Tests do not get much bigger than this for Geelong as they prepare for a Grand Final rematch, heading to the Gabba for a battle with Brisbane on Thursday night. 

The two teams have not met since last year's season decider but both have started 2026 in strong form, with the Cats and Lions only separated by percentage with a 6-3 record to this point of the season. 

Geelong will be looking to build on their back-to-back victories in Round 8 and 9, comfortably defeating Collingwood by 54 points at the MCG on Saturday night. 

This weekend will also mark the AFL's Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which celebrates First Nations people as a source of strength within the game, highlighting the enduring impact through shared moments, relationships and lived stories and driving the key message that the AFL acknowledges the game is stronger when we have First Nations players.

The Cats will wear a special First Nations Guernsey titled 'Saltwater Stories Volume 2,' which was designed by Meeza and Lawson Humphries. 

With a short turnaround into the blockbuster clash, take a look ahead to Geelong's clash with Brisbane, proudly presented by Villawood Properties. 

KEY DETAILS 

2026 AFL Season | Round 10

Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats

Gabba, Brisbane

Thursday May 14, 7.30pm AEST

LAST TIME WE MET

It is probably not a game that Cats fans want to relive, but Geelong's last meeting with Brisbane came in the 2025 Grand Final, with the Lions pulling away in the final quarter to win by 47 points. 

The match was a fascinating battle for three quarters, with scores level until late in third term before Brisbane piled on 11 goals to one in a dominant run, clinching back-to-back premierships. 

Max Holmes (33 disposals, eight score involvements) tried hard all day, Ollie Dempsey (19 disposals, four goals) finished the game strongly, while Lawson Humphries (23 disposals, five intercepts) was firmly among the Cats' best on a disappointing day. 

HOW TO GET TICKETS

Tickets are on sale for Thursday's blockbuster clash with Brisbane, follow the link below to secure your seat through Ticketmaster. 

Head to Geelong Cats Membership page to see all available membership options for the remainder of the season. 

WHERE TO WATCH 

Geelong's Round 10 clash with Brisbane will be broadcast live and free on Channel 7 from 7.00pm AEST, with the game set to start at 7.30pm. 

The match will also be broadcast on Fox Footy and streamed through Kayo from 7.00pm. 

Cats fans can also listen to all the action on K rock from 6.00pm AEST, tune in via FM 95.5 across Geelong & the Surf Coast, the K rock app or the AFL app.

Make sure to follow @GeelongCats social media channels for updates pre, during and post game.

SIR DOUG NICHOLLS ROUND

Rounds 10 and 11 of the AFL season will be Sir Doug Nicholls Round, recognising and celebrating the impact of First Nations people on our great game. 

Geelong's clash with Brisbane will commence the Round on Thursday night, with the Cats to wear a special guernsey designed by Meeza and Lawson Humphries titled 'Saltwater Stories Volume 2.' 

There are two iterations of the guernsey, a white version which Geelong will wear on Thursday and a blue edition, which will be worn during next week's clash with Sydney. 

Click here to find out more information on the guernsey.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Shannon Neale

Prior to the 2020 Grand Final, the Cats held a reasonably strong record at the Gabba but that has changed in recent history, recording four losses in their last five outings at the venue. 

A significant factor in those games has been Geelong's inability to hit the scoreboard, with a top score of 63 points in those last five games and an average of 55 points per game. 

Needing a boost in front of goal, Shannon Neale will be a key Cat on Thursday night as he looks to continue his strong season, having kicked 20 goals from nine games so far in 2026. 

Neale has had a number of enthralling battles with Harris Andrews in recent years, but he will need to get the better of the Lions co-captain if Geelong are to come away with victory this week. 

It has been touted as one of the toughest tests in football for an extensive period of time, but if Thursday night was anything to go by, there may be no test too big for this Cats outfit in 2026 as they stormed to a dominant 41-point victory over Brisbane at the Gabba. 

Aside from a brief period at the start of the second quarter, Geelong were clinical and ultra-consistent in their effort as they took away the Lions' strengths and found numerous avenues to goal, able to consistently impact the scoreboard at a venue that has proven difficult to score at in recent years. 

