The
Cats in
Season 1999
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The
Cats in |
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Richmond V Geelong, M.C.G. Friday June 18
Very windy conditions greeted the players, and there also was a shower of rain before the game. Kilpatrick returned to the side, as did Hall, and Paul Lindsay who was promoted off the rookie list during the week. The Cats got off to a great start with Ben Graham kicking 3.1 in the first term to give the Cats an 8 point lead at the first change. The Tigers kicked to the kicking end and slammed on 5 goals to 2 in the second with Richardson looking dangerous. They lead by 2 goals at 1/2 time. The Cats tried their heart out in the third term but could only reduce the Margin to 9 points at the last change. The Cats dominated the early part of the final and when Snell kicked a goal it was only a couple of points in it. Graham was moved back to Full Forward and took 3 marks, but kicked 3 points. The Cats hit the lead, but the Tigers slammed on the last 6 goals of the match to win by 29 points.
FINAL
SCORE: Richmond 15.11.101 Geelong 9.12.66
BEST CAT: Ben Graham
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Ben Graham 3
CROWD: 36,013
LADDER POSITION: 10th (5-7)
Geelong V West Coast, Kardinia Park, Saturday June 26
The Eagles got off to a great start, kicking the first 4 goals of the match. They went into the first change 33 points up. The Cats looked better in the second term, but silly mistakes cost them, a couple from Hocking, a Handball over the top to the goal square was smothered, and he gave away a 50 metre penalty which cost the side a goal, the Eagles by 5 goals at half time. In the third term the Eagles continued to dominate and kicked 4 goals to 1 to lead by 8 goals at the final change. The Cats outscored the Eagles in the last term, but the Eagles still won the match 44 points. Ronnie Burns with 5 and Jason Mooney were the Cats only forwards.
FINAL SCORE: West Coast
16.16.112 Geelong 9.14.68
BEST CAT: Ronnie Burns
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Ronnie Burns 5 goal
CROWD: 19,093
LADDER POSITION: 14th (5-8)
Adelaide V Geelong, Football Park, Sunday July 4
The Crows kicked with the breeze in the first term and got off to a great start kicking early goals. They Cats reduced the margin, but the Crows once again got right and top and finished the term with 7 goals to lead by 32 points at quarter time. Even though the Cats kicked with the breeze in the second term, the Crows still outscored them kicking 3.2 to 2.2 to lead by 38 points at the long break. The Crows continued their dominance in the third term and shot out to a 53 point lead, but the Cats lifted and when Graham slammed a long goal from outside 50 against the breeze the margin was cut to 35 points. The Crows once again steadied and went into 3/4 time with a 47 point lead. The last term was the Jarman show kept by quiet by Tom Harley (first game for the Cats) he kicked 5 for the term to finish 6 for the match. Not to be outdone David Clarke showed a promise of what to expect in the future, kicked 3 goals himself in the last term. The Crows by 63 points. For the Cats 9 straight losses.
FINAL SCORE: Adelaide
25.9.159 Geelong 14.12.96
BEST CAT: Peter Riccardi
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Ben Graham and David Clarke 3 goals
CROWD: 40,210
LADDER POSITION: 14th (5-9)
Geelong V Collingwood, Kardinia Park, Saturday July10
The Cats lost forwards Mooney and Hall, while Pickering and Bamford were dropped. H.Simpson, Snell, Houlihan and Wojcinski came into the team going for 10 straight losses. Geelong got off to a great start with Ben Graham, starting at full forward, kicking 2 early goals and handballing another to Snell. The Pies then got on top with Sav Rocca looking very dangerous setting up a 9 point lead to the Pies. Riccardi and Buckley were having a great dual. Riccardi could have been right on top had he kicked straighter than 1.2. The Cats again started the second term better, and grabbed the lead during the term, with Arnott and Lynch getting plenty of the ball around the ground and Barnes getting on top in the Ruck, after spending the first term on the bench. But as they did in the first quarter, Collingwood dominated the end of term and with Rocca finishing the first half with 5 goals and Buckley right on top of Riccardi the Pies extended their lead to 15 points at half time. Ben Graham was moved onto Sav Rocca in the second half, and with this move brother Anthony Rocca was moved to centre half forward and they kicked 4 goals between them for the term and Sav had 7 goals up to 3/4 time. Mensch came on during the term and missed a couple of easy ones, as did Burns which was very costly for the Cats. The Pies at one stage were in front by 28 points, but the Cats reduced it back to 20 points at the last charge. Knowing the importance of this match coach Gary Ayres took the players down to the Hickey Stand to get the lift from the crowd. Seeing this Collingwood coach Tony Shaw did they same and moved his players down to the other end. Barnes took a great mark and goaled to get the Cats and the crowd going early in the last term. The Pies responded and the lead was back out to 20 points and it looked like the match was over. The Cats once again lifted and were sparked by a magnificent running goal from Ronnie Burns from 50 metres out. This was followed by and mark and goal to Snell right in front, and the same to King which got the Cats back to only 3 points down. Mensch who had been inaccurate put the Cats in front with a snap from 15 metres out. The pies attacked for the last 3 minutes, but could only manage a couple of behinds and a couple of out of bounds. Geelong finally cleared the ball to the wing when the siren sounded to signal a much needed 3 point win to the Cats. Arnott the star with 36 touches and 12 marks.
FINAL SCORE: Geelong 19.14.128
Collingwood 19.11.125
BEST CAT: Simon Arnott
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Jason Snell 4 goals
CROWD: 24,395
LADDER POSITION: 11th (6-9)
It was all Wayne Carey in the first half of the match. For some very strange reason Gary Ayres put Barry Stoneham on Carey and Carey had 7 goals by Half time. North lead by only 16 points though as Riccardi and Arnott were doing there best to lift the Cats. North kicked 11 goals to 4 after half time to Steam Roll the Cats by 55 points, McGrath having the better of Carey in the second half, while David Clarke continued to show promise for the Cats.
