The thoughts of Collingwood supporters could well have drifted back to yesteryear when they perused the Magpies' listed half-forward line ahead of Saturday's clash against Geelong. (Gavin) Brown, (Peter) Moore and (Peter) Daicos are legendary figures, and it's now their sons - Callum, Darcy and debutant Josh - who hope to forge their own successful path.

That may still happen in the years ahead but, for now, it's memories the Pies must cling to, for their latest loss was an expected defeat, this time by 11 points on a biting afternoon at the MCG.

The Pies have big-picture issues to immediately deal with, namely a board meeting on Tuesday when Nathan Buckley's future is set to be a topic of discussion.

For the Cats, their focus is firmly on September. This win ensured they remain in contention for a top-two finish - and a home final in the first week of September - but this did little to inspire.

While the Cats were without four of their first-choice players because of injury or suspension, it was only Patrick Dangerfield who had the ability to provide a burst of brilliance. And that came 15 minutes into the final term when, given too much room from a stoppage, he accepted a handball from Cam Guthrie, dashed to about 55 metres from goal and slotted the ball through.

It was the moment the Cats had been hoping for. It lifted his teammates, with Jordan Murdoch following up minutes later with a set shot from 20 metres. The Pies were done.

Dangerfield would finish with 32 disposals, including 12 clearances, and highlight why he remains the league's premier player.

While grinding victories can be worth their weight in gold, that this one came against a bottom-six side on the eve of the finals was a worry.

"The way our players rallied was special, especially as we knew what was on the end of this," Dangerfield said. "It wasn't pretty but it gives us confidence."

To the Cats' credit, they were able to regroup after an ugly start, when the Pies opened a four-goal lead by quarter-time - with memories of their round-six win between the two clubs flooding back. However, their season-long struggles up forward would return. Whether it was the Cats' pressure or a propensity to too often pass sideways, the Pies would manage only three more goals.

This was a grind, and one neither side will be keen to revisit. There has been an average of 25 ball-ups this season; this contest had more than 50.

Trailing by three points at half-time, the Cats threatened to take charge in the third term but squandered a 17-7 advantage in inside 50s. They would finish the day with a 60-38 advantage in this area.

Harry Taylor and Steven Motlop, so prominent against Richmond a week earlier, were largely non factors. Motlop had a game to forget, highlighted when a handball in the third term was intercepted by James Aish, who found an open Jarryd Blair for a crucial goal. When Tim Broomhead won a free kick minutes later when running back towards goal, and capitalised, the Pies had regained the lead.

The Cats lifted early in the final term. Mitch Duncan, Guthrie and Dangerfield were busy. Sam Menegola was influential up forward, while Zach Tuohy and Tom Stewart provided rebound from half-back. Youngster Wylie Buzza claimed a big mark near the boundary. His talent is starting to emerge.

For the Pies, it's all about next season. Daicos is slight in frame but ran hard and looked to get busy. He delivered a nice pass to a leading Mason Cox in the first term - but there was no sign of his father's famous dribbling shots for goal. Brown's workrate was also good but it's Moore who shapes as a centrepiece of the Pies' future. His leap and willingness to chase a contested mark is unquestionable - he just needs to get stronger. And a tall marking comrade would help, for Ben Reid offered little.

The Pies initially were able to rebound far too easily from half-back, while also denying their opponents any run, forcing the Cats to kick over the mark. And that was the tale of the tape in the first term.

Midfielder Taylor Adams, who weathered a heavy hit, was busy. So, too, Jack Crisp and Adam Treloar, who later would concede the Pies' overall ball-use had not been good enough. Moore also had his moments. The Pies' overlap was superb, one chain leading to Cox marking and converting from 30 metres out.

Daicos was involved in the next impressive chain, his long kick marked by Cox just inside 50. Cox remains an untapped talent but showed he is learning to aggressively crash packs - and preferably mark. When Hoskin-Elliott followed up, the Pies held a five-goal lead. Was a boil-over on?

The Cats, though, know how to work their way back into a contest. Dangerfield lifted late in the first term. He won a free kick and converted early in the second.

Duncan, back from suspension, also got busy in the midfield. Where the Cats had been guilty of sagging off their opponents, they were now disciplined. The contest turned into more of an arm-wrestle but was marred by stoppages. It suited the Cats because it meant the Pies' run had been halted.

The Cats also had a loose man in defence, not that he was needed that much - the ball was predominantly stuck inside their attacking 50. Three more goals would eventuate, and they could have even had the lead at half-time had Daniel Menzel's shot not hit the post.

VOTES

8: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
8: Mitch Duncan (Geelong)
8: Sam Menegola (Geelong)
7: Taylor Adams (Collingwood)
7: Zach Tuohy (Geelong)