Malcolm Blight, dispirited by three Grand Final losses under his tenure, announced his resignation. However, North Melbourne came back strongly in the last quarter and took the lead late in the match. Despite missing the finals during this first season back with the club, Hickey led Geelong to two consecutive premierships in 1951 and 1952to date, the only back-to-back premierships in the club's history. Steve Johnson was awarded the Norm Smith Medal after being judged the best player in the match, providing Geelong with just their second Norm Smith Medallist. However, with several young players and second-tier midfielders, along with six goals from Gary Ablett, Geelong defeated Carlton by 33 points. X. the sole Judges of infringements. It adopted the Laws of Australian Football in the early 1860s after a series of compromises with the Melbourne Football Club. Geelong has been nicknamed the 'Cats' since 1923. It was not until late in the season when Geelong reverted to its all-out attacking style of play. Hawthorn went on to win the next three premierships. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He joined the Geelong board in the . During this era the "Coulter Law" discouraged club administrators from poaching players from each other's clubs. However, the club won their sixth premiership of the VFL era the following season in 1963. They would meet in preliminary finals in 2009 and 2010, each winning one en route to a premiership. Gary Ablett once again won the Coleman Medal and kicked over 100 goals for the third year in a row. Geelong performed poorly early on in the 1923 season. In 1990, the league was expanded to a national level and became known as the Australian Football League (AFL). Ablett returned mid-season to the club. Notable was Geelong's success in the "Match of the Century" in 1886. Responding to member anger, the Board ordered a comprehensive review of all aspects of the administration of the club and of the club's personnel. Against the Brisbane Bears at Carrara the club kicked a VFL/AFL record score of 37 goals 17 behinds (239 points). The game shall be played within a space of no more than 200 yards wide the same to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn through the centres of the two goals and two posts to be called the "kick off posts" shall be erected at a distance of 20 yards on each side of the goal posts at both ends and in a straight line with them in case the ball is kicked behind McGREGOR, Alexander Hugh (1908-1997) 'Alec' McGregor (Football 1927) 'Alec' McGregor was born at Mount Gambier on 15 June 1908, the son of William McAlpine McGregor and Flora Sarah, nee McDonald. [14], Geelong's administrative headquarters is its home stadium, GMHBA Stadium or also known as Kardinia Park. Remembering the past gives power to the present. [31] In the absence of finals appearances at AFL-level, the club's reserves team won its first VFL premiership in 2002. For many years the Geelong Football Club were known as the Pivotonians, after the city's nickname 'The Pivot'. The objectives of the association were put: to assist [the Geelong Football] Club in general, and give past players opportunities to meet. A sub-committee of five men was elected to devise a constitution and consider a joining fee. Ablett was suspended for elbowing St Kilda's Nathan Burke, and missed the rest of the season due to suspension. In twenty matches between the two sides between 2008 and 2017, twelve were decided by less than ten points, with Geelong victorious in eleven of those twelve matches.[16]. [13], Following the formation of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877, Geelong joined the association as one of its foundation clubs. [74] Consequently, Dangerfield was traded to Geelong after winning Adelaide's best and fairest award for 2015. Used for most of the club's home matches in the AFL all home matches in other competitions. [7][8][9] Geelong won a further three premierships in 2009, 2011 and 2022. [36] A notable departure from Geelong was Ben Graham, the club captain from 2000 to 2002,[37] who quit playing Australian rules football to pursue a career as a punter with the New York Jets in the National Football League. [60] Notably, all three of Collingwood's losses for the season were to Geelong. Bob Gartland Did you know Geelong weren't called the Cats until 1923? The design is said to represent the white seagulls and blue water of Corio Bay. Carlton has received a much-needed boost in a tumultuous off-season, with Brian Cook to take over as chief executive. An iconic figure in the Geelong region, Costa has long been a community leader. However, Geelong failed to capitalise on its performance during the season, losing the grand final by a margin of 26 points. Geelong Football Club. Geelong finished second to Essendon in its inaugural season after a round-robin finals system was used to determine the premier instead of the traditional Grand Final. On September 1, 1860, Geelong played Melbourne at the Argyle Ground, with founding member Alex Mason captaining the