Geelong Football Club

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Geelong Football Club
Geelong Cats logo.svg
Names
Full name Geelong Football Club
Nickname(s) Cats
Former nickname(s) Pivotonians, Seagulls
2017 season
After finals 3rd
Home-and-away season 2nd
Leading goalkicker Tom Hawkins (51 goals)
Carji Greeves Medal Patrick Dangerfield
Club details
Founded 1859; 159 years ago (1859)
Colours White, navy blue          
Competition Australian Football League
Chairman Colin Carter[1]
Coach Chris Scott[2]
Captain(s) Joel Selwood
Premierships
Ground(s) GMHBA Stadium (Used for most home games) (capacity: 36,000)
  Melbourne Cricket Ground (capacity: 100,064)
Former ground(s) Corio Oval (1878-1940)
Training ground(s) Deakin University's Elite Sport Precinct GMHBA Stadium
Other information
Official website www.geelongcats.com.au
Guernsey: GeelongJumpers2017.png
Current season

The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Australia and playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). The Cats have been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with three in the AFL era (since 1990). They have also won nine McClelland Trophies, a record shared with Essendon.[3][4]

The club was formed in 1859, making it the second oldest club in the AFL after Melbourne and one of the oldest football clubs in the world.[3] Geelong participated in the first football competition in Australia and was a foundation club of both the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877 and the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1897.[5]

The club first established itself in the VFA by winning seven premierships, making it the most successful VFA club leading up to the formation of the VFL in 1897. The club won a further six premierships by 1963, before enduring a 44-year waiting period until it won its next premiership—an AFL-record 119-point victory in the 2007 AFL Grand Final.[6][7][8] Geelong have since won a further two premierships in 2009 and 2011.

The club currently has two home grounds, which are Kardinia Park, currently also known by its sponsorship name "GMHBA Stadium" and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Geelong's traditional guernsey colours are navy blue and white hoops. The club's nickname, "The Cats", was first used in 1923 after a run of losses prompted a local cartoonist to suggest that the club needed a black cat to bring it good luck. The club's official team song and anthem is "We Are Geelong".

History[edit]

Main article: History of the Geelong Football Club

Club identity and culture[edit]

Guernseys[edit]

Club attire in 1895 (Jim McShane pictured)

Geelong's traditional navy blue and white hooped guernsey has been worn since the club's inception in the mid-1800s. The design is said to represent the white seagulls and blue water of Corio Bay.[9]

The team have worn various away guernseys since 1998, all featuring the club's logo and traditional colours.[10]

Song: "We Are Geelong"[edit]

"We Are Geelong" is the song sung after a game won by the Geelong Football Club. It is sung to the tune of "Toreador" from Carmen. The lyrics were written by former premiership player John Watts. Only the first verse is used at matches and by the team after a victory. The song currently used by the club was recorded by the Fable Singers in April 1972.[11]

We are Geelong, the greatest team of all
We are Geelong; we’re always on the ball
We play the game as it should be played
At home or far away
Our banners fly high, from dawn to dark
Down at Kardinia Park
So! Stand up and fight, remember our tradition
Stand up and fight, it's always our ambition
Throughout the game to fight with all our might
Because we’re the mighty blue and white
And when the ball is bounced, to the final bell
Stand up and fight like hell

Stadium and training facilities[edit]

Geelong's administrative headquarters is its home stadium, Kardinia Park. The club also trains at the venue during the season, however it also trains at its alternate training venue, Deakin University's Elite Sport Precinct. 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.[12]

Rivalries[edit]

Hawthorn[edit]

