Geelong Football Club

Categories: Australian Football League clubs | Geelong

Geelong
Image:Geelong Football Club.png
Full nameGeelong Football Club
EmblemThe Cats
Playing stripNavy blue and white hooped guernsey, navy shorts, navy and white hooped socks
Founded1859
SportAustralian rules football
LeagueAustralian Football League
GroundSkilled Stadium
Capacity27,000
Club songWe Are Geelong
President/ChairFrank Costa
CoachMark Thompson
20055th of 16
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. The club is based in the city of Geelong at Skilled Stadium. They are the only current AFL team that is not based in a state capital city (although some may count the Fremantle Dockers, and at one stage the Brisbane Bears were actually based on the Gold Coast).

The club is the second oldest football club in the World (after the Melbourne Football Club), having being formed in the Victoria Hotel in 1859. Originally based at Corio Oval, Geelong moved to Kardinia Park (now Skilled Stadium) in the 1940s. For many years they were known as the Pivotonians, after the city's nickname 'The Pivot', Seagulls was also an earlier nickname, with the dark blue and white striped uniform still worn today representing the blue water of Corio Bay and the white seagulls so frequent in the Bay. They were nicknamed the 'Cats' 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.

Although being a relatively strong performer throughout the 1980s and 1990s (Grand Final appearances in 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1995), the Cats have been unable to win a premiership since 1963. The club won the VFL/AFL premierships in: 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952 and 1963.

The current senior coach is Mark Thompson who is in his 5th year at the helm. The current captain is Steven King. The most recent Club Best and Fairest Winner (2005) was Joel Corey.

In 2004 the club made the finals for the first time in 4 years, finishing 4th. After this improvement 2005 looked to be a very promising year, but the team was plagued by injuries and inconsistent form and could only reach 5th spot. With a young but readily maturing list, the Cats will look to 2006 and again hope to be a genuine premiership contender.

Theme song: "We are Geelong" (sung to the tune of the Toreador's song from Carmen).

Contents

[edit]

Brownlow Medal winners

[edit]

Team of the Century

Backs: Bernie Smith George Todd John Newman
Half Backs: Dick Grigg Reg Hickey Joe Slater
Centres: Michael Turner Edward 'Carji' Greeves Leo Turner
Half Forwards: Gary Ablett Fred Flanagan Bob Davis
Forwards: Henry Young Doug Wade Peter Pianto
Followers: Graeme 'Polly' Farmer Garry Hocking Bill Goggin
Interchange: David Clarke Paul Couch Alec Eason Les Hardiman
Emergencies: Ian Nankervis Jack Collins Tom Quinn Cliff Rankin
[edit]

Notable players

[edit]

External links

Clubs in the Australian Football League
Adelaide Crows | Brisbane Lions | Carlton | Collingwood | Essendon | Fremantle | Geelong | Hawthorn
Kangaroos | Melbourne | Port Adelaide | Richmond | St Kilda | Sydney Swans | West Coast Eagles | Western Bulldogs
Defunct clubs: Brisbane Bears | Fitzroy | University