visitors. The Best and Fairest was won by Paul Couch, who narrowly missed out on winning his second Brownlow Medal. In 1884, the club merged with the Geelong Cricket Club to form the Geelong Cricket and Football Club. Geelong went on to play for most of its existence in the premier competitions, the first competition, the Caledonian Society Cup, a foundation club of both the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877 and the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1897. II. [15], The rivalry between Hawthorn and Geelong is defined by two Grand Finals: those of 1989 and 2008. [56], Following Thompson's departure, former Brisbane player Chris Scott was appointed as senior coach of the club. Blight agreed and Geelong began to play like champions again. Sam Newman played 300 games for Geelong and went on to become a prominent, if controversial, media personality. Following this unexpected loss at their home ground, player Paul Chapman publicly criticised the club's culture, expressing frustration at the lack of team mentality present with many of the players, and urging the club as a whole to change this underachieving culture for the better. The club earned a week break and returned for the third weeks clash against Richmond, and won by 89 points and so for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in seven years, Geelong played for the premiership, this time against Carlton, who had only lost two games for the year. Geelong (Association) Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1922 until 1927.. History. Richer and more entrepreneurial clubs outbidded clubs like Geelong for talented and dedicated players. The club had a good home-and-away season to finish fourth. [49] Less than a week later, Mark Thompson resigned from his position as senior coach, despite being contracted until the end of 2011. It is sung to the tune of "Toreador" from Carmen. 2. Bob's fascination with and commitment to Australian football spans over six decades. IV. XI. Long-time Geelong president and philanthropist Frank Costa, the only person to have been named a legend of the AFL club without ever playing for the Cats, has died after a year-long battle. With 25seconds left and a boundary throw-in, the ball came to ground and Martyn cleared, only for the ball to be marked by Leigh Colbert. Five barriers Geelong must overcome to win the flag", "Ruthless Cats show undermanned Tigers no mercy", "Powerful Pies surge into prelim, extend Cats' finals heartbreak", "Cats storm into prelim but face nervous wait on star", "Yellow and back: Tigers into another GF with comeback win over Cats", https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-gary-ablett-retirement-gary-ablett-walk-off-levi-ablett-jordan-ablett-geelong-afl-grand-final/news-story/c10b85c18676143d3ec2d632bc94cb91, "AFL Women's league: Collingwood, Carlton among eight clubs in new national competition", "AFLW: Tasmania-North Melbourne and Geelong win licences to field teams from 2019", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_Geelong_Football_Club&oldid=1151460044, This page was last edited on 24 April 2023, at 05:58. [57] Despite an ageing playing list and predictions that the team would struggle in 2011,[58] Geelong finished the regular season in second position on the ladder, with only three losses for the season. However, Geelong scored a behind to level the scores. Tenure Geelong Football Club Limited Director for nine years, and President for seven years Experience Colin joined the Board of Directors in July 2008 after previously serving from 1987 until 1993. Colbert then kicked long, where ruckman John Barnes dropped the mark, allowing Leigh Tudor, a former North Melbourne player to swoop, and kick the ball over Martyn's head to land in the hand of Gary Ablett. New Geelong president Craig Drummond will oversee a club plan to have 100,000 Cats members by 2025 as the perennial contenders continue to strive for premierships. [citation needed], This victory marked the first time since 1984 that a grand final had been won by a team which had been trailing at all breaks. 10.18 PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB 18 11. Following the victory team was an impromptu public parade in South Melbourne. He therefore was unable to play in the grand final. Pushing with the hands or body is allowed when any Player is in rapid motion, or in possession of the Ball, except in the case provided for in rule VI To celebrate the win, the next day the players buried another dead magpie in the middle of Kardinia Park. The club then bounced back to beat Footscray again in the preliminary final by 64 points to set up another matchup with the West Coast Eagles - this time in the grand final. Consistent with the close finish of 1989, Hawthorn won the match by two points. John and Jill Holt celebrated 65 years of marriage in 2018 . The move paid handsome dividends, as Ablett reached the second fastest century in VFL/AFL history. The Geelong Football Club fielded a reserves team in both of these competitions, allowing