After spending the better part of a decade as Geelong's number one ruckman, it is hard to imagine Rhys Stanley taking a game by the scruff of the neck as a spearhead forward. 

But on a chilly Friday night at GMHBA Stadium in 2016, that is precisely what happened as the big Cat posted career-high numbers to lead his team to an important win over the Western Bulldogs. 

Two monumental milestones dominated the headlines in the build up to the Round 19 clash with the Bulldogs; Corey Enright was set to break Ian Nankervis' Geelong games record, and Jimmy Bartel reached his 300th AFL game. 

The match itself was also crucial with second place down to seventh on the ladder all sitting equal with 12 wins, both Geelong and the Western Bulldogs part of that logjam with only five games remaining in the home and away season. 

05:56

Time Cat-Sule | Stan's The Man As Cats Pip Bulldogs

Rhys Stanley kicked 5 goals in this GMHBA encounter between the Cats and Dogs, as we look ahead to another blockbuster on Thursday night!

Reminiscing on his memories of the 2016 season and this particular game, Rhys Stanley said it was a nice period of consistency in his career. 

"I was excited to be playing, I had a period of time where I was injured and in and out of the side for a little bit," Stanley told Cats Media. 

"I had hammy issues and bits and bobs going on, so just to be playing in a side was awesome. Then to have the opportunity to come to the Cats and play here was pretty cool too.

"It was a home game, I remember that. I remember Jimmy Bartel running around with his beard at the time and the long sleeves, it was a chilly night at GMHBA Stadium, a good crowd and we got the win so it was a good night."

The two sides traded blows in an intense opening stanza with 10 goals being kicked, Geelong taking a one point lead into quarter time.

Stanley started hot kicking his third major just seven minutes into the second term, the Cats narrowly extending their lead to six points by the main break. Accuracy was the name of the game for both Geelong and the Bulldogs, with the two teams combining for 17 goals from 21 scoring shots in the opening half. 

The Dogs had the momentum early in the third quarter but could only manage four consecutive behinds, which left the door open for Geelong to make their big move. 

Mitch Duncan started the run, Patrick Dangerfield kicked two in 10 minutes and Stanley slammed through his fourth of the night, in the blink of an eye the Cats were out to a 27-point buffer at three quarter time. 

Stanley would boot a career-high fifth goal early in the final term, before Jimmy Bartel sealed the deal late in his milestone match with a left foot finish from long range, the Cats closing out an important 25-point win over the Bulldogs. 

"It was a good team win," Stanley joked when recalling his five-goal performance. 

"It was good fun, it was one of those games that you get on the end of a few and I got lucky.

"I remember there was one rolling out to the boundary line, I think it is the only one I continue to talk about just to remind a few of the young guys that big men can dribble these goals as well. I don't know if my hip rotate that far anymore, but back then was different nine years ago.

"It was good fun, I ended up with five goals and I was just running forward all night, not a heap of defence from me."

Stanley finished the night with five goals, five contested marks and 16 disposals, polling two of his four career Brownlow votes in the game. 

The three votes went to Patrick Dangerfield who casually racked up 33 disposals, 10 inside 50s, six clearances and three goals. 

Corey Enright accumulated 27 disposals in his record breaking night, while Bartel collected 25 disposals and the final goal to put the cherry on top of a brilliant night for Geelong. 

2016 Round 19 – Geelong v Western Bulldogs @ GMHBA Stadium

GEELONG CATS                 5.2      9.2      13.5      16.7       (103)
WESTERN BULLDOGS       5.1      8.2       8.8      11.12      (78)

GOALS: Stanley 5, Dangerfield, Motlop 3, Hawkins 2, Bartel, Duncan, Menzel 1

DISPOSALS: Dangerfield 33, Enright 27, Mackie 26, Bartel, Duncan 25, Selwood 22

BROWNLOW VOTES: Patrick Dangerfield (3), Rhys Stanley (2), Corey Enright (1)

CROWD: 24,331 @ GMHBA Stadium

GEELONG STARTING 22
1. Rhys Stanley
3. Jimmy Bartel
4. Andrew Mackie
5. Nakia Cockatoo
6. Lincoln McCarthy
7. Harry Taylor
8. Jake Kolodjashnij
9. Zac Smith
10. Daniel Menzel
13. Tom Lonergan
14. Joel Selwood
18. Josh Cowan
22. Mitch Duncan
24. Jed Bews
26. Tom Hawkins
27. Sam Menegola
29. Cameron Guthrie
32. Steven Motlop
35. Patrick Dangerfield
36. Tom Ruggles
44. Corey Enright
46. Mark Blicavs