The Brisbane Lions produced arguably their best quarter of the season but it wasn't enough to stop Geelong shoring up third spot with a 60-point win at the Gabba.

The Cats looked like running up a big score when they led by 36 points at quarter-time, but the home side - marking retiring defender Dan Merrett's last game at the Gabba, as well as Dayne Zorko's 100th game - kicked six goal in the second term to charge back into contention.

But the Cats locked down on the Lions' ball movement in the second half and as Patrick Dangerfield (28 disposals) wore down Mitch Robinson's tag, only a poor day in front of goal (2.4) stopped him from having a truly memorable day.

Despite the routine victory, the Cats would rue their inability to truly put the Lions to the sword.

Entering the match they needed to make up seven percentage points on second-placed Adelaide to put themselves in the prime position for a week-one home final.

They looked like doing it early, but the second-quarter lapse – where the Lions kicked six goals - followed by some wastefulness both in front of goal and entering the forward 50, was costly.

Their inside 50 count (61-40) alone was enough to suggest a bigger victory was on offer.

Steven Motlop kicked a career-high five goals, while Tom Hawkins, Lincoln McCarthy and Lachie Henderson, playing as a forward, added two each.

Veterans Corey Enright, Joel Selwood, and Andrew Mackie were also solid contributors.

The tide completely changed in the second quarter when the Lions became more aggressive and hungry, led by teenage firebrand Rhys Mathieson.

Mathieson made it his personal mission to get under the skin of Cats skipper Selwood.

He niggled and niggled and eventually drew a free kick for high contact, went back and kicked the goal from 45m and celebrated right in Selwood's face.

The Geelong champion mocked his younger rival by imitating Mathieson's infamous 'gunshot' goal celebration before pushing him away.

Lions coach Justin Leppitsch said all in all, it was a decent performance from his men.

"I thought our effort was pretty good today," he said.

"We were beaten for class and turnover again. Lacked a bit of run again in the second half.

"But the effort didn't wane, we came back and the guys had the energy, but you've got to have the courage to run and continue the game out and we couldn't do that.

"They're a good team, the best turnover team in the comp and we had a crack at them, just they did what they did well."

The home team was well served by skipper Tom Rockliff (27 touches), vice-captain Daniel Rich (24) and young defender Tom Cutler (25), but it was nowhere near enough.

Geelong kicked five goals to one in the third quarter and another five to two in the last and never looked troubled.

BRISBANE LIONS  1.3  7.4    8.5    10.9    (69)
GEELONG               7.3  9.7  14.11  19.15 (129)

GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Rich 2, Bell 2, Walker, Taylor, Cutler, Robinson, Mathieson, Rockliff
Geelong: Motlop 5, Dangerfield 2, Henderson 2, Hawkins 2, McCarthy 2, Blicavs, Duncan, Enright, Cowan, Kersten, Guthrie

BEST
Brisbane Lions: Rockliff, Cutler, Rich, Andrews, Mathieson, Martin
Geelong: Dangerfield, Menegola, Motlop, Enright, Guthrie, J.Selwood

INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Nil
Geelong: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Hosking, Findlay, Wallace

Official crowd: 20,477 at the Gabba

Watch: Leppitsch Post-Match