players who were not selected for the senior team to play for Geelong in the lower grade. [81][82][83], Geelong improved remarkably from the prior year in 2016, finishing the regular season in second position and progressing to the preliminary finals, where the team lost to Sydney by 37 points. [43] The club has also had a team in the second-tier VFL Women's league since 2017. Between 2007 and 2009, Geelong players received 13 individual selections in All-Australian teams over the three seasons, including a record nine selections in the 2007 team. [18][19], Updated: 1 May 2023Source(s): Playing list, Coaching staff. The distance between the Goals and the goal post shall be decided upon by the captains of the sides playing Jul 4, 2021, 6:31pm The Geelong Football Club is pleased to announce that Steve Hocking has been appointed as the club's new Chief Executive. [41], After winning the 2006 pre-season competition,[42] Geelong opened the regular season with two wins before losing seven of its next eight games. In the 1989 Grand Final, Geelong played the man, resulting in major injuries for several Hawks players, Mark Yeates knocking out Dermott Brereton at the opening bounce; Hawthorn controlled the game, leading by approximately 40 points for most of the match; in the last quarter, Geelong almost managed to come from behind to win, but fell short by six points. I. Colin Carter - Geelong Football Club President Colin Carter AM Director 1987-1993 and since 2008, President since 2011 Member of the Corporate Governance, Finance, Audit and Remuneration Committees Member of the Order of Australia Bachelor of Commerce, MBA Originally from Perth, Colin has been a supporter since Polly Farmer came to Geelong. Geelong took full advantage of the Father-Son Rule. [45] This session proved to be a catalyst for the club to begin a transformation of the club's culture, and resulted in a 157-point defeat of Richmond, with Geelong's score of 222 points the club's third-highest overall. [citation needed], Geelong's season began strongly in 2009, with the club winning the 2009 NAB Cup and managing a successive run of victories for the opening 13 rounds of the season. V/AFL record. [62], Geelong were unsuccessful in defending their premiership in 2012, finishing the regular season in sixth position and subsequently losing its elimination final against Fremantle at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In 1924, following the death of VFL and Geelong administrator Charles Brownlow, the league named its award for the best and fairest player in a season the Brownlow Medal. It was the first AFL finals match played at the new Docklands Stadium. The rules at the time were written in such a way as it could be interpreted by the umpire that the players were allowed sufficient time (to continue to run) for as long as they needed to prepare an effective kick, that is, virtually indefinitely. For many footballers who were seldom more than semi-professional sportsmen, match payments supplemented Great Depression-hit wages. [51][52], Through the 20072010 period of success under Thompson, Geelong perfected a style of high-possession and, in particular, high-handpassing football. In 1930, Collingwood defeated Geelong in the grand final making it four flags in-a-row for the Pies. Having been one of the dominant clubs in the old VFA, Geelong struggled to maintain the same level of success during its early years in the VFL. In 1992 Geelong returned to the spectacular form of three seasons previous. Geelong would later deny Collingwood three successive premierships in 1937, winning a famous grand final by 32 points. The ball may at any time be taken in hand, but not carried further than is necessary for a kick. Following the conclusion of the 1959 season, Hickey retired as coach and was succeeded by Bob Davis, a dual premiership player from the club's successful 1951 and 1952 period. Particularly notable was the 2001 AFL Draft, where future premiership players Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Steve Johnson and Gary Ablett Jr. (under the fatherson rule) were all selected by Geelong. North Melbourne started well, but Geelong dominated the second and third quarters to lead by six goals in the third quarter. Only the first verse is used at matches and by the team after a victory. [50] Although he cited burnout from coaching as the primary reason for his departure, Thompson joined Essendon one month later as a senior assistant coach to James Hird. Other individual successes include Ablett winning the Leigh Matthews Trophy as the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) Most Valuable Player on a record three occasions and for a record three consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2009. The ball, while in Play, may under no circumstances be thrown However, the review accepted that Thompson should continue as coach. The club formed in 1859, making it the second-oldest club in the AFL, after Melbourne, and one of the oldest football clubs in the world.