Geelong's 2007 premiership heroes were honoured in a pre-match motorcade before Thursday night's clash against Port Adelaide. The Power were the obvious opponent, of course, given the Cats ended their 44-year premiership drought by trouncing Port. But Geelong lost just one game between the start of May and the end of September in their unforgettable season a decade ago. That came in a last-gasp defeat in round 21, in Geelong, against Port Adelaide.

So perhaps it was fitting that on the night that triumph was remembered, the Cats were engaged in hard-fought contest against that very same foe, a club that had fallen in a deep hole after that grand final loss, only to have come out the other side - not only via China - but also as a legitimate premiership challenger in this open season. Geelong looked to have weathered the storm in the second quarter after inaccuracy cost them early, but rather than fold at football's most imposing away ground of the past decade, Port laid down the gauntlet, trailing by just five points at three-quarter time. Still the Power had to withstand the Cats, brilliant finishers since the start of 2016.

But Port showed their backbone, hitting back after a Mark Blicavs goal early in the final term. Paddy Ryder provided a swift response before Jared Polec capped an outstanding game by sinking a sublime set shot from 50 metres. From there they scraped and clawed, almost to the finish line. There was only one man who could stop them. That was Patrick Dangerfield.

With less than 100 seconds left on the clock he found light from deep in a dark full-forward scramble to bang through his third goal of the night. Cue delirium at the Cattery. Even then Port weren't done yet, with Robbie Gray almost hauling in a mark with the final roll of the dice, only to be spoilt by Cats defender Tom Stewart, as Geelong improved their record to 7-3.

However the Dangerfield goal only came after Port's Charlie Dixon was called to play on having marked just inside the 50m arc with two minutes remaining. Dixon was called to play on 60m from goal after not disposing of the ball inside 30 seconds, hurriedly giving the ball to Justin Westhoff, who sent the ball to full-forward, where it was rushed through for a behind, whereupon the Cats rebounded for the winning goal.

Port coach Ken Hinkley was diplomatic after the game, agreeing that the decision was correct to the letter of the law.

"Time ran out. Unfortunately they got it probably 100 per cent correct as far as right on the dot. I don't think I've ever seen it before, but that doesn't matter," Hinkley said.

Earlier, Dangerfield was irresistible, Tom Hawkins was marking well despite the close checking of Jack Hombsch, Joel Selwood was typically busy in the clinches, and Geelong were comfortably ahead in the inside 50 count. Yet somehow, the Cats led by only eight points at half-time. That "somehow" was kicking for goal. Geelong were 6.8 at the long break, but at one stage had been 1.7, with their lone goal coming via a Zach Tuohy bomb from well beyond 50 metres. Hawkins and Sam Menegola were the biggest offenders in front of goal, although even Dangerfield missed a very gettable chance in the first term, as the Power rode their luck to an eight-point lead at quarter-time.

It would be a stretch to label Port's first-quarter majors fluky, but they were largely unorthodox. Not much was coming easily for the away side at Simonds Stadium, as despite the run of Polec they struggled to squeeze out of defence at the narrow venue. Still, opportunities have to be taken, and with Geelong still trailing early in the second term despite doubling the Power's inside 50 count, the home fans would have been forgiven for wondering whether this was going to be one of those nights. Enter Dangerfield, who in a 10- minute stretch turned it on as only the game's very best players can do. First it was via a steadier from close range after Dangerfield rose to mark at the front of the pack and level the scores. Two minutes later he tucked one home from distance. There were a couple of other moments of excellence too, with Dangerfield's strength, clean-hands and breakaway speed coming to the fore. When Menegola put a shaky first half behind him with a goal shortly before half-time the Cats looked to have put their worries behind them.

But the Geelong faithful didn't count on Port widening their ascendancy in the clearances, as Paddy Ryder, Robbie Gray and the brutish Sam Powell-Pepper ensured the Power's threat did not subside. Gray again showed that at his best he is a rival to Dangerfield's crown as the game's premier talent, kicking two third-term goals as the lead changed four times in quick succession from the middle of the quarter.