Fremantle have gone down to Geelong by 10 points in a come-from-behind win in their first game of the season.
The Cats were trailing by 35 points before half-time, when they stormed home in the second half to post a 16.14 (110) to 14.16 (100) victory at GMHBA Stadium.
Luke Jackson did his best for Fremantle with 27 disposals, 22 hitouts, 10 clearances and a goal, helping Sean Darcy get the better of Cats debutant Mitch Edwards in the ruck.
Caleb Serong (30 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) worked tirelessly and Josh Treacy (two goals, eight marks) was a constant target forward of the ball.
Isaiah Dudley (three goals) and Shai Bolton (two) were dangerous at times for Fremantle, who led at every change, but not when it mattered most.
It could hardly have been a better start for Fremantle, which posted its highest first-quarter score outside WA, and the fifth-highest in club history.
Fremantle led 8.4 to 3.1 at quarter-time, winning the clearance battle and scoring from 75 per cent of forward entries.
Key forward Neale equalled his career-best goal tally as the focal point in attack alongside returning gun Jeremy Cameron (three goals) and Shaun Mannagh (three).
Smith (30 disposals, one goal) shone with midfield partner Max Holmes (32 touches, five clearances), as Geelong responded to its Opening Round loss to Gold Coast in fine style.
Mannagh sparked the Cats with three goals in nine minutes after the break, but Freo responded with the next three to lead by a game-high 35 points.
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield missed Opening Round with a calf injury and didn't have a touch on return until time-on of the second quarter.
When he finally did, a strong mark and hand-off set up the first of two Cameron goals just before half-time.
Geelong took that momentum into the second half and it looked as if the Cats would run over the top of their opponents when three Neale goals in eight minutes got the home side back within a kick.
They hit the front for the first time at the nine-minute mark of the final term, when a 50-metre penalty against Andrew Brayshaw led to a Jack Martin goal.
Neale's fifth gave them just enough breathing space late and they held on in a tense finish.
Jackson brings his own footy
The athletic Freo ruck was matched against young Cat Mitch Edwards and he took full toll on his inexperienced opponent. Jackson dominated at stoppage and around the ground, and even attended a number of centre ball-ups as a midfielder rather than a ruck, in a move that has been long flagged by coach Justin Longmuir. Edwards can take heart that he won't be the first opponent to cop a battering from Jackson if the big Freo remains in this sort of form.
GEELONG 18.413.816.14 (110)
FREMANTLE 8.411.814.1214.16 (100)
GOALS
Geelong: Neale 5, Mannagh 3, Cameron 3, Clark, J.Henry, Dangerfield, Smith, Martin
Fremantle: Dudley 3, Bolton 2, Treacy 2, Serong, Amiss, Jackson, O'Driscoll, Reid, Young, Brayshaw
BEST
Geelong: Holmes, Smith, Neale, Stewart, Cameron, Mannagh
Fremantle: Jackson, Serong, Clark, Dudley, Young