[5]. After failing to make the finals in 1982, the club board sacked Goggin as coach and appointed former Richmond premiership coach Tom Hafey in his place. The club had also won the 2007 VFL premiership against Coburg the weekend before. [12], Geelong played most of its early home games at the Argyle Square, situated between Aberdeen Street and Pakington Street. . His formal involvement with the game culminated in 12 years as a Director of the Geelong Football Club, including six years as Vice President. [59] Premiership captain Cameron Ling announced his retirement from the AFL at the conclusion of the season,[61] and Joel Selwood was appointed to the position in January 2012. This record score still stands. In 1966, the club board decided to re-open the coaching position for application and eventually settled on Peter Pianto to replace Davis. Geelong ultimately won the match by five points. The author, Susan Kruss, has devoted a significant amount of time in pursuit of an accurate appraisal of events over the last 80 years of existence of the GPPOC. The history of the Geelong Football Club, began in 1859 in the city of Geelong, Australia, is significant as the club is the second oldest AFL club, is believed to be the fourth oldest football club in Australia and one of the oldest in the world and one of the most successful. Even more frustratingly, the club finished only one and a half games off top spot on the ladder, but finished seventh in what was a very even year and also the last season that featured a final 'six' (it was reverted to a final 'eight' in 1994). ^ Denotes the ladder was split into two conferences. He was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College from 3 June 1925 to December 1927 and was in the 1st Football XVIII 1925-27 (Captain 1926-27 . However, the club then lost its next 9 to finish the season with 10 wins and tenth position. As a result, players transferred over to other clubs and forced Geelong into recess during 1942 and 1943. [24] Coaches Graham Farmer and Rodney Olsson failed to develop successful teams. . Geelong got off to a wonderful start, and at one stage during the second quarter were leading by four goals. [30] The club did, however, recruit well during this period. This match ended up being a sad farewell to Gary Ablett Jnr, who was playing his last game after hurting his twice previously-injured shoulder in the opening minutes of the match. V. In case the ball is kicked behind Goal any one of the side behind whose Goal it is kicked may bring it 20 yards in front of any portion of the space between the 'kick-off' posts, and shall kick it. A notable recruit for Geelong came in the form of Matthew Scarlett, son of former player, John. VIII. He joined the Geelong board in the late 1990's and ascended to the presidency in late 1998. This late season match in the VFA between two previously undefeated teams, Geelong and South Melbourne, stimulated unprecedented public interest. Several experienced players urged Blight to revert to Geelong's customary geisha style of play. Since the demise of the AFL reserves competition, the Geelong reserves team has competed in the new Victorian Football League, having won three premierships in that time. The Constitution was finalised at a general meeting on 3 October 19333, and with that the Geelong Football Club Past Players Association was officially launched. Unlike these clubs, Geelong recruited poorly and/or could not afford to recruit quality footballers. The Cats would meet eventual premier, North Melbourne in the first week of the finals, which saw North win by over 10 goals. [citation needed], Geelong changed their name to the Geelong Cats in 2008 and continued to dominate with the club having a regular season record of 21 wins and one loss to become the best-performing team in the home-and-away season since Essendon in 2000. 1994 proved to be a successful although ultimately hard year for the club. A giant figure in Victoria's second-biggest city, Mr Costa and his brother Adrian took over the family fruit and vegetable business in 1958, growing Costa Group into a billion-dollar company. "John was a great Geelong person, having served as mayor of Geelong, and also as president of the Geelong Football Club from 1980-1983. [11], Geelong's traditional navy blue and white hooped guernsey has been worn since the club's inception in the mid-1800s. The latter features an MCG-sized oval and is used often by the club in the pre-season, when Kardinia Park is being used for other events. All the latest news, video, results and information . [64] In the reserves however, Geelong won its third VFL premiership, defeating Port Melbourne by 33 points in the 2012 VFL Grand Final. [3] Geelong followed up with further premiership wins in 1931 and 1937. Any player who played in the first or second eighteen could join, and the committee could appoint life members. Each piece even a tiny lapel badge comes with a story. Coach Mark Thompson was widely perceived to be at risk. Both were present at the inaugural dinner in 1980 at which Noel gave the founding speech. Geelong