By Clare Cannon
“That was a good audit of where we are at in the competition,” stated Chris Scott at the end of Thursday night’s blockbuster between the two top teams, Geelong and Melbourne. I would not normally class audits as nail-biting, but this one certainly had that quality.
“Are we really having fun here,” I quipped to one of the Geelong faithful, “or would it be better to hide under the cushions on the sofa to wait for the final siren and not put ourselves through this torment?”
It was Retro Round at Geelong which was celebrated by some classic Falcons outside the ground; in 2025, Geelong and Ford will celebrate the longest partnership in history, 100 years. GMHBA Stadium is not like the Kardinia Park of old; it is a happening place now like the city of Geelong itself. Renowned French chef, Gabriel Gate, who spends part of his time down at Queenscliff, designed the food for the stadium that night. Slowed cooked beef cheeks and peas cooked the French way with leeks, bacon and lettuce was not the menu of old. There were, however, other elements of the evening that were very 2011.
And here, I am not speaking about the retro guernsey with the collar, smart as it is. There was a steeliness in the Club, not just in the coach’s demeanour, but throughout the whole Club. In the President’s Room, two 2011 Premiership players spoke: James Podsiadly and Matthew Stokes. Podsiadly, the fitness coach, who ended up being Geelong’s leading goal kicker that year, and Mathew Stokes, the small midfielder-forward who delighted the crowd. Stokes spoke about how Geelong made him a better footballer but, more importantly, a better person. He alluded to his “troubles” and, in the typical way of the revered former President, Frank Costa, Stokes was sent to the Ford factory to learn what a privilege it is to play AFL football. Stokes now works for the AFL.
The two oldest sporting clubs in the world were coming together with so much at stake. In 2021, the two games they’d played against one another had been decided by a kick after the siren. The ledger was one all; not so re the shellacking Melbourne gave Geelong in the 2021 Preliminary Final. Geelong was found to be old, tired and slow, and many of the players had gastro. It was a loss that burnt into the soul. Then in came a new CEO and new assistant coaches, but Chris Scott remained. The Geelong fans did not have the faith that Scott could change, but change they did, (and all credit to good governance here led by President, Craig Drummond), and the team fired with a faster forward-focused game style with the new kids firing. Beating the Melbourne midfield was, however, another thing.
The midfield trio of Petracca, Oliver and Viney, with Brayshaw as the first line of defence, had slaughtered Geelong in the prelim; then there were Gawn and Jackson in the ruck. Scott had learnt his lesson about over-tired players and along with former Cats great, Harry Taylor, now Head of medical conditioning, had held Dangerfield back until he was breaking the doors down to selection. Scott used Mark Blicavs in the ruck along with Stanley which worked well with the Gawn/Jackson duo. Geelong won the hit outs from stoppages in a resounding fashion. And then there was the magic of Tyson Stengle, the Eddie Betts recruit. He delighted the crowd with the nimbleness and excitement reminiscent of his mentor; a clear reminder of what a coup it was to get Eddie Betts to Geelong. Tom Atkins was revitalised as a midfielder and Cam Guthrie had the run to cause damage. The Geelong young guns shined: Max Holmes (22 games), and also Sam de Koning (15 games) who stood tall in defence in the absence of Tom Stewart. The big guns of Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins did not kick a bag of goals but played their role, Cameron as a leading forward, and Hawkins with class such as pushing the ball between his legs behind him that led to a Geelong goal. Guthrie, Duncan and Rohan ended up with two goals each and the ever-smiling Isaac Smith played his 250th game.
Both teams made mistakes and Geelong were inaccurate in front of goal. Up until the last 10 minutes, Geelong fans knew Melbourne could still run over them but then Geelong crowd came to the fore in the parochial way of the Cattery of old, and Geelong lifted a gear to finish with a 28 point win. The players from the 2011 Premiership who were invited back to the ground to celebrate Retro Round perhaps saw something in this Geelong team reminiscent of their extraordinary team. It wasn’t the 186 point win against Melbourne that occurred in 2011, but it foreshadowed a very dangerous emotion in the hearts of the Geelong faithful, Hope.
MELBOURNE 3.1 5.4 7.6 9.9 (63)
GOALS
Geelong: Rohan 2, C.Guthrie 2, Duncan 2, Atkins, Close, Holmes, Smith, Hawkins, Stengle
Melbourne: Petracca 3, Fritsch, B.Brown, Oliver, Neal-Bullen, Bedford, Pickett
BEST
Geelong: Dangerfield, Atkins, Duncan, Guthrie, Selwood, Smith
Melbourne: Viney, Oliver, May, Brayshaw, Petracca, Gawn
INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Melbourne: Oliver (thumb)
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Quinton Narkle
Melbourne: Jayden Hunt
“That was a good audit of where we are at in the competition,” stated Chris Scott at the end of Thursday night’s blockbuster between the two top teams, Geelong and Melbourne. I would not normally class audits as nail-biting, but this one certainly had that quality.
