On a day when Fremantle's fire faded along with the daylight at Skilled Stadium, Geelong's class prevailed after appearing unsettled early to run out winners 18.10 (118) to 6.8 (44).
Most of the discussion from the game is sure to focus on Fremantle's niggling tactics and the injuries to high-profile Geelong pair, Cameron Ling and Gary Ablett.
Brownlow favourite Ablett limped from the ground late in the second quarter after appearing to roll his ankle, while Ling was at the centre of the match's most controversial moment when he was collected high by Fremantle's Dean Solomon in the first quarter. Solomon was reported for the clash which came on the back of several spot-fires as the Cats retaliated to Fremantle's deliberately unsettling play.
Neither Ablett nor Ling returned to the ground and will be the subject of much scrutiny in the lead up to Geelong's big match with the Western Bulldogs next weekend.
Conditions were cold, grey and blustery when the match got under way but a fiery opening ensured things heated up quickly, both on and off the field.
Numerous incidents led to a lopsided free kick count early, with Fremantle the main beneficiaries. Unsurprisingly, this incensed the Cats faithful in the stands with security being called in around the Fremantle bench as tensions in the crowd rose to boiling point.
Eventually, Geelong settled to lead by 13 points at quarter time despite kicking into a strong breeze after Fremantle had won one of the more important coin tosses of the season.
Freo were held goalless in the second term as Geelong kicked another three to push their advantage out to 33 points by half time.
The lead was quickly stretched after the break thanks to a brace to ruckman-come-forward Brad Ottens, before Cameron Mooney and Tom Lonergan took the Cat's lead beyond the half century.
Chris Tarrant kicked two and Brett Peake one to haul Fremantle back a little, but the lead at three-quarter time was still an emphatic 51 points.
Tom Lonergan continued his recent run of form, adding his fourth major early in the final quarter, while Tarrant topped off an encouraging performance by grabbing his third.
But the Cats were toying with Fremantle and closed out the match with goals to Jimmy Bartel, Paul Chapman and another to Ottens, who benefited from a free kick and 50m penalty thanks to a Fremantle interchange indiscretion; a moment that seemed to sum up not only Fremantle's day but its entire season.
As he did in the teams' round six clash at Subiaco, Geelong's young onballer Joel Selwood performed brilliantly collecting 35 possessions and a goal. The Cats were also well served by Joel Corey (35 disposals) and Corey Enright (37 disposals and two goals).
Leading lights were harder to find for Fremantle with skipper Matthew Pavlich kept very quiet and under-the-pump small forward Jeff Farmer exerting almost no influence on the contest. Young guns Garrick Ibbotson and Chris Mayne, however, were again amongst their team's best in a sign that Freo's future could be brighter than its bleak present.
Both teams made late changes with Harry Taylor coming in for Geelong's James Kelly who missed due to a calf injury. Young Fremantle player Josh Head was forced out with an ear infection with his place taken by midfielder Brett Peake.
Geelong 4.2 7.7 13.10 18.10 (118)
Fremantle 2.1 2.4 5.7 6.8 (44)
GOALS
Geelong: Lonergan 4, Ottens 3, Bartel 2, Chapman 2, Enright 2, Ablett, Varcoe, Selwood, Mooney, Stokes
Fremantle: Tarrant 3, Pavlich, Mayne, Peake
BEST
Geelong: Selwood, Corey, Lonergan, Enright, Harley, Scarlett, Blake, Bartel, Hunt
Fremantle: Ibbotson, Mayne, Grover, McPharlin
INJURIES
Geelong: Ablett (ankle), Ling (fractured cheekbone), Kelly (calf) replaced in selected side by Taylor
Fremantle: Head replaced in selected side by Peake
Reports: Solomon (by Justin Schmitt for striking Ling)
Umpires: Schmitt, Wenn, Armstrong
Official crowd: 21,286 at Skilled Stadium
The views expressed in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or clubs
