Cats down Dockers in thriller

Geelong has held on for a nail-biting one-point victory over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Friday night after Dockers skipper Matthew Pavlich hit the post with 35 seconds left on the clock.

Pavlich's set shot from 45m out on a 45-degree angle was working its way back but hit the right goal post half-way up, enabling the Cats to hang on to the thrilling 13.11 (89) to 13.10 (88) victory.

In an ANZAC Day classic, a slow-starting Geelong had to launch two recovery missions.

The Cats found themselves 39 points in arrears midway through the second quarter and, after whittling the deficit back to two points at half-time, found themselves 25 points down at the final break.

But the defending premiers, led brilliantly by youngster Joel Selwood and three goals apiece to Cameron Mooney and Steve Johnson, fought back with a five-goal-to-one final quarter to help seal the win - the club's ninth triumph in succession dating back to round 22 last season.

The heartbreaking loss leaves Fremantle languishing near the foot of the table with a 1-5 deficit, but their performance last week against the Crows and their never-give-in attitude against the Cats is cause for optimism, especially with young guns Rhys Palmer and Garrick Ibbotson improving by the week.

And, despite the missed set shot, Pavlich can hold his head up high after booting five goals, while ruckman Aaron Sandilands (42 hit-outs, 10 clearances) played one of the best games of his career.

Fremantle made a blistering start to the match, with its ferocious pack tackling and pressure around the contests stunning Geelong in the opening term.

Pavlich kicked two early goals as the Dockers raced out to a 21-1 lead midway through the first quarter, but a myriad of wayward shots allowed Geelong to close the margin to 17 points at the first break.

Nevertheless, the 38,022 Dockers faithful at the game gave their side a standing ovation when the quarter-time siren sounded.

Another two goals to Pavlich and one to Ibbotson early in the second term had the Dockers dreaming as the lead stretched to 39 points.

The home side could do no wrong, with Jeff Farmer firing around the midfield, Sandilands controlling the ruck contests and Pavlich unstoppable up forward.

But a simple error from Dockers utility Daniel Gilmore - when his defensive kick failed to find a target and resulted in a goal to Darren Milburn - sparked Geelong to life.

The Cats kicked six unanswered goals from that point, including two to Johnson, to reduce the deficit to just two points at half-time.

But the half-time break did something the Dockers could not - break the Cats' momentum.

Fremantle took a leaf from its first-quarter performance and upped the pressure after the restart.

The lift in work ethic paid dividends as the Dockers restricted Geelong to just three behinds in the third term - two of which were rushed.

In contrast, the Dockers slammed through four goals to take a handy 25-point advantage into the final break.

Geelong thrived on the pressure in the final quarter as they slammed through five unanswered goals to take an eight-point lead, but a scintillating run from Palmer set up Pavlich for the captain's fifth goal of the night, reducing the margin to two points with almost four minutes still left on the clock.

But Pavlich couldn't complete what would have been a fairytale win, with