WHEN it became apparent yesterday that all Jonathan Brown and Simon Black would get out of their trip south was frequent flyer points, and Gary Ablett would be a third marquee withdrawal, the afternoon was no longer what it might have been. For Geelong fans, that never really changed.

The Cats duly broke down the bullocking, burrowing resistance of the Brisbane Lions, and righted themselves after a first quarter so lamentable that coach Mark Thompson could not remember another like it in years.

The locals in the Skilled Stadium stands shared his pain, greeting every siren with the jeers of those more used to watching their heroes from a reclined pose, rather than on the edge of their seats (even if their angst was directed more at the officials for a perceived imbalance in adjudicating the line-ball decisions).

But ultimately the Cats found what they have so often in recent memory — a way to win — the final siren signalling a 27-point win and prompting a "glad that's behind us" sigh from the masses.

That their team could seal victory only in the game's dying stages — scores were level five minutes into the last quarter — was a credit to Brisbane's desperation not to let Brown's absence erode its hardness at the contest. It tackled ferociously, leading that column 25-9 at the first change.

Had they kicked better in front of goal — their first-term dominance was marked by 20 forward entries to seven, and 11 scoring shots to five — the Lions might have truly stretched the premiers, rather than simply irritated them before running out of puff.

As if going out in sympathy for the missing, the game lacked a standout performance, although there were several telling battles, none more influential than Matthew Scarlett's blanketing of Daniel Bradshaw.

As Thompson noted, the Lion had won his man's respect in the past by kicking goals on the competition's premier full-back, but Scarlett so dominated their one-on-one duels yesterday that Bradshaw often looked like the defender grappling desperately to merely get a hand to the ball.

He added just one goal to his season's tally of 29 — and that five minutes in after he found himself pitted against Tom Harley on a fast break and was lucky not to give away a pushing free anyway.

Leigh Matthews was happy with the work of Daniel Merrett and especially Joel Patfull on the mountainous forward threats of Tom Hawkins and Cameron Mooney respectively, and pleased too with players who "aren't necessarily household names".

But while Joel MacDonald racked up possessions, Jed Adcock was suited by the game's hardness, and Mitch Clark stepped in for Bradshaw with three goals, the classiest contributions for Brisbane came from Luke Power, who dragged his marker Cameron Ling forward and used the ball clinically, and the enigmatic Jared Brennan, who Matthews said the club was expecting far more from in his late 20s than he had produced thus far.

Matthews commented on their bravery, but without Brown and Black they wanted not only for colour, but for enough ways forward.

This was never more obvious than 15 minutes into the third quarter when, leading by a point, the Lions tried to run down the clock. It was a cry for help, which Geelong answered by stripping them of the ball and Ryan Gamble kicking a punishing goal.

The Cats, of course, had plenty of class of their own, notably Mathew Stokes' two quality goals in the second quarter, Andrew Mackie's elusiveness and Darren Milburn's quality finish to the afternoon.

That they did not have it all their own way won't bother the brains-trust, and there are worse times than round seven to have Stokes on report, to have to bench Mooney, or to remind Milburn that umpires don't take kindly to being questioned, and 50-metre penalties will not always go unpunished.

GEELONG 4.1 7.6 11.8 15.15 (105)
BRISBANE LIONS  5.6 6.8 10.9 11.12 (78)

GOALS Geelong: Bartel 2, Gamble 2, S Johnson 2, Stokes 2, Chapman, Corey, Hawkins, Mackie, Milburn, Mooney, Rooke. Brisbane Lions: Clark 3, Power 2, Bradshaw, Corrie, Harding, Hooper, Patfull, Rischitelli.

BEST Geelong: Scarlett, Bartel, Kelly, Corey, Mackie, Milburn. Brisbane Lions: Brennan, Patfull, Power, Adcock, Merrett, MacDonald.

UMPIRES Vozzo, Kamolins, Meredith.

CROWD 23,388 at Skilled Stadium.

THE UPSHOT Everyone can take a deep breath and have a well-earned week off. Oh, except for Mark Thompson, who will coach what's left of Victoria next weekend, and seven or eight of his players, who must be wondering if this Hall Of Fame game is all it's cracked up to be.

TALKING POINT Will any superstars be left standing by the time they bounce the ball for Victoria v Dream Team at the MCG on Saturday night? Certainly not Simon Black, and almost certainly not captain Jonathan Brown or Gary Ablett either.

HOT AND COLD Matthew Scarlett's credentials as the game's premier full-back were underscored yet again with a towelling of Daniel Bradshaw, the Lion marksman whose white-hot season-opening had earned him 29 goals from six games. He managed just one yesterday, from three kicks.