Geelong Football Club
|
|
Geelong_Football_Club_logo.gif
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. The club is based in the city of Geelong, a city of 190,000 people about 80 kilometres from Melbourne. They are the only current AFL team that is not based in a state capital city (although some may count the Fremantle Dockers, and at one stage the Brisbane Bears were actually based on the Gold Coast).
The club is the second oldest football club of any code in the world, having being formed in the Victoria Hotel in 1859. Originally based at Corio Oval, Geelong moved to Kardinia Park in the 1940's. For many years they were known as the Pivotonians, after the city's nickname 'The Pivot', Seagulls was also an earlier nickname. They were nicknamed the 'Cats' in 1923.
Although being a relatively strong performer throughout the 1980s and 1990s (Grand Final appearances in 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1995), the Cats have been unable to win a premiership since 1963.
The club won the VFL/AFL premierships in: 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952 and 1963.
In 2004 they were placed fourth - an improvement from the 2003 season when they didn't make the finals. 2005 looks to be a promising year; with many young players on the clubs roster, the Cats hope to be a genuine premiership contender.
Theme song: "We are Geelong" (sung to the tune of the Toreador's song from Carmen).
| Contents |
Brownlow Medal winners
Team of the Century
| Backs: | Bernie Smith | George Todd | John Newman | |
| Half Backs: | Dick Grigg | Reg Hickey | Joe Slater | |
| Centres: | Michael Turner | Edward 'Carji' Greeves | Leo Turner | |
| Half Forwards: | Gary Ablett | Fred Flanagan | Bob Davis | |
| Forwards: | Henry Young | Doug Wade | Peter Pianto | |
| Followers: | Graeme 'Polly' Farmer | Garry Hocking | Bill Goggin | |
| Interchange: | David Clarke | Paul Couch | Alec Eason | Les Hardiman |
| Emergencies: | Ian Nankervis | Jack Collins | Tom Quinn | Cliff Rankin |
Other notable players
- Gary Ablett
- Damian Drum, player, coach and politician
- Graeme 'Polly' Farmer
- Bill Goggin
- Reg Hickey
- Mark 'Jacko' Jackson
- Ian Nankervis
- John 'Sammy' Newman
- Doug Wade
External links
- Official Website of the Geelong Football Club (http://www.gfc.com.au/)
- Official Website of the Australian Football League (http://afl.com.au/)
- The Cattery - Unofficial Geelong Football Club Website (http://geelong.keldar.net/)