes, Varcoe
West Coast: Brown, Lynch, McKinley 2, Cox, Kennedy, LeCras, Rosa, S.Selwood
BEST
West Coast: Cox, Stenglein, Hunter, Ebert, Priddis, Hurn
Geelong: J.Selwood, Chapman, Ablett, Enright, Varcoe, Byrnes
INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
West Coast: Embley (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, McLaren, Kamolins
Official crowd: 35,355 at Subiaco Oval
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
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