The penultimate week of the 2017 home and away season had plenty of drama and tension attached to it, as teams jostled for ascendancy on the ladder with September looming large. 

Geelong were not immune to this as they headed up the highway to take on Collingwood at the MCG in Round 22, entering the match in third position and vying for a top two spot on the ladder. 

The Magpies were mathematically out of the Finals race but as has been the case for a number of years, you simply can never take the challenge lightly against Collingwood. 

Earlier in the season the two teams met and Collingwood cruised to a 29-point victory, with the Cats eager to flip the script and solidify their spot in the standings entering the final round of the regular season. 

As the Cats prepare to celebrate Tom Stewart's 200th game this weekend, take a look back at his first victory over the Magpies in this classic clash from the 2017 season. 

06:05

Time Cat-Sule | Danger Delivers In Stewart's Big Pies Clash

Patrick Dangerfield was at his best in this tense clash against the Pies at the MCG, in what was one of Tom Stewart's first battles against Collingwood at the famous ground.

Geelong might have been keen to show that they were up for the fight, but it was Collingwood that controlled proceedings early and they capitalised on the momentum with a dominant first quarter. 

Mason Cox and Will Hoskin-Elliott both kicked two goals for the home side in the opening term, with the Magpies piling on six of the first seven goals of the contest to leave the Cats 28 points adrift and needing to find some sort of response. 

A late goal from Sam Menegola stemmed the bleeding but Geelong still remained 23 points behind at quarter time, struggling to find effective routes to goal and battling to hit the scoreboard. 

But things would shift at both ends of the ground for the Cats in the second term, notably able to limit Collingwood's running and holding them to just two scoring shots for the entire quarter. 

While they started to lock the game down defensively, Geelong were also able to find some fluency in attack as they kicked four goals of their own, pulling the margin back to just three points heading into half time. 

The scoring started to dry up in the third term but the Cats were able to convert their limited opportunities, with Menegola kicking his second and putting the visitors in front for the first time in the match. 

But just as it looked like Geelong might kick away, Collingwood put together another challenge with two goals late in the quarter, putting the Magpies four points ahead at three quarter time. 

With everything that was at stake for the Cats in this match, the tension was through the roof as play commenced in the final quarter and neither team was able to make their presence felt on the scoreboard. 

It was not until the 16-minute mark that Patrick Dangerfield broke into some space, steadying and launching through a long range kick from outside the paint of 50 to snatch the lead back for the Cats. 

Minutes later, Geelong would find another golden opportunity which Jordan Murdoch would convert, proving to be the dagger and the final goal of the game as the Cats closed out an important 11-point victory. 

A telling factor was Geelong's performance defensively, holding the Magpies to just a solitary behind in the fourth term and limiting them to just 59 points for the day, led by this week's milestone man Tom Stewart. 

Mitch Duncan (32 disposals) received the three Brownlow votes, Sam Menegola (28 disposals, two goals) was equally as important, while Patrick Dangerfield (32 disposals, 12 clearances, two goals) did as he pleased. 

2017 Round 22 – Collingwood v Geelong

COLLINGWOOD     6.1    7.2    9.4     9.5    (59)
GEELONG CATS      2.2    6.5    8.6   10.10  (70)

GOALS: Dangerfield, Menegola, Murdoch 2, Bews, Buzza, Parsons, Taylor 1

DISPOSALS: Dangerfield, Duncan 32, Menegola 28, Tuohy 27, C.Guthrie 22, Stewart 21

BROWNLOW VOTES: Mitch Duncan (3), Sam Menegola (2), Taylor Adams (1)

CROWD: 47,889 @ MCG

GEELONG STARTING 22
2. Zach Tuohy
4. Andrew Mackie
7. Harry Taylor
8. Jake Kolodjashnij
9. Zac Smith
10. Daniel Menzel
12. Wylie Buzza
13. Tom Lonergan
16. Scott Selwood
21. Jordan Murdoch
22. Mitch Duncan
24. Jed Bews
25. Lachie Henderson
27. Sam Menegola
29. Cameron Guthrie
32. Steven Motlop
34. James Parsons
35. Patrick Dangerfield
37. Sam Simpson
39. Zach Guthrie
40. Jackson Thurlow
44. Tom Stewart