The Crows trailed by as much as 42 points in the second quarter but clawed back to be within two straight kicks late in the third term.
However, the Cats, who rattled up a record 254 handballs, ran out the game stronger but the final 48-point margin didn’t do the home side’s brave effort justice.
Gary Ablett celebrated his 150th game in style with 46 quality possessions and three brilliant goals. His 33 handballs also equalled Nathan Buckley's individual record.
Joel Corey (34 possessions, Joel Selwood (32 touches) and Steve Johnson (21 possessions and three goals) were also match winners.
Jason Porplyzia extended his perfect goal kicking record this season to 12 with another three majors and young trio David Mackay, Patrick Dangerfield and Taylor Walker all chimed in with two.
An Ablett-inspired first quarter propelled the Cats to a handy 17-point lead half-way through the opening term.
Selwood, who started on the interchange, was also instrumental early with 13 first-quarter possessions and David Wojcinski excelled across half-back after the late withdrawal of injured defender Darren Milburn.
But it was Ablett who did all the damage. The early Brownlow Medal favourite helped set up an opening goal for Johnson and followed up with two gems of his own.
The Crows eventually halted Geelong’s surge, but their huge numbers behind the ball meant it was tough to find a target inside forward 50m.
Onballer Scott Thompson managed to temporarily elude tagger Cameron Ling’s grasp and slipped forward to get Adelaide on the scoreboard.
The classy Cats continued to move the ball through the corridor and were rewarded with goals to Travis Varcoe and Cam Mooney.
But Crows skipper Simon Goodwin became involved and some individual goal kicking brilliance from emerging duo Mackay and Porplyzia helped cut the margin to 11 points at the first change.
The second term was played in two, contrasting halves with the best of both sides on show.
The Cats, through the mercurial Ablett, appeared to bust the game wide-open with five unanswered goals to start the quarter.
The pick of the bunch came after Max Rooke marked just outside 50m, dished off to the Geelong superstar, who casually slotted the goal from 48m on the boundary line.
Majors to Andrew Mackie, Mark Blake and Shannon Byrnes saw the margin blow out to a seemingly insurmountable 42 points, but Adelaide responded with youthful exuberance.
Young forward Kurt Tippett completed a team-lifting passage of play when he marked and goaled from 10m out and teenager Taylor Walker brought the crowd to its feet with a brilliant long, running goal.
Further majors to Mackay and Porplyzia made the margin three goals at the long break.
Geelong burst out of the blocks again at the start of the third term with goals to Mathew Stokes, Varcoe and Johnson but three at the other end to Porplyzia, Patrick Dangerfield and Walker cut the margin back to 19 points.
Former rookie Jared Petrenko helped his side claw within two straight kicks, but a turnover in defence gifted a goal to Mooney and set the stage for a thrilling final term.
The last quarter proved anti-climactic. Selwood took only 17 seconds to extend the Cats’ lead to 23 points and quick goals to Paul Chapman and Stokes finally ended the Adelaide resistance.
ADELAIDE 3.2 7.2 11.6 13.8 (86)
GEELONG 5.1 10.2 14.5 21.8 (134)
Goals
Adelaide: Jason Porplyzia 3, David Mackay 2, Patrick Dangerfield 2, Taylor Walker 2, Scott Thompson, Kurt Tippett, Jared Petrenko, Tyson Edwards
Geelong: Gary Ablett 3, Steve Johnson 3, Travis Varcoe 3, Cameron Mooney 2, Mathew Stokes 2, Max Rooke 2, Andrew Mackie, Mark Blake, Shannon Byrnes, Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman, Shane Mumford
Best
Adelaide: Nathan Bock, David Mackay, Tyson Edwards, Simon Goodwin, Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia, Graham Johncock, Taylor Walker
Geelong: Gary Ablett, Joel Selwood, Joel Corey, David Wojcinski, Cameron Ling, Steve Johnson, Jimmy Bartel, Andrew Mackie
Injuries
Adelaide: Jason Porplyzia (cut eye)
Geelong: Joel Selwood (cut cheek), Jimmy Bartel (cut eye), Darren Milburn (back) replaced in selected side by Tom Lonergan
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Ryan, Schmitt, Meredith
Official crowd: 40, 418 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
