Grand occasion: Ominous Geelong reach the season decider

And it was in defence where Geelong reigned supreme. By half-time they had made 13 intercepts, playing with a spare behind the ball. Tom Stewart, Kade Kolodjashnij, Jack Henry and Tom De Koning dominated the airspace.

It followed that the Lions’ vaunted forward line made no impact. Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood and Dan McStay didn’t get a sniff. Neither, for that matter did Charlie Cameron – the ball was rarely allowed to come to ground.

Very quickly, Brisbane began to make mistakes they couldn’t afford. Hipwood, so good against Melbourne but yet to touch the Sherrin, grassed a chest mark on the wing in the second quarter. Zac Guthrie pumped it to Gary Rohan, who opened his own account.

Two minutes later, Zac Bailey turned the ball over and the Lions were punished again, this time by the very lively Gryan Miers, who played his best game. The only blemish was Hawkins, who missed four set shots in the first half, three of them straightforward.

But Hawkins did get on the end of a coast-to-coast play that helped extend the margin to five goals at half-time, and when the match resumed, it was Hawkins who got the ball to Tyson Stengle, who wheeled and buried his second goal from deep in a pocket.

Cameron got one back from a free kick, but then Miers found Hawkins yet again, and this time, he threaded the shot. There would be no coming back for the Lions from there – not with so many players subdued; even less with the Cats running hot.

Eventually, Hawkins began to find his range, finishing with four goals to edge ahead of teammate Jeremy Cameron as the Cats’ leading goalkicker for the year. Hawkins is 34 and has played 325 games. He will be looking for his third premiership medal next week.

Captain Joel Selwood, who will go past Michael Tuck’s record of 39 finals next week, will be chasing a fourth flag in his 354th game. He still epitomises his team, and leads it superbly. Perhaps he really is immortal.

GEELONG 4.2 7.7 14.11 18.12 (120)BRISBANE LIONS 2.0 3.1 5.2 7.7 (49)

Goals – Geelong: Hawkins 4 Stengle 3 Dangerfield 2 Rohan 2 Miers 2 Holmes Selwood Cameron Close Z Guthrie. Brisbane Lions: Hipwood 2 McCarthy Ah Chee Bailey Cameron Berry.

Best – Geelong: Dangerfield Miers Hawkins Blicavs Stewart Selwood. Brisbane Lions: Gardiner Berry Robertson McCluggage.

Injuries – Geelong: Holmes (hamstring). Brisbane Lions: Rayner (ankle).

Umpires: Rosebury Gavine Hosking.