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

CROWD: TBC @ Gabba