Third v fourth on the ladder, Joel Selwood and Jimmy Bartel v Nat Fyfe, Harry Taylor v Matthew Pavlich..... Geelong's 2014 clash with Fremantle had it all. 

Entering the final month of the home and away season, the Cats and Dockers had everything to play for when they met at GMHBA Stadium, both having the chance to enter the top two if they could come out victorious in this blockbuster clash. 

Geelong had found plenty of momentum and went into the clash on a five game win streak, but they were squaring off against a strong Fremantle side that included Fyfe, who was ultimately in the midst of a stretch where he polled the maximum Brownlow votes in five of his last seven games. 

The stage was set under the bright lights at the Cattery and the crowd was rocking on the crisp Saturday night, the match certainly lived up to the occasion. 

With all the offensive power on show in the contest, it was a surprise to see a low scoring opening quarter as both teams eased their way into the match early. 

Jimmy Bartel pushed forward to kick the first goal of the game and added a second major near the end of the first quarter, capping off a brilliant start for the Cats as they edged 16 points clear at the first break. 

With momentum going the Cats way, Joel Selwood hit the scoreboard early in the second term to extend the margin but Fyfe would begin to make his presence felt, kicking two goals of his own to help the Dockers close the gap to 11 points at half time. 

The pressure was mounting and the gap on the scoreboard closing, but Bartel once again proved to be the unlikely asset inside 50 as he opened the second half with his third goal of the contest. 

Quick goals to Steven Motlop and Allen Christensen followed shortly after, with Josh Caddy kicking another major late as Geelong looked to make a decisive move and opened up a 24 point buffer at three quarter time. 

The Cats faithful were bringing the noise and with momentum flowing the way of the blue and white Hoops, Geelong were well on their way to a big victory and a spot in the top two on the ladder. 

Or so everybody thought. 

The scoring dried up in the final term and Fremantle made crucial inroads into the margin, kicking the opening two goals of the quarter and pulling the deficit back to 10 points with plenty of time remaining. 

With eight minutes remaining, Jared Rivers made a huge play charging out from the last line of defence to stop a Fremantle attack, which the Cats were able to capitalise on and turn into a Mitch Duncan goal which looked to be a telling blow in the context of the game. 

But as had been the case all night, the Dockers found an answer when they needed it with two goals in three minutes, all of a sudden cutting the margin to less than a kick with five minutes to go. 

The Cats then had to withstand a number of nervous moments, the first coming off the boot of Matthew Pavlich who nearly converted a difficult set-shot to take the lead, but his kick slammed into the left goal post. 

Zac Clarke could only register another minor score with time ticking down, before the deciding moment came when David Mundy took a sliding mark inside 50, giving him a long range set-shot opportunity to win the game.

The siren sounded, Mundy approached, his kick left the boot and looked on line, but it drifted right late. 

Geelong held on to win an absolute thriller by two points. 

It was an iconic night written into Kardinia Park folklore, Harry Taylor claiming the three Brownlow votes after taking an astonishing 19 marks (nine intercept marks) and 13 intercept possessions. 

Mitch Duncan (23 disposals, two goals), Joel Selwood (27 disposals, 11 tackles) and Jimmy Bartel (17 disposals, three goals) were heavily influential through the midfield, while Corey Enright (27 disposals) was instrumental alongside Taylor in locking down the defensive 50. 

2014 Round 20 – Geelong v Fremantle

GEELONG CATS     4.2    7.4    11.6    12.9    (81)
FREMANTLE           1.4     5.5    7.6    11.13   (79)

GOALS: Bartel 3, Duncan, Mackie 2, Caddy, Christensen, Hawkins, Motlop, Selwood 1

DISPOSALS: Selwood, Enright, Taylor 27, Duncan 23, Mackie, Christensen, Kelly 22

BROWNLOW VOTES: Harry Taylor (3), Nat Fyfe (2), Joel Selwood (1)

CROWD: 26,855 @ GMHBA Stadium

GEELONG STARTING 22
3. Jimmy Bartel
4. Andrew Mackie
5. Travis Varcoe
7. Harry Taylor
9. James Kelly
13. Tom Lonergan
14. Joel Selwood
17. Hamish McIntosh
20. Steve Johnson
21. Jordan Murdoch
22. Mitch Duncan
23. Josh Caddy
25. Jared Rivers
26. Tom Hawkins
27. Mathew Stokes
28. Allen Christensen
29. Cameron Guthrie
32. Steven Motlop
33. George Horlin-Smith
39. Shane Kersten
44. Corey Enright
46. Mark Blicavs