MATHEW Stokes and James Kelly will let the emotion die down before deciding whether they want to try to continue their AFL careers elsewhere, while Steve Johnson has already indicated he will seek another opportunity.
Post-game Stokes was relieved, while Kelly was emotional yet satisfied.
Johnson preferred to let his football do the talking, entertaining the crowd with left-foot barrels, kicks off the ground, snap shot goals and chest marks he had no right to take.
He kicked 2.6 with 12 shots for goal while Kelly and Stokes picked up 28 disposals between them in the final quarter.
While none of the three departed exactly at the time they chose, the final act was enjoyable.
Stokes, who had known he would not be offered a contract in 2016 for a week and a half, admitted he had not slept for two nights leading into the game.
He didn't like being the focus of attention, whether he was being praised or questioned, but he was pleased with the last game.
"It's been hard. I'm glad it's over. To get it over and done with, I'm really glad we finished this way," Stokes said.
Kelly had known for about six or seven weeks he was finishing up with the Cats but he had kept the news to himself for the good of the team and himself.
"It was the best thing for the group to keep it under wraps, and I was really keen to just keep playing well and maybe push for another finals campaign," Kelly said.
He said he was proud to be on the ground at the end with his son Jack, and to have been part of a club that provided him with so much joy.
But it didn't make things easy.
"It’s hard to swallow. You’re kidding yourself if you think it’s not hard to swallow," Kelly said.
But he accepted that all careers come to an end and the Cats had to make the hard call on players.
On Saturday, knowing the final day had arrived he bounced out of bed, ready for action.
He admitted at times the uncertainty had weighed on his mind over the past few seasons, but not in recent times as he vowed to smell the roses.
"When the end was in sight I was just really adamant I wanted to do the things I enjoyed, and enjoy being here," Kelly said.
However, he was not prepared to answer whether this was the end or whether he would seek an opportunity elsewhere.
"I’m not sure. It’s a hard thing. I’ve had a while to think about it and I still don’t have an answer," Kelly said.
"At the moment I’m just happy with what I’ve been able to do at Geelong."
Stokes said the Cats' decision was not a complete shock to him given he'd played VFL in 2015, and he accepted it in good grace.
"I don't know what else you can ask for as a player, to have someone like him (football manager Steve Hocking) sit down and tell me man-to-man, and go through the whole decision process.
“The most important thing is the club always comes first, no matter the individual, what they've done," Stokes said.
"I want to sit back in a couple of years time and watch this team succeed. If that means I have to go probably a year earlier than I thought, so be it. They're doing what they think is best for the club.
“As a player and a Geelong man, you've just got to back them that they've made the right decision."
Time will tell, but no-one will take away what the trio have been part of – a great Geelong premiership era - and they have become better people for the experience.
"I love this club," Stokes said. "I'm really grateful that I came here a kid and I'll walk out a man."
