Geelong took down the reigning premiers on Sunday afternoon in a sensational display, led by a strong performance from the defence unit. 

At the forefront of the Cats backline was Anna-Rose Kennedy, who had a prolific impact on the result against Brisbane. 

For Kennedy it was just the 10th game of her AFLW career, but she continues to develop as a reliable player across Geelong's last line of defence. 

The Irish star collected 18 disposals on Sunday, double her previous career high while also gaining a game high 587 metres to drive the Cats ball movement. 

Cats coach Dan Lowther touched on Kennedy's performance in his post game press conference. 

"Absolutely outstanding, there was a reason why we played her in the Prelim last year," Lowther said.

"That is how much faith we have in Anna-Rose's ability to play the game.

"She is still learning, but today was a really big step forward."

Kennedy's performance was symbolic of the wider team's defensive performance, holding a potent Brisbane Lions attack to just five goals for the day. 

A big factor was Geelong's plans to stifle Lions spearhead Taylor Smith, holding the AFLW's leading goal-kicker to just one behind. 

It was a terrific performance from the Cats, who will look to carry their momentum into Saturday's clash with West Coast.