1. The Cats move into the top four
While the top eight is now finalised, the positions within it are still up for grabs. Geelong came into this match in fifth position with a percentage of 135.4 after GWS' big win over Fremantle. The Cats needed a big win to leap the Giants into the top four and keep a four-point buffer on them. The 60-point win over the Brisbane Lions was enough to not only pass the Giants, but also Hawthorn, and land the Cats in third position with 137.7 per cent. Crucially for the rest of the competition, it means Hawthorn has slipped to fourth spot, after being two games clear on top of the ladder only three weeks ago.

2. Second-quarter turnaround
The Lions have had dismal second quarters this year, conceding 10 goals to GWS, nine to Fremantle, and seven to both West Coast and Port Adelaide. And after Geelong had kicked seven goals in their opening quarter, a similar result was expected – but someone forgot to tell the Lions. They came out firing, kicking six goals after managing only one in the first, and holding the Cats to just two. They pressured the Cats around the stoppages, won more of the contested ball, and weren't afraid to move the ball through the middle of the ground. By half-time, they had cut the margin from 36 to just 15 points.

3. Henderson a finals wildcard?
Geelong coach Chris Scott said before the game Lachie Henderson would start in the forward line after spending virtually the whole year as a defender. The key-position player had been thrown around when he player at Carlton, but has been a steady influence down back for the Cats. Henderson kicked two goals against the Lions, and was an effective foil for Tom Hawkins. He also released Shane Kersten to move further up the ground, opening up the forward 50 for Steven Motlop (four goals) and Lincoln McCarthy (two). Coming into finals, Henderson gives the Cats a useful option if things aren't going to plan.

4. Menegola makes his mark
Sam Menegola is a study in persistence. The midfielder had spent four years on rookie lists (2011 with Hawthorn, 2012-14 with Fremantle) without playing a senior game, and returned to the WAFL in 2015, where he finished third in the Sandover Medal despite missing the first 10 games. He was drafted to Geelong at the end of last year, and made his debut in round 18. Menegola has barely missed a beat since, slotting into the Cats' line-up with ease and had 33 disposals in just his fifth match. Against the Lions, the 24-year-old also had six marks, eight clearances and eight inside-50s, and could be in line for a finals berth in just his first season.

5. The apprentice beats the master
Rhys Mathieson has quickly developed a reputation for drawing head-high free kicks in his first year in the AFL, and on Sunday he came head-to-head with the master, Joel Selwood. The two clashed inside the Lions' forward-50 in the second quarter, and Selwood came off second best. He tackled Mathieson, who won a free for head-high contact, and promptly went back and kicked an important goal. The 19-year-old showed he wasn't intimidated by Selwood's standing in the game, and Selwood responded by imitating Mathieson's "shot-gun" celebration from a few weeks ago.