Geelong have warmed up for next week's qualifying final against St Kilda with a scrappy 44-point win over West Coast at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Cats looked nothing like the team that's won two of the past three premierships as they committed countless turnovers and lacked any conviction going forward in the first half.
Geelong actually trailed the wooden spooners by eight points late in the second term and scores were level midway through the third quarter before they finally got their act together in the second half to runaway with the 16.16 (112) to 10.8 (68) victory.
Gary Ablett, in what could be his last match at Skilled Stadium in the hoops, was the catalyst for the turnaround as he almost single-handedly inspired his side when they were looking for a spark.
With scores level at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter, Ablett booted a sublime snap from tight in the pocket before showing expert evasive skills to set up Tom Hawkins for another goal.
He then took a screamer before kicking long to Hawkins again and suddenly the Cats had booted three goals in two minutes to blow the game wide open.
The little maestro wasn't done yet either as he marked and goaled late in the term to put the game to bed with a little over a quarter remaining.
He finished the match with 33 disposals and four goals, while Cam Mooney and Steve Johnson both chimed in with three goals each.
With prime ball movers Joel Selwood and Corey Enright late withdrawals, James Kelly picked up the slack in the midfield with 33 touches, while skipper Cameron Ling proved his doubters wrong with 25 disposals and two goals
Matthew Scarlett was a rock down back as he and his fellow defenders kept the dangerous Mark LeCras to just one goal, while veteran Darren Milburn showed there's still run in his old legs with 31 disposals and 15 marks across half back.
There was plenty to like about the Eagles' performance though, in particular youngsters Ashton Hams and Luke Shuey, who both put in encouraging displays.
Hams was perhaps best on ground in the first half as he finished the game with 22 touches and two goals, while Shuey was composed through the midfield with 21 possessions and Callum Wilson booted three majors up forward.
Matt Rosa (18 touches) and Beau Waters (22) can also hold their heads high, but ultimately the gulf in class was too much for the young Eagles.
The match started as everyone expected with the Cats taking control early, but for all their dominance they could only manage one goal in the opening term as they missed a host of chances.
West Coast, who were also guilty of missing some gettable shots, took a surprising one-point lead at the first change courtesy of a LeCras goal on the quarter-time siren.
The expected avalanche of Geelong goals didn't come in the second quarter either with the Eagles more than holding their own against the competition heavyweights.
A miracle soccer kick out of the air from Shuey had the underdogs out by eight points, but Ablett then showed his class as he somehow emerged from a pack with the ball before snapping a fine goal.
Mooney then showed no signs of the goalkicking yips that have plagued his career with two goals from close to 50, giving the Cats a slender four-point lead at the long break.
Hams slotted a cracking snap to put the Eagles in front at the beginning of the third quarter but then Ablett took over to put the game beyond West Coast's reach.
The Cats booted six goals to the Eagles' four in the final term to give departing president Frank Costa a grand send off in his final match at the Cattery.
GEELONG: 1.7, 5.8, 10.14, 16.16 (112)
WEST COAST: 2.2, 5.4, 6.5, 10.8 (68)
GOALS: Geelong: Ablett 4, Mooney 3, Johnson 3, Hawkins 2, Ling 2, Varcoe, Ottens
West Coast: Wilson 3, Hams 2, LeCras, Shuey, Masten, Stevens, Kennedy
BEST: Geelong: Ablett, Kelly, Milburn, Scarlett, Ling
West Coast: Hams, Waters, Shuey, Rosa
INJURIES: Geelong: Chapman (knee)
West Coast: Stevens (knee)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Geelong: Joel Selwood (glute), Corey Enright (foot) and Shannon Byrnes (flu) replaced in the selected side by Taylor Hunt, Daniel Menzel and Simon Hogan
West Coast: Nil
UMPIRES: Farmer, Stewart, Pannell
CROWD: 24,099 at Skilled Stadium