Geelong and the Western Bulldogs have played out some incredible games in recent history and last year was no exception, as the two teams locked horns while the Cats celebrated Mitch Duncan's 300th career game. 

Both sides were level on the ladder with six wins from their first 10 games, fighting for a spot in the top four heading into the middle portion of the season. 

All eyes were fixated on one of the main headlines going into the night, as Bailey Smith squared off with his old side for the very first time after his well-publicised move to the Cattery at the end of 2024. 

There was an abundance of skill on display and it quickly turned into a remarkable contest, with plenty of free-flowing and high-scoring football being played in front of a rowdy Geelong crowd at GMHBA Stadium. 

The game certainly lived up to the hype early as both teams hit the scoreboard with ease, trading blows throughout the opening quarter before the Dogs nailed two goals in three minutes to end the term, leaving Geelong trailing by three points at the first break. 

Determined to put in a strong performance, Smith ran riot through the middle early and was matched by Max Holmes, with the pair collecting 23 disposals between them in the first quarter alone. 

After an even start, Geelong blew the game wide open in a barnstorming second term as they reeled off six unanswered goals, led by three majors from Jeremy Cameron to give the Cats a 25-point buffer heading into half time. 

Cameron had a game-high four goals at the main break, Holmes and Smith continued on from their strong starts, while Shannon Neale recorded seven score involvements and two goals to give the Cats the upper hand.  

A fascinating third quarter unfolded as the Cats maintained a five goal buffer until midway through the term, but the Bulldogs would kick four of the last five majors in the quarter to close the gap to just 10 points at the final change. 

All in all, 12 goals were kicked between the two teams in the third term and the Cats had exceeded the century mark for the game, setting the stage for an epic finish. 

The scoring dried up and the intensity lifted in the final term, the Bulldogs controlled general play but only kicked two goals from six scoring shots, leaving the scores level 20 minutes into the fourth quarter. 

But with the game on the line, Shannon Neale stood tall and nailed two goals in quick succession, combined with another late goal from Tyson Stengle as Geelong staved off a big challenge from the Bulldogs. 

Holmes' 33 disposals and eight clearances were enough to clinch the three Brownlow votes, Cameron received the two votes for his six-goal haul, while Neale matched his career-high with five goals. 

It was a perfect celebration for a club champion as Mitch Duncan celebrated his 300th game in style, while Smith earned the early bragging rights over his old side. 

2025 AFL Season - Round 11

GEELONG CATS                  5.1    11.4    16.5     20.7    (127) 
WESTERN BULLDOGS      5.4     6.9    13.13   16.17    (113)

GOALS
Geelong Cats: Cameron 6, Neale 5, Mannagh, Stengle 2, Holmes, O.Henry, Blicavs, Atkins, Dempsey 1
Western Bulldogs: Naughton, Kennedy 3, Vandermeer, Richards, Khamis 2, West, Freijah, English, Davidson 1

BEST
Geelong: Cameron, Holmes, Neale, Smith, Blicavs
Western Bulldogs: Richards, Kennedy, O’Donnell, Bontempelli, Lobb

Crowd: 32,641 at GMHBA Stadium