The
Cats in
Season 1997
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The
Cats in |
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Gary Ablett is fined by the club again because he missed a flight and missed a training session. The Cats reach the final of the Ansett Cup with strong wins over West Coast, Adelaide at Football Park and a thriller against North Melbourne. Their opponent is Carlton and once again the Club can't win a grand final. To make matters worse Garry Hocking is suspended for a week. Ablett regaining fitness it the seconds.
The Cats were beaten by Richmond in front of just under 50,000 at the M.C.G. The Tigers pulled away, but a comeback in the last quarter was not enough for the Cats, failing by 9 points. Kicking 2 goals 8 in the last quarter and John Barnes missing from 10 metres out, didn't help. Ablett kicked 7 in the reserves but injured his knee, and as we find out later on is out for the season. Final Score: Richmond 15.14.104 d Geelong 13.17.95
Geelong wins their first game for the season by beating the Eagles at Kardinia Park. With the lead changing several times during the match, the Cats get up by a goal. Sanderson is knocked out in a clash with McIntosh, while Mainwaring injured his knee and his season is over. Riccardi was in top form for the Cats with 6 goals (5 in the second half). Final Score: Geelong 11.12.78 d West Coast 11.6.72
After being thrashed in the Ansett Cup Grand Final, the Club slips even lower with a 39 point thrashing at the hands of newcomer Port Adelaide. As we were soon to find out in the weeks to come this loss was less embarrassing with the Power climbing into the eight. Skipper Stoneham's form is questioned, while it seems the club is at a stage of rebuilding with its youngsters. Final Score: Port Adelaide 18.21.129 d Geelong 14.6.90
After the thrashing to the Power, the Cats faced an even tougher task facing the undefeated Bombers at the 'G', with the match being transferred from Kardinia Park. 55,000 saw the Bombers kick only 1 goal during the second term, while the Cats managed 7 points to trail by three goals at half time. After being inaccurate early in the third term, the Cats slammed on 6 goals to gain the lead, however it was taken away from them by the Bombers after the siren. Three goals to one in the last term saw the Cats home by 7 points. John Barnes was on top in the Ruck with 27 Hit-Outs (62 season), while the Bombers lost Hird (calf) and Long (Hamstring) early in the match. Final Score: Geelong 11.19.85 d Essendon 11.12.78
The Cats faced another tough task, playing Carlton at Optus Oval, a place where they hadn't won in 13 years. The Cats showed nothing of this as they played the better football all day. They led all day and finally won by eight points. Graham kept Kernahan quiet, while Colbert thrashed Kouta all day. The most interesting dual of the day, was Pickering on Bradley, with the Cat souring the top Blue's 250th game. Souring the Cats win was John Barnes breaking his arm and missing 12 weeks. Final Score: Geelong 13.16.94 d Carlton 12.14.86
Leigh Colbert - Had the better of Kouta in Round 5.
The Cats played the Dockers at Kardinia Park. In very wet conditions, the Cats broke away early to a six goal lead at quarter time. They kept it until time in the second term, but the Dockers slammed on 3 quick goals to reduce the margin to only 3 goals at the main break. The Cats then got right on top in the second half to win the match by 9 goals. Ronnie Burns was on fire all day kicking 6 goals. Final Score: Geelong 14.13.97 d Fremantle 6.7.43
Ronnie Burns - 6 goals against the Dockers.
For the second week in a row the Cats played at their home ground. The biggest crowd of the season at the ground so far turned up for the clash (22,000). The Cats got on top in the first term holding the Swans goal less and kicking 4 themselves. After a pretty even second term the Cats slammed on four goals in the third term, and after another even last quarter the Cats got home by 32 points. Ben Graham the best for the Cats keeping Lockett to one questionable goal, while the Swans were hit by injuries during the match. Final Score Geelong 11.10.76 d Sydney 6.8.44
The Cats faced the bottom of the ladder Melbourne at the M.C.G. in front of 30,000 fans. After the Cats got away to an early lead at the start of the first quarter, the Dees kept with them until half time. Melbourne actually drew level with the Cats half way through the third term but that was as far as they got, with the Cats kicking the next 13 goals to win the match by that same margin. Tim Hargreaves was the star for the Cats kicking 6 goals. Final Score: Geelong 19.14.128 d Melbourne 7.7.49
Geelong faced a desperate Lions team at the GABBA in very warm conditions. After an even first quarter, the Lions got on top and pulled away in the next one and half quarters to lead by 10 goals. However the Cast did not give up and with excellent play from Ronnie Burns (5 for the match), Leigh Colbert and skipper Barry Stoneham, they reduced the margian to 21 points at the final change. Geelong did not stop there they kicked the next 3 goals to get within 3 points before cramp from tiredness set in as the home side pulled away to win by 28 points. Final Score: Brisbane 19.12.126 d Geelong 15.8.98
The Cats faced St.Kilda at Kardinia Park in Match of the Round. The match was very even up to half time with both teams kicking 3 goals in each quarter. But the Cats got away in the third term with Ronnie Burns kicking 3 goals in 3 minutes as the team kicked 6 goals to three for the term. They added another 4 to 2 in the last term to win the match by 28 points. Colbert did the job on Harvey, and Pickering kept Burke quiet, while Barry Stoneham thrashed Loewe at Centre Half Back. Burns was on 30 goals after 10 Rounds, while Leigh Colbert was on 70 marks. Final Score: Geelong 16.11.107 d St.Kilda 11.13.79
The Cats faced the Western Bulldogs, in the top of the ladder clash, at Optus Oval. After an even first term the Dogs pulled away late in the second term to lead by 3 goals at the main change. The Cats came back in the third term with Burns and Hocking lively on the forward, the Cats cut the margin to only 3 points the last change. They kicked two quick goals at the start of the last to lead by 9 points, and with Riccardi bouncing his way forward on the outer wing, Tim McGrath was penalised and reported for what many thought was a legal shepherd, on Tony Liberatore. "Libba" was sent off with the blood rule and the club's best kick, James Cook, took the free and kicked the goal from 60 metres out, which "Libba" had no hope of kicking. This gave the Dogs momentum and they went on to win by 21 points. To make matters worse Garry Hocking was suspended for striking and Tim McGrath's charge was dropped, pointing out there was no free kick to the Dogs. Final Score: Bulldogs 14.12.96 d Geelong 11.9.75
1997 - Rounds 12 to
22
Cats in Previous Years
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