Let the Game Begin

Geelong has broken its Premiership drought after 44 years with a record breaking 119 Point win over Port Adelaide in the 2007 AFL Grand Final in front of 97,302 people. Power coach Mark Williams talked the talk during the build up to the match but it was the Cats that walked the walk by smashing the Power with a club record score (24.19.163) against them and winning margin as well. Steve Johnson continued his remarkable turn around after the club banned him from the first 5 matches to win the Norm Smith Medal for best on Ground. The Cats caused a stir on Wednesday when news was leaked that a shattered Mark Blake was left out of the side for the more experienced Steven King. King did not let anyone down as he played his best match for 5 years. Tom Harley won the Toss and elected to kick to the Ponsford Stand end. The first few minutes was typical for a Grand Final with plenty of bumps and bruises dished out, while the match was over umpired in the hope the players would keep their cool. Matthew Stokes then flew for a big grab, gave away a free and fell awkwardly on his knee and as he lay in agony his day and possibly 2008 looked over. After the Power missed a couple of good chances, Chapman had a long shot at goal and Mooney marked on the goal line to send the Cats fans in a frenzy. Mooney goaled and set himself on dominated the match after having a touch less Grand Final with the Roos in 1999. Mooney was in the play again as he marked at half forward and chipped the ball to Johnson who played on and goaled. Tredrea (who would be taunted with the words "Take a bowel" every time he went near the ball) then replied after receiving a free kick. Johnson then kicked a point when he had a chance to pass to Mooney on his own. It did not matter as Gary Ablett intercepted a pass after the kick in to run onto the ball and slam through the Cats third. S.Burgoyne showed his class when he roved a tap and kicked a goal to reduce the margin back to 7 points. But Geelong dominated the time-on period and should have been further in front but for bad kicking. Johnson kicked his second when he was again left in the clear and a string of handballs ended up with Bartel who casually snapped a brilliant goal to celebrate his Brownlow Medal. Stokes then made a remarkable recovery when he returned to the field. Ottens then lifted the crowd for the loudest cry of "Balllllllll!!!!!" you will hear when he ran down Pettigrew. Kelly kicked a point after the quarter time siren to give the Cats a 23 point lead (5.7.37 to 2.3.15). Geelong broke the match open in the first 10 minutes of the second term with brilliant team play as the ran the ball from the last line of defence, particularly Matthew Scarlett who was brilliant, through the centre corridor and into the forward line. No one wanted to pick Johnson up as he kicked his third goal early in the term. Ling was then able to break a tackle handball to Rooke who slammed one through from around 50 metres out. Chapman then goaled from a set shot and then Nathan Ablett turned it on for two in a minute. He first was from a free kick for interference and the second came from a magnificent 1 handed mark, in a similar spot where his father Gary Sr. kicked his 9th goal in the '89 Grand Final. The ground was abuzz with "Geelong, Geelong" ringing around the 'G. The Power steadied the ship in the next 15 minutes as they stopped the Cats onslaught and kicked goals themselves to keep the small flicker of hope alive. Paul Chapman, who earlier in the quarter took mark of the day, did his best to put it out as he marked and played on to kick his second just before half time to give the Cats a 52 point lead at the main change (11.13.79 to 4.3.27). Any slight chance the Power had was over in the first minute of the second half when Mooney kicked his second from the Pocket. Bartel then took a good mark and goaled and Shannon Byrnes joined the party when he was on the end of a handball from N.Ablett and he goaled from 1mm out. After Ottens kicked his first after 3 earlier misses, the "Geelong, Geelong" was replaced with a rendition of "We are Geelong" as even Geelong could not lose from there. Geelong again dominated the time on period with Chapman, N.Ablett and Mooney each kicking their third goal to extend the margin to a record 90 points at the final change (18.17.125 to 5.5.35). The last quarter was a celebration as Geelong players and fans enjoyed the moment. Mooney finally received a free kick for his fourth, while Ling roved the pack beautifully and snap a goal on his right foot. Chapman and Johnson added their fourth goals and Mooney snapped his 5th after marking near the point post. Geelong did not score a goal in the final 10 minutes but it did not matter as Mark Thompson and the coaching staff joined the players on the bench and the celebrations begun. After 44 years and 5 Grand Final losses all the bitter memories were erased when Tom Harley and Mark Thompson held up the Cats 7th Premiership Cup. The players celebrated with 10,000 people later that night at Federation Square and then 30,000 at Skilled Stadium the next day. With Mark Thompson set the re-sign as coach the Cats will be aiming for back to back in 2008.