Geelong and Fremantle will relive their Elimination Final from last year on Saturday night at Simonds Stadium. Join our live blog with scores and commentary from 7.40pm AEST.
Second versus third on the ladder promises to be a fascinating match-up, with statistically the best defence coming up against the second-highest scoring team.
Chris Scott’s team will be furious after conceding a 52-point lead against Brisbane to lose after the siren, and the pride of players such as Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey and Corey Enright will ensure such an effort won’t be repeated.
In hindsight the collapse could turn out to be the wake-up call the Cats needed, not having as yet put together a four-quarter performance.
However the task will be made harder after Steve Johnson was hit with a suspension and will subsequently miss this week.
On the other hand, Ross Lyon has transformed the Dockers in to a team capable of competing with anyone, anywhere.
Despite still missing a host of names including Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands, the Dockers have proven so frugal that they are never out of the game, which helped them keep in touch with the Swans when they travelled to the SCG for a draw.
Their latest effort in holding North Melbourne to a measly 29 points embarrassed a team that has shown it can score heavily.
Geelong poses a much greater threat though, and the 67 points Fremantle scored last round surely won’t be enough for the Cats at their home ground.
While Michael Walters only kicked one goal in his return, Lyon will be hoping the gun small forward will be better for the run.
Along with Chris Mayne and Hayden Ballantyne, Fremantle’s small forwards could cause problems for Geelong’s backline.
Ultimately though, the game will come down to Geelong’s ability to break through the Dockers’ team defence.
The Cats have changed since they had more handballs than kicks and were taken advantage of by strong forward pressing teams in 2010, but have since shown vulnerability if not totally on their game, with specific reference to last year’s finals loss to Fremantle.
Lyon’s team will undoubtedly bring their trademark intensity, so it will be up to Geelong to lift their standard of play if they are to get the win.
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME Fremantle 7.2.44 Geelong 11.19.85 Outstanding performance from the Cats. Pressure was huge in the third quarter especially and suffocated the Dockers. Fremantle lacked the class in contested situations to get it forward in any meaningful way and struggled with targets in the forward line. The big names weren't great for the Cats but Christensen, Duncan and Stokes were very good in the midfield, while the half-back line of Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie and Corey Enright set up a wall. Dawson was quite good on Hawkins and McPharlin solid as well but the Dockers just got overwhelmed completely in the second half
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 0.30 Fremantle 7.2.44 Geelong 11.19.85 GOAL FREMANTLE Danyle Pearce shows his skills with a clean pick-up and handball to Walters who takes a shot and goals
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 0.53 Fremantle 6.2.38 Geelong 11.19.85 GOAL GEELONG Joel Corey marks in the forward line. He kicks a good goal
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 2.00 Fremantle 6.2.38 Geelong 10.19.79 Geelong meets Hawthorn next week, look like they will be in top form
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 4.24 Fremantle 6.2.38 Geelong 10.19.79 Bartell crunched Ballantyne twice in a couple of minutes in tackles. Very satisfying for everyone in Geelong
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 6.46 Fremantle 6.2.38 Geelong 10.19.79 GOAL GEELONG Hawkins marks by himself in the forward line. He handballs over the top and Simpson kicks the easiest goal he will have in his career
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 8.17 Fremantle 6.2.38 Geelong 9.19.73 GOAL FREMANTLE Good work from Danyle Pearce who kicks to Mayne in space who marks. He might have started to run in to goal before he tripped but the umpire gives him the benefit of the doubt and he's allowed to go back. Mayne kicks it from straight in front
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 10.30 Fremantle 5.2.32 Geelong 9.19.73 Throw-in inside the Geelong forward line. Clarke wins a free against Simpson. The Geelong ruckman has done well tonight. Taken a couple of good marks and his tap work is solid
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 11.50 Fremantle 5.2.32 Geelong 9.19.73 Kelly's clearance is intercepted by Walters but the Dockers can't get clean delivery forward and Taylor marks
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 12.08 Fremantle 5.2.32 Geelong 9.19.73 GOAL GEELONG Pressure on the Dockers runners but they've managed to work it inside 50 through Danyle Pearce who has his kick marked by Taberner. He goals
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 14.30 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 9.19.73 BEHIND GEELONG Mackie kicks high and long but Dawson does well against Hawkins to bump him at the right time. Ball-up in the Geelong goal square. Murdoch snaps but misses
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 15.45 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 9.18.72 BEHIND GEELONG Bartel marks going back and switches. Enright on the wing decides to switch back to Guthrie. Geelong kicking around until Bartel goes forward. Stokes roves and centres but only Dockers there. De Boer marked and kicks long but Taylor marks. He kicks to Christensen who marks and handballs to Kelly but he misses
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 17.45 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 9.17.71 GOAL GEELONG Murdoch snaps from the pocket and it goes through. Geelong making a statement tonight
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 18.15 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 8.17.65 BEHIND GEELONG Stokes centres but Mzungu marks. He kicks to Ballantyne but he's forced to kick down the line. The kick goes out on the full. Geelong work it up the line until the kick goes in. Podsiadly kicks out of the air from the boundary for a point
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
4th quarter 19.28 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 8.16.64 GOAL GEELONG Motlop runs in to an open goal and kicks it thanks to the work from Tom Hawkins
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
THREE-QUARTER TIME Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 7.16.58 As dominant a quarter as Geelong has produced this year. Pressure intense. Locked Fremantle in their defensive half for basically a whole quarter. Didn't allow the Fremantle forwards a reasonable chance to score. Mackie was good when called upon while Christensen continued racking up disposals. Cats letting themselves down in front of goal but fair to say Chris Scott wouldn't be happy if the Dockers kicked too many goals in the last quarter considering how inept the Cats just made Fremantle look
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
3rd quarter 1.37 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 7.16.58 BEHIND GEELONG Christensen misses another shot for the Cats
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
3rd quarter 1.37 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 7.15.57 Hawkins has been used as the target quite often tonight despite the spare hanging around him all night. Geelong needs another forward target to stand up and lend support.
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
3rd quarter 3.04 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 7.15.57 BEHIND GEELONG Hawkins handballs to Guthrie who takes a running shot at goal but misses. Poor kicking at goal from the Cats
Dinny Navaratnam
Roar Guru
3rd quarter 3.28 Fremantle 4.2.26 Geelong 7.14.56 Mackie switches the play but Stringer is sloppy. Fyfe gets Murdoch with a solid bump and he's wrapped up. Freo kick it forward but Mackie takes another intercept mark. Geelong half-back line has been very good when called upon, which hasn't been often this quarter