Geelong have secured second spot on the AFL ladder and a home qualifying final after belting Greater Western Sydney by 44 points at Simonds Stadium.
After trailing briefly early in the opening quarter, the Cats were never behind again and they went on to win 15.13 (103) to 8.11 (59).
If Richmond beat St Kilda on Sunday they will rise to third place and take on the Cats in the opening week of the finals at the MCG.
A Tigers’ loss against the Saints would set up a repeat clash for the Cats against the Giants in two weeks’ time, with that fixture almost certain to be scheduled at the MCG — despite Geelong’s clear preference for it to take place on their regular home ground.
Saturday night’s clash was in the balance at halftime when the Cats led by just seven points.
But it was pretty much one-way traffic in the second half.
Geelong kicked six goals to one in the third quarter to lead by 40 points at the final break.
The worst moment of the third quarter for the Giants came when big Rory Lobb lost his bearings in the defensive goal square and inexplicably failed to get a hand on a speculative long-range shot for goal from the impressive Jordan Murdoch.
Any slight chance of a Giants comeback was snuffed out in the first couple of minutes of the final term when Murdoch kicked a clever snap to blow the margin out to 47.
The Cats shared the load in attack, with 10 individual goalscorers, led by Sam Menegola with three.
He finished with a game-high 34 possessions and was well-supported in the midfield by superstar Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Duncan.
Jed Bews did a good job limiting the influence of Toby Greene, although the dangerous Giants forward still managed to kick three of his team’s eight goals.
GWS were best served by co-captain Callan Ward and Dylan Shiel.
But former Cats Steve Johnson and Shane Mumford were both largely ineffectual for the visitors, with the 34-year-old Johnson’s position in the GWS lineup for the final series now in some doubt.
Veteran Geelong defenders Andrew Mackie and Tom Lonergan did a circuit of the ground after the final siren to receive the plaudits of the crowd in the clearest sign yet that they will both retire at season’s end.