1. A four-quarter arm-wrestle
The Cats' 14-point lead midway through the third quarter was the biggest of the match until Dan Menzel put the Cats 16 points up at the 23-minute mark. That fact told the story of the game but here were heavyweight bouts wherever spectators looked with Patrick Dangerfield on Dylan Shiel, Joel Selwood on Callan Ward, Harry Taylor on Jeremy Cameron and Phil Davis on Tom Hawkins. The Cats controlled territory at times (the inside 50 count was 76 to 48) but could not break the Giants, while the visitors occasionally exploded from the middle but could not expose Geelong. It took champion Geelong skipper Joel Selwood, with 10 disposals and a clutch goal in the last quarter, to break the deadlock. But make no mistake, the Giants, having been on the road for two weeks in succession without a win, are the real deal.
2. Stevie J comes to play
It only took triple premiership player Steve Johnson four minutes to remind Cats supporters that the skills he mastered at Geelong were still in his kitbag when he opened the Giants' account with a crowd-silencing goal. Matched up on Cats' youngster Jake Kolodjashnij, the veteran sharked a pack at top pace and while charging towards the boundary, screwed the ball back over his shoulder for the Giants' first goal. It was his 178th goal at the venue but the first time one has been met with deathly silence, given he now wears a Giants jumper. The much-loved former Cat also showed some of his errant habits too with a kick out-on-the-full in the last quarter pleasing the parochial crowd. It was Johnson's only goal for the night and he battled hard for 19 disposals.
3. Consistent Cats keep record books on their side
Geelong was reminded of the fact it had not lost three games in a row in the same season since 2006, highlighting the unusual situation the Cats found themselves in heading into the game against the Giants. It played with renewed intensity around the ball and defended well but it was not out of danger at any point during the game. It actually looked to have blown its dominance late in the last quarter when the Giants drew within two points with momentum. But big Tom Hawkins, who has been struggling with his set shots all season, went back and kicked a huge goal at the 22-minute mark of the final quarter to swing the game back Geelong's way as the Cats' big guns lifted to win the clearances 15-10 in the final quarter.
4. Smith rises to the challenge
Zac Smith headed to Simonds Stadium with the biggest responsibility he had faced in his football career. With Rhys Stanley missing through injury, Smith had to confront the enormous frame of Shane Mumford, with only Mark Blicavs for back-up. He began the game with intent, fighting for the ball on the ground and finished the game with a season-high 10 clearances and a goal. Another new face, Lachie Henderson, also showed he was a man who could handle pressure with several telling marks throughout the game when opposition goals looked likely.
5. Tide turns for Geelong
Geelong has had a horror run in the free kick department, giving away at least 20 free kicks a game and being on the wrong side of the free kick count on eight of the first 10 games. However, they have never denied it was its problem rather than the umpires and on this important night, the tide turned in its favour and it won the free kick count 29-16. Even Steve Motlop received a free kick, his fifth for the season.