scored 24 goals and 19 points for a total of 163 points (the highest score by any grand finalist since Essendon in 1985 with 170), compared to the six goals and eight points scored by Port Adelaide for a total of 44 points (the lowest score by any grand finalist since Essendon in 1990). The two clubs fostered a strong early rivalry. $16 each or 2 any 2 for $30. [citation needed], In 2010, Geelong finished second on the ladder but did not reach the grand final. Former Geelong player Greg Williams, now a superstar at Carlton, was named best on ground with his five goals. Gary Ablett would not play a senior game again for the club after injuring his knee in the reserves. Geelong managed to defeat the reigning premiers, Hawthorn, in the two clubs' second meeting of the season in Round 17. Despite not placing first on the ladder at any point during the regular season, Geelong managed a regular-season record of 18 wins and four losses, which was the first time a team had won 18 or more matches in the VFL or AFL's regular season for three consecutive seasons. Updated: 1 May 2023Source(s): Players; Coaches. In 1956, Geelong recruited Billy Goggin, Geelong's greatest rover, who also coached Geelong in the 1980s. [1] In 1999 the club won five games straight to open the season. During this time, Bob founded the Geelong Football Club's History Society, serving as its inaugural Chair. Geelong Football Club's first president George Rippon. They have also won ten McClelland Trophies, the most of any AFL/VFL club. In ease of deliberate infringement of any of the above Rules by either side the Captain of the opposite side may claim that any one of his party [63] It was the first time Fremantle had won a final outside its home state in its 18-year existence. Geelong had a shaky start to their 2022 campaign, beginning the year with five wins and four losses. In 1949, the club's former premiership captain Reg Hickey was appointed as coach for the third time. 1998 was a season best forgotten. Geelong finished the regular season in first position on the ladder, earning the club a second-consecutive McClelland Trophy, its ninth overall. [45] Chapman's criticisms, which followed a similar assessment from coach Mark Thompson, led to a group discussion involving all of the club's playing and coaching staff, and produced frank assessments of both individuals and the club in general. The club finished 12th, its lowest finish for over 40 years and its equally lowest ever. Geelong Football Club president Colin Carter will retire from his role at the club's annual general meeting (AGM) on 28 January 2021. Before the 1962 season, Davis helped Geelong recruit ruckman Graham "Polly" Farmer from East Perth to partner Billy Goggin and Alistair Lord in the midfield. It was also suggested that to encourage the support of past players of the GFC, provision should be made to gather at matches played at Corio Oval. The Past Players and Officials Association moved into their new facilities in the Players Stand in June, 2014. All the latest news, video, results and information Geelong Football Club. The lyrics were written by former premiership player John Watts. Colin stepped down in 1993 as a result of being appointed to the AFL Commission, a role he held until early 2008. In the 1963 season, Geelong played Hawthorn four times. 2010. 1994 saw another best-and-fairest win to Garry Hocking, who also won 20 votes in the Brownlow Medal to finish third to eventual winner Greg Williams on 30 votes and Peter Matera on 28 votes. "For the first time, Polly was a genuine Geelong Football Club premiership club player," said Davis. Read about the top Cats on Geelong Past Players & Officials Club's website. Geelong adapted quickly to Blight's coaching philosophy, and became renowned for kicking high scores. [47] After qualifying for the 2009 AFL finals series, Geelong proceeded to win its qualifying and preliminary finals in succession, earning a place in the 2009 AFL Grand Final against St Kilda. [75][76], The club's recruitment strategy was in response to the departure of many of its premiership players in the preceding seasons,[77] such as Brad Ottens (in 2011),[78] Matthew Scarlett and David Wojcinski (2012),[79] and Joel Corey (2013). The first player to win the award was Geelong's Edward Greeves. Tony Lockett kicked his nine goals for St Kilda by three-quarter time. The club met fifth placed Footscray in the first week of the finals. [69], During 2015, the round fourteen match between Adelaide and Geelong was cancelled, and declared a draw, following the death of Adelaide coach Phil Walsh. The club relocated to Corio Oval as its main home ground in time for the 1878 season, coinciding with the club's first VFA premiership in the VFA's second season. Under Devine, the club grew accustomed to the league-wide introduction of the salary cap and AFL Draft, recruiting Barry Stoneham, Garry Hocking, Mark Bairstow and Billy Brownless. The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The stadium is currently undergoing construction, which has reduced the stadium's capacity to around 26,000. [27] Geelong finished the regular season on top of the ladder, eclipsing their previous record for total points scored in a home-and-away season (2916 in 1989) and increased it to 3057 points.