Geelong has won its second flag in three seasons with a thrilling 12 point over St.Kilda in wet conditions at the MCG. Paul Chapman won the Norm Smith Medal for Best on Ground after coming close in 2007. Geelong went in to the match with the same side that defeated Collingwood in the Preliminary Final. Matthew Stokes was the unlucky player to miss out after he pulled out of the Prelim Final with a slight groin injury after playing hurt in last years Grand Final. Tom Hawkins was the only Cat playing in his first Grand Final. Gary Ablett started the week off on a great note for the Cats by winning the Brownlow Medal. Geelong got off to the better start in the first term as it seemed they were kicking to the end largely favoured by the swirling breeze. Max Rooke set the tone early when he chased and caught Raph Clarke from St.Kilda for holding the ball. From 55 metres out Rooke loaded up and slammed through the first goal of the day. Mooney then took a good grab on the second attempt and all Cat Fans held their breath in anticipation if the kicking yips from last years Grand Final would return. Bang went Cam right through the middle and he punched the air as only Big Cam can. St.Kilda then settled and started to dominate. Hayes was everywhere and was an early contender for Norm Smith Honours. Goddard found space inside 50 to kick the Saints first goal after Schneider had earlier missed a sitter. Geelong responded when Selwood barged through a couple of tackles to kick the Cats third. But from then it was all St.Kilda as Hayes also found space inside 50 to goal. Then Schneider made amends for the earlier miss when he put the Saints up by 2 points at the first change. St.Kilda continued to dominate early in the second term but like Geelong last year they missed some easy chances. Dempster kicked one for then after a high hit in a pack from Scarlett. Geelong suffered a blow when Chapman went off with another hamstring injury, but the good news was he was able to come back. Milne stuffed up a shot at goal when he tried to dribble it through then he missed a set shot as well. Byrnes then kept the Cats in the match when he ran on to a loose ball in the square after a snap from Ling to goal. Schneider again missed one he should have kicked when he ran in to the open goal. Ablett was then swung forward as part of plan 'B' and he was restrained by Gilbert on the lead and awarded the free kick. He kicked truly and Geelong were all of sudden in front despite the Saints domination. Then a huge moment in the match that will be talked about for a while. Dawson took a mark in the backline and he played on but Hawkins applied a magnificent smother (he won the army award for a similar effort early in the year) gathered the ball and snapped a goal. The ball had actually hit the post but the goal umpire missed it. Straight out of the centre Ablett found Varcoe on his own inside 50, he handballed to Chapman who slotted through a goal from 40 metres out and all of sudden Geelong were 12 points in front. What a turn around and when St.Kilda went forward next Reiwoldt was spoilt by Harry Taylor, who had done a great job on him with the help of others, and the crowd rose as one. But with only a minute left on the clock the Saints were able to kick two goals. One from Jones that dribbled through and one off the ground from Kosi who had been well held by Scarlett. Milburn had claimed both goals had been touched and he let the goal umpire know. Field umpire McBurney, who had done his best to help the Saints, then awarded another kick and the Saints got a double goal to lead by 6 points at the main change. No goals were scored early in the third term until the 7 minute mark when Mooney marked strongly in the goal square. He converted the kick and the Cats lead by 2 points. Riewoldt was finally able to beat Taylor one on one and he kicked his first goal to give the Saints back the lead. The Saints then kicked 3 points to extend their lead to 7 points. Geelong would not lie down however and Geelong drove the ball forward for Chapman to run on to while Max Rooke, who was playing a great crash and bash match, shepherded off two St.Kilda players to allow Chappy to swing around and snap a great goal. But as they had done in the first 2 quarters the Saints got a late one through Montagna to lead by 7 points at the final change. The last quarter was one of the best I have ever seen. Hawkins got the Cats within a point when Chapman found him on his own inside 50. This time his kick went right through the middle. St.Kilda again wasted two chances before the Cats gradually got on top. Rooke had a long left foot shot that was just touched before the line and the margin was 1 point. Then Selwood had a set shot from 40 metres on a 45° degree angle and he missed and scores were level. Then then moment of the match. Johnson who had been quiet centred the ball in the square to Ablett who was on his own but Dawson got there to spoil the ball fell the ground and Scarlett was able to toe poke it magnificently to Ablett who ran and then kicked towards the square. Mooney and Rooke both flew, the ball came to ground and Varcoe handballed to Chapman who snapped on his left and goaled to put the Cats in front at the 23 minute mark. With only two goals scored for term there was not going to be much time on. Then Rooke was in the play again when tried to mark, then knocked the ball forward, soccered off the ground once, went again and soccered towards goal but it went through for a point, a handy one at that. But the drama was not over as Scarlett was forced to rush a point so a draw was a possibility. But from the kick out Taylor capped off his great game by taking a great mark. The ball then went forward and Rooke again contested the mark the ball fell to Mooney who passed to Max who marked 35 metres out. SIREN!!!!!!! Geelong had won an amazing match. As the Geelong players and supporters celebrated, the Saints players fell to the ground and no one manned the mark. Rooke casually dribbled through his second goal and the icing on the cake from a memorable victory. While you can't take away the Norm Smith From Chappy with his 3 goals I though Rooke was unlucky not to win it as he put his body on the line time and time again. With two Flags in three seasons this Geelong side will go down as one of the greats.