“Are we really having fun here,” I quipped to one of the Geelong faithful, “or would it be better to hide under the cushions on the sofa to wait for the final siren and not put ourselves through this torment?”
It was Retro Round at Geelong which was celebrated by some classic Falcons outside the ground; in 2025, Geelong and Ford will celebrate the longest partnership in history, 100 years. GMHBA Stadium is not like the Kardinia Park of old; it is a happening place now like the city of Geelong itself. Renowned French chef, Gabriel Gate, who spends part of his time down at Queenscliff, designed the food for the stadium that night. Slowed cooked beef cheeks and peas cooked the French way with leeks, bacon and lettuce was not the menu of old. There were, however, other elements of the evening that were very 2011.
And here, I am not speaking about the retro guernsey with the collar, smart as it is. There was a steeliness in the Club, not just in the coach’s demeanour, but throughout the whole Club. In the President’s Room, two 2011 Premiership players spoke: James Podsiadly and Matthew Stokes. Podsiadly, the fitness coach, who ended up being Geelong’s leading goal kicker that year, and Mathew Stokes, the small midfielder-forward who delighted the crowd. Stokes spoke about how Geelong made him a better footballer but, more importantly, a better person. He alluded to his “troubles” and, in the typical way of the revered former President, Frank Costa, Stokes was sent to the Ford factory to learn what a privilege it is to play AFL football. Stokes now works for the AFL.
The two oldest sporting clubs in the world were coming together with so much at stake. In 2021, the two games they’d played against one another had been decided by a kick after the siren. The ledger was one all; not so re the shellacking Melbourne gave Geelong in the 2021 Preliminary Final. Geelong was found to be old, tired and slow, and many of the players had gastro. It was a loss that burnt into the soul. Then in came a new CEO and new assistant coaches, but Chris Scott remained. The Geelong fans did not have the faith that Scott could change, but change they did, (and all credit to good governance here led by President, Craig Drummond), and the team fired with a faster forward-focused game style with the new kids firing. Beating the Melbourne midfield was, however, another thing.
The midfield trio of Petracca, Oliver and Viney, with Brayshaw as the first line of defence, had slaughtered Geelong in the prelim; then there were Gawn and Jackson in the ruck. Scott had learnt his lesson about over-tired players and along with former Cats great, Harry Taylor, now Head of medical conditioning, had held Dangerfield back until he was breaking the doors down to selection. Scott used Mark Blicavs in the ruck along with Stanley which worked well with the Gawn/Jackson duo. Geelong won the hit outs from stoppages in a resounding fashion. And then there was the magic of Tyson Stengle, the Eddie Betts recruit. He delighted the crowd with the nimbleness and excitement reminiscent of his mentor; a clear reminder of what a coup it was to get Eddie Betts to Geelong. Tom Atkins was revitalised as a midfielder and Cam Guthrie had the run to cause damage. The Geelong young guns shined: Max Holmes (22 games), and also Sam de Koning (15 games) who stood tall in defence in the absence of Tom Stewart. The big guns of Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins did not kick a bag of goals but played their role, Cameron as a leading forward, and Hawkins with class such as pushing the ball between his legs behind him that led to a Geelong goal. Guthrie, Duncan and Rohan ended up with two goals each and the ever-smiling Isaac Smith played his 250th game.
Both teams made mistakes and Geelong were inaccurate in front of goal. Up until the last 10 minutes, Geelong fans knew Melbourne could still run over them but then Geelong crowd came to the fore in the parochial way of the Cattery of old, and Geelong lifted a gear to finish with a 28 point win. The players from the 2011 Premiership who were invited back to the ground to celebrate Retro Round perhaps saw something in this Geelong team reminiscent of their extraordinary team. It wasn’t the 186 point win against Melbourne that occurred in 2011, but it foreshadowed a very dangerous emotion in the hearts of the Geelong faithful, Hope.
RESULTS
GEELONG 3.3 5.8 8.12 12.19 (81)MELBOURNE 3.1 5.4 7.6 9.9 (63)
GOALS
Geelong: Rohan 2, C.Guthrie 2, Duncan 2, Atkins, Close, Holmes, Smith, Hawkins, Stengle
Melbourne: Petracca 3, Fritsch, B.Brown, Oliver, Neal-Bullen, Bedford, Pickett
BEST
Geelong: Dangerfield, Atkins, Duncan, Guthrie, Selwood, Smith
Melbourne: Viney, Oliver, May, Brayshaw, Petracca, Gawn
INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Melbourne: Oliver (thumb)
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Quinton Narkle
Melbourne: Jayden Hunt
Clare Cannon is a cricket fanatic who spends Winter falling down the rabbit warren of the Geelong Football Club fan pages. To avoid such pitiless activities, Clare passes the time farming, on women’s cricket tours, or enjoying a good book launch and a cup of tea in the MCC Library.