Tom Hawkins marks strongly.
Photo: AAP
After suffering a rare loss at home in round six, Geelong rediscovered their winning ways just six days later, dismembering an undermanned Greater Western Sydney under the lights at GMHBA Stadium.
They put the result beyond doubt in the third quarter when they kicked five goals to the Giants two behinds and eventually ran out 61-point winners with a Giants only passing their lowest ever score deep into time-on of the last quarter.
While the Cats' injury list is as long as the weekly shopping list, the Giants were in worse shape.
They lost leading goalkicker Jeremy Cameron and Brett Deledio during the week, the talented joining Toby Greene, Tom Scully, Josh Kelly and Rory Lobb on the sidelines.
It wasn't just those disadvantages that made this such a rout however.
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Geelong showed from the first bounce they were in for a fight, battling hard inside the contest and using the ball well to two tall targets in Tom Hawkins and Esava Ratugolea.
That pair dominated in the air while a desperate ground patrol that included Cory Gregson, Lachie Fogarty and occasionally Patrick Dangerfield mopped up anything that spilled free.
In the second half Stewart Crameri, playing his first game with the Cats and his 100th AFL game, joined the party too.
Stewart Crameri (centre) enjoys his first goal at his third AFL club.
Photo: AAP
The Cats ended the game with 17 marks inside 50 compared to the Giants two with the only concern for their forwards coming in the second quarter when Tom Hawkins arrived late to a marking contest and corked Nick Haynes.
The umpire warned Hawkins not to touch him when he ran in to settle players down.
By contrast the had no key forwards with Jonathon Patton having to shoulder ruck duties with former Collingwood tall Lachie Keeffe, playing his first game for four years, brought in to provide some support.
The Giants began with Stephen Coniglio up forward, an indication of their desperation which robbed their midfield of talent.
However they didn't help their cause with appalling ball use giving their forwards no chance and allowing Geelong's defence to mark forward entries with ease.
It was most unlike the Giants who can usually carve up opponents with their kicking however against the Cats they kicked as indiscriminately as a wrestler trying to get off their back when pinned.
Jonathon Patton spoils Joel Selwood.
Photo: AAP
Jack Henry, playing just his sixth game, was outstanding, his judgement and decision making when in the air making him look like a wily veteran.
It was not only a lack of numbers that allowed Geelong to win the midfield battle.
The Cats were more desperate in tight than the Giants with Rhys Stanley rucking after earning a reprieve when Zac Smith withdrew with a back problem.
Tim Kelly was the most creative and dominant midfielder in the game while the skipper Joel Selwood ensured the defensive aspects were handled, keeping Callan Ward quiet.
At half-time Kelly had 16 disposals and the captain had seven tackles with the energetic Mitch Duncan doing whatever grunt work required at stoppages.
The team stepped the pace up in the third quarter and the Giants were like gasping marathon runners losing the leading pack as they kept giving their opposition more and more space.
The Cats were allowed to switch the ball without pressure on the receiver, moving the ball through the middle without concern.
There was little Leon Cameron could do from the coach's box. He tried to push Jeremy Finlayson forward but it was more for appearances sake than with any sense that such a move could turn the game.
At three-quarter time the Giants had kicked just 2.7 (19), their lowest score at the final break in their short history and their effort was poor.
Finlayson kicked a goal early in the last quarter, his first in AFL, to drag the margin back to 49 points but by that time there was more life in the dead sea than there was in the match.
With key defender Harry Taylor and champion midfielder Gary Ablett a chance to return next week against Collingwood the Cats are well placed having negotiated a tricky patch while the Giants credentials are being challenged.
Dylan Shiel breaks away from the centre square.
Photo: AAP
GEELONG 4.1 7.2 12.3 14.9 (93)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.0 2.5 2.7 4.8 (32)
GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 4, Ratugolea 2, Dangerfield 2, Crameri 2, Gregson, Murdoch, Thurlow, Stewart.
GWS: Finlayson 2, Ward, Lloyd.
BEST
Geelong: Hawkins, Kelly, Henry, Duncan, J Selwood, Gregson, Blicavs
GWS: Shiel, Coniglio, Haynes
VOTES
Tom Hawkins (Geelong) 8
Tim Kelly (Geelong) 7
Jack Henry (Geelong) 7
Mitch Duncan (Geelong) 7
Joel Selwood (Geelong) 7
CROWD
25,079 at GMHBA Stadium.
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Peter Ryan joined The Age in 2017 having covered AFL as a senior reporter with AFL Media.
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