A TOP-SIX spot locked in, a comfortable win in front of the home crowd and the return of champion forward Jeremy Cameron from injury – Saturday night couldn't have gone much better for Geelong.

The Cats have earned a week off and could finish as high as fourth if Hawthorn loses to West Coast on Sunday night, following their comprehensive 57-point victory over Richmond at GMHBA Stadium.

CATS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats

The home side did most of the damage in the first half, streaking to a 49-point lead at the main break before cruising to victory, 20.13 (133) to 11.10 (76).

Bailey Smith was arguably best afield, finishing with a game-high 40 disposals, 827 metres gained and three goals, while Shaun Mannagh collected 33 disposals and three goals.

It was almost as though Geelong coach Chris Scott dropped his coaching board on the way into the ground and forgot where he had placed his magnets, with several key Cats lining up in unfamiliar positions in the opening term.

Star forward Cameron, who was playing his first game since injuring his AC joint in round 18, started off the half-back line before moving forward in the second half.

Mannagh spent a large portion of the game in the midfield where he added another string to his bow, while still managing to drift forward for his three goals, all of which came inside the first 35 minutes.

Yet another regular attacker, Jack Martin, spent some time on the wing and added to the Cats' versatility.

With finals around the corner, Chris Scott is potentially looking for ways to fit all his in-form forwards in his side, with Shannon Neale (four goals), Jay Polkinghorne (two) and Oliver Henry (two) all shining throughout the evening.

Meanwhile, Richmond remains 17th on the ladder and could yet slide into last place if Essendon can defeat Port Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.  

While there was little at stake for the Tigers, it was evident Adem Yze’s team were doing their best to finish the year on a positive note.

The young group applied considerable effort and persisted throughout the four quarters, despite the obvious class and experience gap between the teams. The third quarter, in which they matched it with the home side, was an obvious positive for Tigers fans.

Veteran forward Tom Lynch, fresh off signing a one-year contract extension, competed hard up forward to finishing with three majors, while Tim Taranto (36 disposals, one goal) and Jack Ross (32 disposals) were also among their side's best.

Good day to be a Cats fan
Saturday was a historic day at GMHBA Stadium with the club’s AFLW and AFL teams playing their first double-header at the ground. To make the day even more memorable, both teams had significant wins, the AFLW team defeating St Kilda by 85 points earlier in the day before the AFL team won by 57 points. Cats supporters who came along to the footy-filled afternoon would have left the ground feeling very pleased with the performances of both sides.

Fourth position, but for how long?
Saturday night’s win puts Geelong in fourth position on the ladder, but with fifth-placed Hawthorn playing 16th-placed West Coast on Sunday night, it might be temporary. If the Hawks down the Eages, they will jump up to fourth spot and get the double chance, pushing the Cats down to fifth. You'd forgive any Cats fan for joining the blue and gold army from the west for one night as they follow Sunday night's contest.

GEELONG      6.4   12.6   15.11   20.13 (133)
RICHMOND      3.2   4.5   7.6   11.10 (76)

GOALS
Geelong: Neale 4, Mannagh 3, Dangerfield 3, Smith 3, Polkinghorne 2, O.Henry 2, Dempsey, Humphries, Edwards
Richmond: Lynch 3, Green 2, Ryan 2, Taranto, Campbell, Lefau, Ralphsmith

BEST
Geelong: Smith, Mannagh, Neale, O.Henry, Dangerfield
Richmond: Taranto, Ross, Nankervis, Campbell, Lynch

INJURIES
Geelong: Jack Henry (ankle)
Richmond: Sam Banks (elevated heart rate)

Crowd: 29,194 at GMHBA Stadium