Scintillating Cats topple Lions in AFL qualifying final

Perennial AFL premiership contenders Geelong have marched into a home preliminary final with a scintillating and spiteful 38-point qualifying final win over reigning premiers Brisbane.

The Cats dominated from the outset as they shrugged off the demons of last year’s preliminary final loss to the Lions, prevailing 16.16 (112) to 11.8 (74) in front of 86,364 at the MCG on Friday night.

Brisbane’s dire night got worse when co-captain Lachie Neale, on return from a quad strain, limped off with a right calf injury in the final quarter.

With their seventh straight win, Geelong, who join Collingwood in the final four, earn a week off before a remarkable 14th AFL preliminary final in 19 years.

Chris Fagan’s Brisbane will, potentially without Neale, attempt to save their premiership defence when they host the winner of Saturday’s elimination final between Fremantle and Gold Coast in next week’s semi-final.

Chris Scott’s charges dominated the midfield, winning centre clearances 12-17 and inside-50s 60-47.

With Rhys Stanley (hamstring) sidelined, ruckman Mark Blicavs (six clearances, 28 hitouts) was superb along with Max Holmes (23 disposals, 632 metres gained, one goal), Tom Atkins (10 tackles) and Ollie Dempsey (three goals, 25 disposals).

Tom Stewart (11 intercept possessions) was superb and Coleman Medallist Jeremy Cameron (2.3, seven marks) threatened to tear the game apart early but was let down by poor goal kicking.

Brisbane’s Jaspa Fletcher (20 disposals), Josh Dunkley (29 disposals), Dayne Zorko (35 touches, 776 metres gained) and co-captain Harris Andrews battled hard and pantomime villain Cam Rayner kicked three goals.

Oisin Mullin shut down Brisbane star Hugh McCluggage, who had a heavily taped left knee, while Neale was rusty on his return from a quad injury.

Brisbane enjoyed a dream start when Charlie Cameron strolled in for the opening goal.

Then Geelong seized control, dominating clearances (11-5) and inside-50s (17-7) in the first quarter - but were wasteful and led by just 11 at quarter-time.

Brisbane came out of the break with notably improved intent, but Shaun Mannagh sparked the Cats with his quick feet, and they surged to a 27-point lead.

Controversy struck when Tyson Stengle was lining up to put Geelong up by 33, and Mark O’Connor was arguably harshly penalised for shoving Rayner in the back in the opposing goal square.

Rayner kicked the goal - then was gifted a second when Zach Guthrie unnecessarily pushed him over, cutting Geelong’s half-time lead to 15 points.

But it proved merely a hiccup for Geelong, who surged again in the third term, with Bailey Smith and Holmes among those to strike as they nailed four of the final five goals of the quarter.

Dempsey brilliantly toe-poked a Patrick Dangerfield kick home on the goal line to deliver a 31-point lead at three-quarter time.

From there, it was party time for the Cats.