The
Cats in
Season 1997
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The
Cats in |
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The Cats faced Hawthorn at Kardinia Park, in wet conditions. The Hawks got away to a four goal lead early in the match, and although the Cats tried hard they couldn't cut back the margin. But in the last term, the Cats lifted their game and stormed back. When Sholl kicked a goal late in match, the lead was cut back to a goal but the Hawks got home by that margin. Riccardi missing three in the last term did not help, while King got the better of the "Fish" in the Ruck. Final Score: Hawthorn 13.10.88 d Geelong 12.10.82
The Cats faced the Crows at Kardinia Park, the week after the State of Origin. The Cats won the toss and Shot at to a six goal lead with the breeze. The Crows outscored the Cats by a goal in the second term and the margin was 28 points at the long break. With the Cats kicking with the wind the third term was even, and the Crows were looking better and a chance to win, with the breeze in the last quarter. But the Cats lifted and slammed on 6 goals to 1 in the last term against the breeze to win the match by 56 points. Stars for the Cats were Lynch 3 goals and McKinnon, who kept Modra to 2 goals and kicking one himself. Final Score: Geelong 17.8.110 d Adelaide 7.12.54
The Cats faced the Pies in front of 65,000 at the 'G'. The Pies had lost 5 in a row coming into this match, but trailed by only 3 points at quarter time and actually lead by 3 points at half time. The Cats got on top in the third term but could manage just 2 goals 9 to lead by 7 points at the last change. Another 3.8 to 4.1 in the last saw the Cats win by 8 points, a game in which they should have won by 10 goals considering their bad kicking 9.26. Paul Lynch was again the star for the Cats kicking 3 goals. Final Score: Geelong 9.26.80 d Collingwood 10.12.72
ROUND 15
The Cats faced North Melbourne under lights at the M.C.G. The Roos had a good first quarter and lead by 3 goals a quarter time. The Roos kept on going in the second term kicking three more goals to lead by six goals, but 3 late goals to the Cats saw them cut the lead back to three at half time. Geelong had the better of the third term and hit the lead just before the last change. Burns was magical in that term, one stage he took a mark bounce off Carey, ran inside fifty a kicked the goal. North hit lead with a soft free to Carey in front of goal, but some great play by McGrath first a smother in the goal square, and then he ran down Crocker, which resulted in the ball going Lynch, who kicked the clincher to get the Cats home by 10 points in front of 45,000. Barnes making a return for the Cats. Final Score: Geelong 15.12.102 d North Melbourne 14.8.92
After two great wins at the M.C.G. the Cats were back at home to play Richmond. The Tigers started very well leading by 4 goals at quarter time. The second term was a struggle, with the Tigers lead cut back to only 10 points at the main break. Derek Hall 4 goals for the half kept the Cats in touch. The Cats then got right on top in the Second half grabbing the lead at three quarter time by 10 points and then dominating the last term to win by 32 points. Derek Hall was the star for the Cats kicking 5 goals. Final Score: Geelong 16.14.110 d Richmond 12.6.78
Derek Hall - 4 first half goals against the Tigers.
The Cats faced the Eagles at Subiaco Oval. After the Eagles got away early the Cats fought back to lead by 9 points at the first change. They shot 4 goals clear early in the second but the score was level at half time. Once again they got away early in third to a three goal lead, but the Eagles kicked the next six goals to lead by three goals at the last change. The Eagles kicked 5 to 0 in the last to win the match by 47 points. Burns the star for the Cats again with 4 goals. Final Score: West Coast 20.9.129 d Geelong 12.10.82
Ronnie Burns - 4 goals against the Eagles.