Further information: Kennett curse

The rivalry between Hawthorn and Geelong is defined by two Grand Finals: those of 1989 and 2008. 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. In 2008 Grand Final, Geelong was the heavily backed favourite and had lost only one match for the season, but Hawthorn upset Geelong by 26 points; Geelong won its next eleven matches against Hawthorn over the following five years, under a curse, which was dubbed the "Kennett curse" which was attributed to disrespectful comments made by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett following the 2008 Grand Final. It was later revealed that after the 2008 grand final, Paul Chapman initiated a pact between other Geelong players to never lose to Hawthorn again. The curse was broken in a preliminary final in 2013, after Paul Chapman played his final match for Geelong the previous week. Hawthorn went on to win the next three premierships. In 2016 Geelong again defeated Hawthorn in the qualifying final. In 20 matches between the two sides between 2008 and 2017, 12 were decided by less than 10 points, with Geelong victorious in 11 of those 12 close games.[13]

Collingwood[edit]

Geelong won their first flag in 1925 over Collingwood, in 1930 Collingwood defeated Geelong in the grand final making it four flags in-a-row for the Pies. Geelong would later deny Collingwood three successive premierships in 1937, winning a famous grand final by 32 points.

The two sides played against each other in 6 finals between 1951 and 1955, including the 1952 Grand Final when Geelong easily beat Collingwood by 46 points. In 1953, Collingwood ended Geelong's record 23-game winning streak in the home and away season, and later defeated them by 12 points in the grand final, denying the Cats a third successive premiership.

Since 2007, the clubs have again both been at the top of the ladder and have met regularly in finals. Geelong won a memorable preliminary final by five points on their way to their first flag in 44 years. In 2008, Collingwood inflicted Geelong's only home-and-away loss, by a massive 86 points, but the teams did not meet in the finals. They would meet in preliminary finals in 2009 and 2010, each winning one en route to a premiership. They finally met in a Grand Final in 2011, which Geelong won by 38 points; Geelong inflicted Collingwood's only three losses for the 2011 season.[14]

Corporate[edit]

Sponsorship[edit]

Supporter base[edit]

Geelong's supporters came out in force in the 2009 Grand Final against St Kilda
Well-known supporter Troy West, nicknamed "Catman"
Geelong players prepare to break a banner, which is created by its supporters, before a match against Greater Western Sydney in June 2013.
Table of club membership, with home attendance figures (since 1984)
Season Members Average home
attendance[15] 		Ref
1984 7,709 20,577
1985 7,718 19,463
1986 6,985 15,319
1987 6,981 20,462
1988 9,667 20,790
1989 7,760 29,296
1990 15,087 24,711
1991 11,356 23,525
1992 13,535 27,698
1993 15,500 26,920
1994 14,312 26,461
1995 15,922 25,317
1996 17,346 25,161
1997 18,858 28,324
1998 19,971 28,371
1999 21,032 24,840
2000 25,595 27,729
2001 25,420 27,093
2002 23,756 27,040
2003 24,017 25,971
2004 25,021 25,747
2005 30,821 27,783
2006 32,290 27,428
2007 30,169 31,547 [16]
2008 36,850 29,474 [17]
2009 37,160 30,069 [18]
2010 40,326 39,129 [19]
2011 39,343 35,401 [20]
2012 40,200 31,508
2013 42,884 36,650
2014 43,803 33,915 [21]
2015 44,312 29,582 [22]
2016 50,571 30,497 [23]
2017 54,854 35,111 [24]
2018 63,818 TBA [25]

Players and staff[edit]

Further information: List of Geelong Football Club players, Geelong Football Club draft and trade history, List of Geelong Football Club coaches, and List of Geelong Football Club captains
Chris Scott is the club's current head coach.

Current playing list and coaches[edit]

Geelong Football Club
Senior list Rookie list Coaching staff

Head coach

Assistant coaches

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice captain(s)
  • (B) Category B rookie

Updated: 1 December 2017
Source(s): Playing list, Coaching staff

Officials[edit]

  • President: Colin Carter
  • Vice President: Bob Gartland
  • Chief Executive Officer: Brian Cook
  • General Manager – Football: Steven Hocking

Club records[edit]

Further information: List of Geelong Football Club seasons

Premierships and awards[edit]

