Live: Port star subbed out with injury as Cats kick away in blistering qualifying final performance

Just the boring old set shot goal from 55 metres out for Jeremy Cameron. All a bit dull, really, by his standards.

It’s a 79-point game with 5:22 on the clock. The crowd is thinning out dramatically.

Jeremy Cameron has missed a couple of routine set shots tonight, but kicked three of the best goals you’ll see on the run instead.

This time he’s gone charging through the pack in the middle of the 50, scooping the ball up with one hand and snapping across the body on his right boot. He’s a left-footer, of course. Freak.

A gorgeous little dummy and sidestep from Stengle sent Byrne-Jones to the shop, allowing the red-hot Cat to skip through and snap another one.

They’re having some fun out there, a lot of smiles on Geelong faces. Seven minutes to play still.

Can’t imagine there is any real injury concern there given he just kicked a goal about 30 seconds ago. Maybe something they just want to rest.

Zach Tuohy is on as the sub for the last 12 minutes of this game.

As Patty Dangerfield puts his feet up on the bench, his Cats continue to go to work out on the field.

Miers strolled to about 45 out on the angle and absolutely laced one low and hard through the guts. Back to a 10-goal Geelong lead.

Took some ridiculously slick hands from Willie Rioli in the pocket, but finally the Power fans have a goal to cheer.

Rioli seemed to scoop that up on the run from behind him, then poked a little five-metre kick across to Burgoyne who converted from the goal line.

Took them only a couple of minutes of this last quarter, but the Cats are on the board again.

It has been criminal how much space Geelong’s forwards have had out the back of the Port defence tonight. Yet again Mannagh was able to look up outside 50 and see a clear option in a paddock behind the back line.

Miers marks in the square, kicks the goal and makes it a 61-point game.

Of all the possible results that had gone through my head tonight, I’m not sure this one featured. It’s a Geelong whitewash, a complete bloodbath now as the Cats hold a 55-point lead that could very easily be more.

Now Geelong are in the incredible position of thinking about who to rest with a preliminary final in mind. Meanwhile, Ken Hinkley will already be bracing for the backlash as he plots his path to a semifinal next week against one of the form teams in the league, possibly without Zak Butters.

It’s a remarkable evening which has flipped the flag race on its head. Geelong has been that good tonight. And there’s still a quarter to play.

One of a number of great Geelong stories this year, Shaun Mannagh, has kicked his third goal in his first AFL final.

The Cats’ small forwards have been insatiable tonight. Connor Rozee took on three tacklers, and even though he broke two he couldn’t get past Mannagh. Holding the ball, and an easy finish for goal.

Nothing really, other than the suggestion it is a problem with his ribs and Ken Hinkley saying he is “sore”.

Four minutes to play in the third quarter, Geelong lead it by 49 points and the life is dripping out of this contest.

I’ll be honest, I have absolutely no clue what the MRO/tribunal’s standard for suspension on these things are anymore. But I’ll take a punt and say Drew will probably be okay.

A round of applause again to Patrick Dangerfield though, who has been superb tonight. He took a contested mark on the wing, saw the space to play on, took off and weighted a perfect kick into the path of Shannon Neale.

Neale made no mistake with his set shot and now we’re getting into flogging territory. Port Adelaide has no answers right now.

It’s a 40-point game at Adelaide Oval! The Cats are playing inspired footy, and from another turnover forced inside their attacking 50 have seen Bruhn mark uncontested and convert from directly in front.

There’s 12:47 still left in the third quarter, but it’s hard to see any path back for Port Adelaide here.

One touch, one step, a second goal for Shaun Mannagh! Another stoppage goal for the Cats and this is more than getting out of hand for Port Adelaide now.

There’s a weird hum around the ground right now as the Port fans can sense this game getting away from them. It’s a 33-point lead now.

The converted set shot of the night for Geelong gives the Cats their biggest lead of the night. Ollie Dempsey was cool in the pocket to look inside and find Bowes in space at the top of the square.

It’s only early in this third quarter, but Port Adelaide and the crowd seem flattened by this Butters news. The last thing the Power needed.

Massive. Clearly Butters has an injury problem which we hope to learn more about very soon. But that is a complete disaster for Port, who now need to force this comeback without arguably their best player.

Quinton Narkle has come on as the sub.

EDIT: A rib injury is the verdict for Zak Butters.

Zak Butters is starting on the bench and speaking to Port Adelaide doctors currently. That is certainly one to watch.

The second half is underway at Adelaide Oval, and its the home side with all the work to do.

Maybe not the name you would have expected to be leading the way at half-time, but Max Holmes is having a night out. He’s got 16 disposals and an incredible 485 metres-gained to his name already, and his influence has been clearly visible out there.

Geelong’s midfield is winning the day so far. If it remains that way throughout, the Cats will be hosting a preliminary final in two weeks.

Somehow that quarter felt closer than the first, and yet that was the term that saw Geelong put a gap on the scoreboard.

Geelong had a 10-minute burst there where they banged on four straight goals, and at that moment it looked like the Cats were ready to blow the game apart. That late goal from Connor Rozee keeps Port in touch on the scoreboard, but given the missed Geelong chances in the first term the Power must be feeling lucky to be this close.

Set shot goalkicking aside, I’m not sure Geelong could have hoped for a better first half. Port Adelaide is up for the fight but needs to tighten up defensively and actually take some midfield ascendency if its to turn this game around in the second half.