While there were plenty of Cats that rose to the occasion, there were none better than Shaun Mannagh who put together a game for the ages, finishing the night with 30 disposals and five goals, both career-highs in a simply superb night for the star forward. 

Bailey Smith continued his extraordinary start to the season with another barnstorming performance, collecting a game-high 34 disposals and seven clearances, while also adding 12 score involvements and two goals. 

Tom Stewart (28 disposals) was stoic and inpenetrable in defence with an incredible 17 intercept possessions, well supported by Connor O'Sullivan (15 disposals, eight intercepts) and Lawson Humphries (22 disposals, eight intercepts) who were both brilliant, while Max Holmes (26 disposals, five clearances) and Oisin Mullin (17 disposals, 10 tackles) were both very influential throughout the night. 

In a rich vein of form, there was plenty of speculation about who Oisin Mullin would go to during the week and he started on Lachie Neale, with the Irishman nearly kicking a brilliant goal early before dishing off a goal assist to Brad Close to open proceedings. 

Geelong looked up for the challenge and generated plenty of opportunities in the first term, but it took some time to get the reward on the scoreboard until Dangerfield made his presence felt, before Bailey Smith and Jeremy Cameron produced some magic from tight against the boundary line to capitalise on a dominant quarter of football. 

Around the ground it was a phenomenal start for the Cats, comfortably leading the inside 50 count (23-8) and the clearance battle (14-8), helping to open up a 22-point lead heading into the first break. 

Smith and Holmes were heavily influential early collecting 19 disposals between them in the opening quarter, while Tom Stewart was the general across half back picking off four intercept marks. 

Against a quality opponent, it was a certainty that Brisbane would mount a challenge and they roared back into the contest, kicking four unanswered goals in the second quarter to negate Geelong's hot start and level the scores. 

Ollie Henry eventually steadied the ship for the Cats and Shannon Neale unleashed a brilliant set-shot from outside 50, before Smith nailed another exquisite finish to put the visitors 12 points clear at half time. 

Geelong's premier midfielder was the key driver in the opening half, with Smith collecting 16 disposals to go with his two goals and seven score involvements. Holmes collected a game-high 19 disposals along with five clearances, while Stewart was simply incredible taking six intercept marks and collecting 10 intercept possessions. 

Looking to re-establish dominance after the main break, the Cats started sprightly with a brilliant chain that led to Mullin's third career goal, before Shaun Mannagh emulated the greats of a different football code with an outstanding volley out of mid-air. 

Not for the first time this year, Mannagh was not satisfied with one goal as he curled home a second, then soccered through a third all within a matter of minutes and in the blink of an eye, Geelong were out to a game-high 35-point lead. 

Ollie Henry capped off a brilliant blitz with a perfect front-and-centre crumb and goal, the Cats pouring on five goals in just seven minutes of play to push the lead beyond 40 points. 

Brisbane were able to stem the momentum at a crucial stage in the match, the home side kicking the final two goals of the third term but Geelong still held a healthy 29-point buffer at three quarter time. 

It was Mannagh's sublime display that did the damage, collecting 12 disposals to go with his three goals and a goal assist to help the visitors kick clear. 

One final burst was all the Cats were looking for to put the game away in the fourth quarter, Cameron gave his side an almighty boost as he curled home the first goal to extend the lead back beyond 30 points. 

Neale hit the scoreboard and Mannagh kicked his career-high fifth major, with the Cats closing out a dominant 41-point victory at the Gabba. 

2026 AFL Season - Round 10

BRISBANE    2.1    7.3   10.6     11.10   (76)  
GEELONG     5.5   8.9   14.11   17.15  (117) 

GOALS
Brisbane: Cameron 3, Morris 2, Rayner, McKenna, Draper, Curtin, Bailey, L.Ashcroft 1
Geelong: Mannagh 5, Cameron 3, Smith, Neale, O.Henry 2, Mullin, Dangerfield, Close 1

BEST
Brisbane: Dunkley, Cameron, Wilmot, Reville
Geelong: Mannagh, Stewart, Smith, Holmes, Cameron, Bruhn

CROWD: 29,221 @ Gabba