See also: List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records
Awarded to the "best and fairest" player during the AFL's home-and-away season, the Brownlow Medal, football's most prestigious award, is named after Geelong player and administrator Charles "Chas" Brownlow.
Geelong footballer Edward "Carji" Greeves, winner of the inaugural Brownlow Medal in 1924, and namesake of the Carji Greeves Medal, awarded to Geelong's best and fairest player of the season
VFL/AFL: 9 (1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Victorian Football Association: 7 (1878, 1879, 1880, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886)
Reserves/VFL: 16 (1923, 1924, 1930, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2002, 2007, 2012)
Under 19s: 1 (1962)
  • Night/Pre-season premierships
VFL Night Series: 1 (1961)
Pre-Season: 2 (2006, 2009)

Win-loss record[edit]

Statistics are correct to round 14, 2018 season[26]
Geelong's win-loss record against other VFL/AFL clubs
Club T W L D Win%
Adelaide 42 23 19 0 54.8
Brisbane Bears† 15 10 4 1 70.0
Brisbane Lions 32 18 14 0 56.3
Carlton 219 100 117 2 46.1
Collingwood 232 99 132 1 42.9
Essendon 217 97 115 5 45.9
Fitzroy† 183 103 79 1 56.6
Fremantle 37 25 12 0 67.6
Gold Coast 9 7 2 0 77.8
Greater Western Sydney 9 7 1 1 83.3
Hawthorn 163 89 73 1 54.9
Melbourne 215 129 84 2 60.5
North Melbourne 162 98 63 1 60.8
Port Adelaide 32 22 9 1 70.3
Richmond 193 103 87 3 54.2
St Kilda 214 129 84 1 60.5
Sydney 222 121 101 0 54.5
University† 14 8 6 0 57.1
West Coast 51 24 26 1 48.0
Western Bulldogs 159 101 56 2 64.2
Totals 2420 1313 1084 23 54.7
Key
W Wins L Losses D Draws T Total
Win% Winning percentage † Defunct club

Match records[edit]

Table of club VFL/AFL match records
Club record Round Venue Opponent Details Ref
Highest score Round 7, 1992 Carrara Brisbane Bears Geelong 37.17 (239) v Brisbane Bears 11.9 (75) [27]
Lowest score Round 3, 1899 Corio Oval Fitzroy Geelong 0.8 (8) v Fitzroy 4.8 (32) [28]
Highest losing score Round 6, 1989 Princes Park Hawthorn Geelong 25.13 (163) v Hawthorn 26.15 (171) [29]
Lowest winning score Round 9, 1897 Corio Oval Melbourne Geelong 1.9 (15) v Melbourne 0.10 (10) [30]
Biggest winning margin Round 19, 2011 Kardinia Park Melbourne 186 points Geelong 37.11 (233) v Melbourne 7.5 (47) [31]
Biggest losing margin Round 21, 1986 Princes Park Hawthorn 135 points – Geelong 13.12 (90) v Hawthorn 35.15 (225) [32]
Record attendance (home and away game) Round 9, 2010 Melbourne Cricket Ground Collingwood 91,115
Record attendance (finals match) 1967 VFL Grand Final Melbourne Cricket Ground Richmond 109,396

Reserves team[edit]

The Geelong reserves team began competing in the VFL Reserves competition with the league's other reserves teams from 1919. From 1919 to 1991 the VFL/AFL operated a reserves competition, and from 1992 to 1999 a de facto AFL reserves competition was run by the Victorian State Football League. 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. During that time, the Geelong reserves team won thirteen premierships (1923, 1924, 1930, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982), the most of any club.

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. Unlike all other Victorian AFL clubs, Geelong has never operated in a reserves affiliation with an existing VFL club, having instead operated its stand-alone reserves team continuously. The team is composed of both reserves players from the club's primary and rookie AFL lists, and a separately maintained list of players eligible only for VFL matches. Home games are played at Simonds Stadium, with some played as curtain-raisers to senior AFL matches.

