The Eagles, who were also undefeated going into the match, looked flat for most of the night and struggled without some of their star players, dishing up their lowest ever score against Geelong, who were an attacking force around the ball.
The Cats burst out of the blocks, looking impressive in the centre from the beginning and that’s the way it stayed all night. With strong performances from skipper Joel Selwood and youngsters Cameron Guthrie and George Horlin-Smith, Geelong dominated the centre clearances racking up 13 for the match compared to the Eagles’ 7.
An early Selwood goal in the first term saw the Cats take the lead but some poor decisions and inefficienct ball use kept the Eagles in the game longer than they deserved. West Coast converted when given the chance and had luck on their side inside the forward 50 with some extraordinary goals going through.
Despite the scoreboard, at the first break it was frustratingly clear the Cats had wasted opportunities throughout the quarter.
The man-on-man play led to plenty of pressure around the footy for the next three quarters, with Geelong maintaining their dominance in the centre.
Nick Naitanui missed a snap from directly in front of goal late in the second, reflecting West Coast’s disappointing night.
Geelong went on to kick 12 unanswered goals to take charge of the match, with majority of play taking place inside the Cats forward 50.
Selwood copped a high knock early in the second term leaving him no choice but to don his infamous head strap.
Jared Rivers had a fantastic game down back, collecting 24 disposals and taking 7 marks, featuring in the best along with Selwood, Guthrie, Horlin-Smith, Mathew Stokes and Mitch Duncan.
Tom Hawkins looked fierce in the forward line, kicking three majors along with Selwood and Horlin-Smith.
The Cats now have a nine-day break before a blockbuster against the Hawks at the G.
