Geelong are marching towards the AFLW finals after all but extinguishing Essendon's faint top-eight hopes with a 15-point win over the Bombers in Warrnambool.
Cats forward Chloe Scheer kicked three goals, including two at the start of a final-term burst, as Geelong withstood a Maddy Prespakis midfield masterclass to prevail 6.7 (43) to 4.4 (28).
The Cats are now on 20 points, firmly in the top-four race, while Essendon (eight points) sit two wins outside the finals places with three rounds left, left to rue their inefficiency in another frustrating loss.
The Bombers also lost to Carlton by one point, Richmond by two and Collingwood by 11.
"I feel like we've had a few honourable losses, which on one hand is a credit to the way that the players are going about the games week in, week-out," Essendon coach Natalie Wood told reporters.
"But it's disappointing to again not to be able to finish the game out well."
Prespakis racked up 37 disposals, 10 clearances, 23 contested possessions and 387 metres gained.
Her 37 disposals was the second-most of all time, only trailing North Melbourne star Ash Riddell's record of 42.
Despite Prespakis' best efforts and Essendon's clearance dominance, Geelong won three games on the bounce for the first time in their history.
"To our girls' credit, our inside-50 entries late in the game proved to be the difference, which was good," Geelong coach Dan Lowther told reporters.
"Particularly in the last quarter, clearly when we got on top there, I thought our clearance rate improved.
"Essendon were probably all over us with their clearances and their stoppage work was quite good.
"So it was an arm wrestle in that space and then in the last quarter, we got a few our way."
Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood and forward Paige Scott booted two goals apiece and consistently threatened.
Cats midfielder Amy McDonald (25 disposals, 12 tackles) was typically prolific, despite suffering a nasty head gash.
But she could face scrutiny for a second-quarter dump tackle on Steph Cain, who landed awkwardly on her neck but was able to play on.
Skipper Meg McDonald marshalled a disciplined defence and Nina Morrison impressed despite a finger injury.
Geelong started brilliantly, with Morrison and Zali Friswell dobbing the opening two goals, before Toogood and Scott responded.
From there the contest turned into a game of cat and mouse, with Geelong leading by 12 at half-time and the Bombers drawing scores level at the final change.
But the Bombers couldn't go on with it and instead, Scheer booted the opening two goals of the quarter and clunked four marks to put Essendon out of reach.