  • Premierships (3): 2002, 2007, 2012
  • Runners-ups (2): 2006, 2013
  • Minor premierships (2): 2002, 2013
  • Wooden spoons (1): 2005

AFL Women's team[edit]

In 2017, following the inaugural AFL Women's (AFLW) season, Geelong was among eight clubs that applied for licenses to enter the competition from 2019 onwards.[33] In September 2017, the club was announced as one of two clubs, along with North Melbourne, to receive a license to join the competition in 2019.[34]


Geelong Football Club (AFL Women's)
Senior list Coaching staff

Head coach


Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice captain(s)


See also[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

References
  1. ^ "The Board & Executive". gfc.com.au. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  2. ^ Gullan, Scott (17 October 2010). "Chris Scott earns Cats gig". Herald Sun. Retrieved 17 October 2010. 
  3. ^ a b Official Website of the Geelong Football Club GFC History Archived 2 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 10 June 2007.
  4. ^ AFL Tables Finishing Summary 1897–2006.
  5. ^ Rodgers, Stephen (1983) Every Game Ever Played p. i. Melbourne: Lloyd O'Neil
  6. ^ "AFL Tables". afltables.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  7. ^ "AFL Tables – Season Summary". afltables.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  8. ^ The Bulletin publishes for the last time[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Official AFL Website of the Geelong Cats Football Club". gfc.com.au. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  10. ^ "www.footyjumpers.com". footyjumpers.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  11. ^ AFL Tunes to Remember The Melbourne Age, 23 July 2010
  12. ^ "Deakin welcomes Cats as MCG blockbuster looms". Deakin University. 19 May 2016. 
  13. ^ "Head to Head Between Geelong and Hawthorn". finalsiren.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  14. ^ "An epic rivalry". collingwoodfc.com.au. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  15. ^ "Geelong Attendances". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 July 2018. 
  16. ^ Pierik, Jon (13 July 2007). "Club members post record". Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Limited. p. 106. 
  17. ^ Ralph, Jon (16 July 2008). "Bid to keep new Kanga members". Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Limited. p. 77. 
  18. ^ Rucci, Michelangelo (24 July 2009). "Fans are quitting SA seats". The Advertiser. Adelaide: News Limited. p. 109. 
  19. ^ Warner, Michael (17 July 2010). "Roos lose support". Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Limited. p. 39. 
  20. ^ Williams, Bruce (31 July 2011). "Magpie army leads charge on AFL membership". Sunday Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Limited. p. 78. 
  21. ^ "Record AFL club membership in 2014". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018. 
  22. ^ Siracusa, Claire (26 August 2015). "AFL club membership grows, but three clubs dropped off". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. Retrieved 7 July 2018. 
  23. ^ Bowen, Nick (25 August 2016). "The membership ladder: Hawks overtake Pies, Dons slide". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2018. 
  24. ^ Guthrie, Ben (16 August 2017). "AFL club membership heads towards a million". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2018. 
  25. ^ King, Travis (2 August 2018). "Thanks a million: New membership benchmark". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018. 
  26. ^ "Geelong Win-Loss Records". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 July 2018. 
  27. ^ V/AFL record
  28. ^ "AFL Tables – Geelong – Game Records". afltables.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  29. ^ V/AFL record. Geelong took both this record and that for the highest score from Fitzroy.
  30. ^ Only one behind kicked in first quarter; aggregate of scoring shots lowest since 1953 and second lowest since 1905 Grand Final
  31. ^ "AFL Tables – Geelong – Game Records". afltables.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016. 
  32. ^ Geelong actually led early in the third quarter before Hawthorn kicked 25.7 (157) to 1.7 (13) for a record score for a half
  33. ^ Schmook, Nathan (29 August 2017). "Decision on AFLW expansion delayed". afl.com.au. Retrieved 5 April 2018. 
  34. ^ Black, Sarah (27 September 2017). "North and Geelong win AFLW expansion race". afl.com.au. Retrieved 5 April 2018. 
Bibliography
  • Lovett, Michael (Chief editor) (2010). AFL Record Season Guide. Geoff Slattery Media Group. ISBN 978-0-9806274-5-9. 

External links[edit]

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