Geelong Rewrites The History Books

Posted on 27 September 2009 by Stenberg-Tendys W.L. in sports

While the Aussie Rules Football is a significant part of Australian culture, the Grand Final on September 26^th, 2009 goes down in football history as one of the sport’s Greatest Games, as the Geelong Cats wrote themselves into the history books.

Geelong’s win by 12 points, over the St Kilda Saints, was the apex of a brilliant season, having eclipsed Collingwood’s 1927/29 all-time three year winning percentage of 86.9% wins. Geelong not only won its second premiership in three years, it also clocked up its 63^rd win in its last 70 games, (90%).

The present run by Geelong, far exceeds its last great era, of 1951/2 when the team won 23 consecutive games.

Geelong is the first team since Essendon in 1984, to come from behind at the three quarter mark to win. In spite of their brilliant three year performance, only a month ago many people had written Geelong off, as being a non-premiership contender.

While the Cats were in their third consecutive Grand Final, the majority of the Saints were first time Grand Finalist players. It was always expected, however, that the only thing that would separate the two evenly matched sides, would be the experience of the Cats, giving them the slight winning advantage.

This proved to be the case, as the nail biting score clawed its way up, matched point by point. This was a replay of when the two teams met in round 14, when they were separated by just one goal at the final siren.

The Saints have been 44 years without a premiership win, since beating Collingwood in 1966. The Saints have won 6 Grand Final games: 1913, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1997 and 2009.

Geelong, one of the oldest football clubs, has been known as the Geelong Seagulls, Pivotonians and Black Cats. The coveted Browlow Medal for best player of the season, was named after Charles Browlow, a former Geelong secretary.

Tom W Wills, of Geelong, is regarded by many, as the founder of the game in 1856, just three years before the formation of the Geelong club. Since then Geelong has won eight Grand Finals: 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009.

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