FINAL SCORE: Kangaroos
22.11.143 Geelong 13.10.88
BEST CAT: Peter Riccardi
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Adam Houlihan 3 goals
CROWD: 10,676
LADDER POSITION: 12th (6-10)
The Bulldogs lead for most of the first half, but the Cats hit the lead by 3 points at half time. The Dogs once again got away in the third term, but the Cats came back late in the term and lead by 5 points at the last change. The Cats kicked the first 3 goals of the last term, and shot out to a 20 point lead. They stopped from then on, as a shocking free kick was paid to West, plus a 50 metre penalty which got the Dogs a run on and a 7 point win.
FINAL SCORE: Western Bulldogs
14.14.98 Geelong 13.13.91
BEST CAT: Peter Riccardi
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Peter Riccardi 3 goals
CROWD: 19,951
LADDER POSITION: 12th (6-11)
Melbourne V Geelong, M.C.G. Saturday July 31
Melbourne got off to the better start, lifted by the emotion of Garry Lyons send off. They kicked the first 3 goal of the match. The Cats steadied and after Stoneham had kicked his second in a couple of minutes they had kicked 4 in a row. Melbourne got one back and they lead by 1 point at quarter time. The second term was just as tight as the first, as both teams kicked 3 goals, with the skill level being poor. Melbourne by 3 points at half time. The third term was all Geelong as they kicked 5 goals to 3 to lead by 11 points at the last change. One goal from Pickering was a beauty, and he kicked a left foot banana, from the pocket. Geelong again dominated the last early part of the last, with Barry Stoneham looking the good at full forward. Burns kicked his third, Mansfield his second and when Finocchiaro kicked his first goal in the AFL, the match was all over. Melbourne got a couple of late goals, but the Cats got home by 21 points.
FINAL SCORE: Geelong 15.11.101
Melbourne 12.8.80
BEST CAT: Barry Stoneham
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Barry Stoneham and Ronnie Burns 3 goals
CROWD: 27,408
LADDER POSITION: 12th (7-11)
Geelong V Port Adelaide, Kardinia Park, Saturday August 7
The Cats kicked with the wind in the first term and slammed on seven goals to 5, with Riccardi kicking 2 of them and setting up another to Milburn. Graham ended the term by kicking out an 80 metre torpedo punt 10 metres over the centre circle. The Power kicked the first 2 goals of the second term, but could only manage 6 behinds after that, while Geelong kicked 3, including 2 from Graham who had ran down from Full back on both occasions. The Cats dominating the third term kicking four goals to 2, with Stoneham putting them 29 points up after the 3/4 time siren. The Cats extended their lead by a further 3 points in the last term to win the match by 32 points.
FINAL SCORE: Geelong 18.10.118
Port Adelaide 12.14.86
BEST CAT: Peter Riccardi
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Mensch, Milburn & Riccardi 3 goals
CROWD: 17,289
LADDER POSITION: 12th (8-11)
Geelong V Carlton M.C.G. Sunday August 15
Geelong got off to a sensational start kicking the first 4 goals of the match, Burns kicking a couple. Carlton got the next 2, then Geelong once again kick the next 4, while Carlton got one right on the quarter time siren. The other goal kickers for the term included Barry Stoneham with 2, and one each to Snell, Steinfort, Mansfield and Milburn. Geelong by 29 points at quarter time. Carlton came back a bit early in the second term reducing the margin by a couple of goals, but the Cats steadied and when Riccardi snapped a goal from the square the lead was back out to 29 points at half time. Carlton played a lot better in the third and outscored the Cats kicking 5.2 to 2.3, to reduce the margin to 18 points at the last change. They continued to dominate early in the last but kick 5 straight points. Geelong got it forward and Steven King out marked SOS and goaled and then straight out of the centre, some Ronnie Burns magic then a handball to Stoneham and the Cats were 27 points up. Carlton did come back and reduce the margin to 9 points, but a great tackle by Paul Corrigan stopped their run and the Cats got home by 9 points, to keep their finals chances alive.
FINAL SCORE: Geelong 17.11.113
Carlton 15.14.104
BEST CAT: Peter Riccardi
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Barry Stoneham 3 goals
CROWD: 42,272
LADDER POSITION: 10th (9-11)
Hawthorn V Geelong, Waverly Park, Saturday August 21
The Cats got way earlier and led by 26 points in the first quarter. The Hawks came back and got within 5 points at half time, and lead at 3/4 time. Riccardi put the Cats in front early in the last term, but a bad miss by Mensch from 25 metres and dropped mark from King allowed Lord to put the Hawks in front by 2 points. The Hawks second 2 point win over the Cats this year and the Cats finals chances over from season 1999.
FINAL SCORE: Hawthorn
15.13.103 Geelong 15.11.101
BEST CAT: Peter Riccardi
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Barry Stoneham 4 goals
CROWD: 31,603
LADDER POSITION: 11th (9-12)
ROUND 22
Geelong V Fremantle, Kardinia Park, Sunday August 29
In their last game of the year Geelong run away from Fremantle after an even first half to win by 51 points.
FINAL SCORE: Geelong 21.13.139
Fremantle 13.10.88
BEST CAT: Carl Steinfort
LEADING GOAL KICKER(S): Jason Snell, James Rahilly 3 goals
CROWD: 17,378
LADDER POSITION: 11th (10-12)
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