[28]. Carter has been a key driver within the football industry over the past 35 years. Season 1991 started ominously. In 1993 the Geelong once again underachieved as Malcolm Blight experimented with more defensive tactics. North Melbourne, who were playing on its actual home ground, beat Geelong by 18 points in a hard fought encounter. [59] Jimmy Bartel, who played in each of these three premiership wins, was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his best on ground performance. [84] During the season, Corey Enright achieved the club's all-time games record with his tally of 326 games in round nineteen; Jimmy Bartel also celebrated his 300th game milestone in the same round. Costa was at that stage one of Australia's most successful businessmen, and famously turned down a $1 million cash . The club's official team song and anthem is "We Are Geelong". It adopted the Laws of Australian Football in the early 1860s after a series of compromises with the Melbourne Football Club. [citation needed], These two victories ensured Geelong a place in the 2007 AFL Grand Final against Port Adelaide, which Geelong won by a record margin of 119 points. Geelong captain Bert Rankin liked the analogy and suggested the club adopt "the Cats" nickname, even recruiting key position forward Lloyd Hagger, a talented artist, to design a cat that was made into badges for the players to wear on their lapels. [8] Rules allegedly used by the Geelong Football Club in 1859 were originally written down by hand. Although the competition was played under compromised rules, Geelong reached the final and defeated Melbourne to become the second winners of the cup, before defeating two challengers to win the cup permanently in 1864. VI. Graeme Atkinson, 1981, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Australian Rules Football but Couldn't be Bothered Asking", Five Mile Press, History of Australian rules football in Victoria (18531900) The game of the century, dissolution of the AFL reserves competition, Official Website of the Geelong Football Club, "UNEARTHING HISTORY: THE LOST BROWNLOW FILES", https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/sep/23/1989-vfl-grand-final-hawthorn-geelong, Goals scored by Geelong players in 1992 season, Season Scoring Records: Most Points For in a Season, "Geelong and Hawthorn top list of 12 best club drafts in AFL history", "VFL very much alive and kicking big goals", "Matthews still 'feels sick' over 2004 preliminary final", "Cats secure Ottens as frenzied trading ends", "The five best recruiting decisions of the last decade", "Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne to join a long line of Australian sportsmen trying to make the NFL", "Jeff White recalls horrific injuries after being kicked in face by Steven King in 2005", https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/729891/cats-use-old-tricks, "Dreaded statistical turnaround in the AFL as the kick gets the boot", "Too old, too slow, two flags and counting", "Fremantle star Matthew Pavlich leads the Dockers to victory over Geelong", "The end of Geelong's era finally arrives", "Killing the curse: Hawks snap Cats' hold to make Grand Final", "North Melbourne eliminates Geelong to reach AFL preliminary final against Sydney Swans", "Tough ask for Dockers with Geelong's Simonds Stadium to host its first final", "Fremantle shocks Geelong with 15 point win at Kardinia Park to seal place in preliminary final", "Adelaide Crows' AFL match against Geelong cancelled after Phil Walsh's death, round 14 to go ahead", "Phil Walsh murdered: AFL confirms cancellation of Adelaide v Geelong, rest of Round 14 to go ahead", "2016 preview: Cats recruiting for another flag", "Adelaide Crows confirm Patrick Dangerfield wants to return to Victoria", "AFL trade week: Patrick Dangerfield deal done as Geelong sends Adelaide Dean Gore and draft picks", "Departing Dangerfield exits with best and fairest win", "Geelong hopes to remain contender through elite recruiting, culture, coaching and development", "Joel Corey retires after 276 game career", "Paul Chapman joins Essendon on a one-year deal after trade confirmed with Geelong", "Essendon Bombers sign former Geelong Cat Mathew Stokes for 2016 AFL season", "Geelong triple premiership player Steve Johnson joins GWS Giants on one-year deal", "Geelong Cats vs Sydney Swans: AFL preliminary final as it happened", "Geelong beats Western Bulldogs by 25 points at Kardinia Park", "Dangerfield breaks record to seal Brownlow", "Match report: Crows crush Cats to advance to GF", "Gary Ablett's trade to Geelong sends the AFL great back to family and his football home", "AFL finals: Geelong needs to avoid being a fading September force against Melbourne", "AFL finals: Melbourne Demons beat Geelong Cats to move through to semi-finals", "Cursed Cats?
