It may not garner the same attention as others, but Geelong and Fremantle have become one of the most intriguing rivalries in recent history and it has produced some fascinating results over the journey. 

Since the Dockers entered the league in 1995, the two teams have squared off 48 times with the Cats coming out on top in 31 of those contests, but Fremantle also hold the upper hand with a 2-1 record in Finals. 

There have been milestone matches, close finishes and a number of games decided by a kick after the siren, all adding up to a brilliant and unpredictable rivalry. 

As the Cats head west for Friday night's blockbuster Semi-Final, take a look back at some of Geelong's best moments against Fremantle. 

1. Mannagh Sinks Dockers in 2024

Another high stakes game at Optus Stadium came near the end of the 2024 home-and-away season, with the Cats and Dockers both jostling for a spot in the top four and September looming large. 

The contest was fitting of the occasion, Geelong kicking away early before the home side hit back, with neither side leading by more than six points for nearly the entire second half. 

That was until Shaun Mannagh interjected. With the Cats narrowly in front and time ticking down, Mannagh nailed a finish in what was just his eighth AFL game, helping his side to secure a thrilling 11-point win. 

It would ultimately help Geelong to finish third on the ladder before going on to defeat Port Adelaide in a Qualifying Final, in a match which was also the perfect celebration for Jeremy Cameron in his 250th game. 

2. Cats Hang On as Mundy Misses After Siren

Kardinia Park has seen some extraordinary clashes along the journey and this was no exception, when the third-placed Cats hosted the fourth-placed Dockers in Round 20 of the 2014 season. 

Similar to the first moment on this list, Geelong took control early as they kicked five of the opening six goals, but a Nat Fyfe led Fremantle outfit clawed their way back into the contest prior to half time. 

The match would continue to go back and forth but the Cats opened up a 17-point buffer at the 18-minute mark of the final term, seemingly doing enough to stave off the visitors. 

But Fremantle had other ideas, recording the final five scoring shots of the match and pulling back within a kick, the final play of the game fell to David Mundy and gave him a chance to win the match. 

From a set-shot right on the 50 metre arc, Mundy hit the kick sweetly but it narrowly faded to the right of the goal post, the minor score meant that Geelong held on to win by two points.  

3. Tight Win on Milestone Day in 2000

Entrenched in the race for Finals, Geelong faced another important clash with the Dockers in Round 16 of the 2000 season at GMHBA Stadium, on a day where they celebrated the 250th game for Garry 'Buddha' Hocking and the 200th game for Tim 'Bluey' McGrath. 

The Cats led for a large portion of the game and held the lead through every change, but still had to fend off a strong finish from Fremantle with the visitors closing within six points before the final siren sounded, Geelong hanging on for another enthralling win. 

David Mensch and Clint Bizzell combined to kick seven of Geelong's 12 goals, Ben Graham was ultimately awarded two Brownlow votes, while the Cats and a packed crowd at GMHBA Stadium got the opportunity to celebrate the two milestone men in style. 

4. Post Saves Geelong in Subiaco Spectacular

Perhaps the most iconic game from this rivalry came in the wild west during the 2008 season, at the famous Subiaco Oval when the high flying Cats were tested by an energised Fremantle side. 

This time it was the Dockers who kicked away early, kicking seven of the first eight goals in the game while the Cats only had two majors to the 23-minute mark of the second term, before slamming home six goals in a nine-minute burst to pull within two points at half time. 

Fremantle then kicked four unanswered goals in the third quarter, before Geelong struck back with five consecutive majors in the final term in what was a simply fascinating contest, but the home side still had a chance to win it late. 

Matthew Pavlich had a set-shot with 40 seconds on the clock to put the Dockers in front, but his kick struck the right goal post, Harry Taylor then taking one last important mark to secure a remarkable one-point win for the Cats. 

5. Cats Pour on Record-Breaking 23 Unanswered Goals

A memorable clash for a different reason, Geelong surged to an incredible win in 2018 with one of the biggest streaks that the game has ever seen. 

Fremantle actually started the Round 22 clash strongly, kicking three goals to one in the first term and taking a nine-point lead into quarter time, before the Cats completely flipped the script. 

After the first break, Geelong kicked 10 goals in the second quarter, six in the third and another seven in the last, with Fremantle only managing five behinds across the final three quarters. 

It resulted in a whopping 23 unanswered goals for the Cats and a 147-5 scoreline across the last three terms, with Tom Hawkins' six-goal haul leading the way in the 133-point win.