Geelong played Port Power at Kardinia Park. The Cats had an excellent first half kicking 11 goals to lead by 7 goals at the main break. Four more in the third saw the lead 52 points at the last. The Cats did not stop there they slammed on 10 goals to 4 to win the match by 85 points. Snell 5 goals all in the last term, Burns and Lynch 4 each, while Peter Riccardi was best on ground with 42 possessions. Final Score: Geelong 25.9.159 d Port Adelaide 11.8.74
Geelong played Essendon in very windy conditions, in front of 54,000 at the M.C.G. The Cats got off to a good start kicking 3.4 to a point in the first term. The Bombers came back in the second term and the lead was only 1 point at half time. It was even in the third term and last with the Bombers getting up by 5 points. Barry Stoneham was reported and suspended for three matches, Grant Tanner did his knee and will not play to 1999. John Barnes missed a goal from 10 metres after it was touched from a play on call, a call which seemed incorrect. Brad Sholl was the best for the Cats with 24 possessions and 2 goals, and he must be favourite for the club's best and fairest. During the week after the game Michael Mansfield signed up with the club for another 3 years. Final Score: Essendon 11.7.73 d Geelong 9.14.68
Brad Sholl - Best for the Cats against Essendon:
Must be favourite to win the club's best and fairest.
The Cats faced Carlton in a big match at Kardinia Park in front of 23,007 fans. Geelong went into the match without Stoneham (suspended),Colbert (shoulder), Tanner (knee) and they also lost Garry Hocking (back) before the start of the match. This did not affect their game. Kicking with the wind in the first quarter, the Cats kicked 5.4 to 1.2. In the second term against the wind the Cats outscored the Blues by three points to lead by 29 points at the main change. They went further ahead in the third, kicking 4.8 to 3.2 to lead by 41 points at the last change. The Blues came back in the last term, with the wind, but the Cats still got home by 28 points. Barnes 3 goals and 7 marks was target up forward, while Brad Sholl with 24 possessions was once again the best for the Cats. Lynch was injured with a hamstring, while the Cats regained top spot on the ladder at the end of the round. Final Score: Geelong 13.17.95 d Carlton 9.13.67
Geelong played Fremantle at Subiaco Oval. In a very important game, Fremantle needed to win to keep their finals chances alive, while the Cats needed to win to keep their place in the top two. The Cats had also lost their previous 3 interstate matches for the year. With the weather warm it was a good first quarter, with the Cats kicking 3 goals to 2 to lead by 7 points a quarter time. The Cats then lifted their game in the second term, helped by Freo's mistakes, they kicked 4 goals to 1 to lead by 4 at the main change. The Dockers came out firing in third term but the Cats kept answering the Docker's charge, as they extended their lead to nearly 5 goals at the last change. The Dockers kept their fight in the last term and narrowed the margin to 20 points but the Cats had all the answers and kicked the last two goals to win the match by 32 points. Riccardi 34 possessions and 9 marks was best for the Cats. After the round the Cats were 2nd on the ladder trailing the Saints by half a percent. Final Score: Geelong 14.16.100 d Fremantle 9.14.68
In the last Round of the season the Cats played Sydney at the S.C.G. An all time A.F.L record crowd of 46,168 turned up for the clash, more than 2,000 more than for the previous record also involving these 2 teams last year. The Swans got off to a good start, but the Cats settled to kick the next 4 goals while Lockett kicked one on the siren to reduce the margin to 10 points at the first change. In a pretty even second term the Swans reduced the margin to 4 points at the long change. The third term was also even with the Cats answering the Swans charge. Both teams kicked four goals for the term. The Swans hit front just before three quarter time, but a goal to Hocking in the last minute got the lead back for the Cats at three quarter time by 5 points. An early goal to O'Loughlin gave the Swans the lead and the signs were there for a Swans onslaught. But the Cats kept a cool head to kick the next 5 goals to go out to 30 point lead. The Swans came back but the game was all over as the Cats got up by 10 points. Snell and Hall 3 each, while Sholl 28 possessions and 10 marks was again one of the best for the Cats. Final Score: Geelong 15.10.100 d Sydney 13.12.90
The Mark that was not paid to
Leigh Colbert in the 3rd term.
1997 - Rounds 1 to
11
Cats in Previous Years
Copyright © 1997-99