2007, 2009, 2011, 2022 - which flag was most memorable for you

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I'm surprised some people rank 2009 so low. For me it's a clear number one. I was at the game and never celebrated a win so hard. It was a miserable day weather-wise and not very high scoring, but nothing has come close to the tension of that last quarter as we edged in front. And the amount of random people I hugged at the final siren.

2011 a close second, because it was against the Pies.
 

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For me, reckon 2007 because of the domination and the emphatic stamp Geelong put upon footy after the turgid Swans/Crows/Eagles type of footy that was around in '05-'06. On another tangent i really reckon St.Kilda bottled their real chance of a Flag in that '04-06 era, they peaked a bit earlier than Geelong and their footy was pretty impressive with some superstars in their prime. Was just an awesome feeling experiencing a Flag, as being born in '68, like Dazbroncos said, Flags seemed to be things other sides won.

2011, a season where we defeated Collingwood 3 times, the only losses they suffered, we were the only side they couldn't overcome.

2022, a just reward for knocking on the door sooooo long, we truly just were not quite good enough on the day in those other years, but to keep at it, keep stumping up and being rewarded was just a fantastic feeling. Just reward for Scott too, i mean you can tell he's 100% invested with Geelong, and the players are in him too, you just don't win 70% of your games not feeling that.

2009, well to be honest these are all great Flags to win, I don't have kids but it might be like ranking them. Redemption for '08 and the torture of being 23-1 but not winning on the last day. Funnily enough I almost rate '08 as our best season still, we were imperious for all bar two games. A tiny part of me though would still love to swap '08 for '09, as it would be one over the Hawks, a back to back and St.Kilda would have had a modern Flag. But my rational side says....Naaaah!!

Forgotten who it is, but in one sense our record since 2007 of 12 Prelims, 6 GF's and 4 Flags is probably a just reward for this extended period of excellence. Always thereabouts, and getting there four times. In the early '00's I was thinking have I seen the best Geelong would ever be in my life. Now, if we have seen the best it's probably almost a lifetime worth of satisfaction, at least for my Gen X self. Perhaps a 20 y/o fan who may recall only a couple of Flags might be wanting a lot more. 25+, well one would almost know nothing but continued Geelong success.
 
Very hard to split - ive got tremendous joy out of all 4 of them

But if i had to somehow split them - well the judge has called for a photo print - and a magnifying glass - and there is still not a margin - so he has declared a deadheat between 2009 and 2022

And the reason they have finished equal 1st - is both those Geelong flags vindicated Geelongs great form at the time

2009 - if Geel had got beat - it would have meant 3 sensational years - but only 1 lousy flag - so winning that GF - and it was a dour struggle/slog that game -meant 2 flags in 3 top years of football - so thats pretty good - all good

2022 - and that was a clinical performance by Geel in the GF - again that vindicated Geelongs year in - year out high end consistency - but the club need a premiership to validate that - so the 22 flag squares everything away
 
2007 - A Hard Day's Night...it's the first magnificent one, from start to finish.

2009 - Abbey Rd...after a heart-breaking previous effort, the boys gathered themselves with heavy resolve, and returned to glory.

2011 - The White Album...each quarter had it's own feel and it's only when you looked back you saw the grand wonder of it all.

2022 - Sgt. Peppers...we knew the lads were on a roll after so many hits, but we weren't quite sure what to expect. From the get-go it was one hell of a trip, with so much passion and strength in the playing, each component adding to the overall magnificence of the day in the life of a Cats tragic.
 
2022 we erased all the doubters in one foul strategy defying swoop, the esteem of our club has never been higher, a monumental day, the Selwood emotion, lil Levi's smile and a comprehensive game plan that left most in awe of what it actually takes to win after a decade of finals disappointment. They're so hard bloody to win Joel told us, don't we all know it. The most proud I've ever felt for my club ever... however...

2007 the most memorable flag win for me, breaking the doubt, it was the fairytale every club needs as was the case with the Swans, Dogs, Dees. The emotion spilling out onto the streets of Geelong was exactly what the town needed, it was party time, it was the magic breakthrough, the lid was off, we never felt like such winners, none of us ever thought we'd see one but we obliterated the League that year, 119 points in the big one, are we still dreaming? Who breaks a drought like that! playing such joyous free flowing football with a bunch of mavericks on every line, which club can do it??? Seriously??? Is there one??? of course there is!!!

GEELONG
 
2011 for me. It was an an exclamation point on an excellent period of Geelong football against what was considered a powerhouse club at the time in Collingwood.

Also the Pies fans were insufferable in 10-11 so it was also nice to see the end of that.
 

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2007 and 2022. 2009 and 2011 I was blind drunk, but that provided the best post-match night. 2007 was relief. I made it over to Geelong and watched it at Kardinia Park on the big screen. Sober. The celebrations got started after that.

2022 will forever be in my heart. First Grand Final I've ever attended. Almost didn't make it, as I was working in central Qld and trying to get to a regional airport, an hour's drive from site, with flooded roads.

Luckily the 79 Series got me there, two hours before the roads were shut that Friday morning. I'd have missed my connecting flight from Brisbane to Melbourne. There were definitely some sphincter-puckering moments as I drove through a few fords.
 
2007 - Easily. I was in my early 30s and prior to that win had described myself as a ‘long suffering Geelong supporter’. Many younger supporters don’t understand how difficult it had been before that GF win. My wife turned to me at 3 quarter time and said ‘you know you’ve won right?’ It was only at that time I started to relax… says a bit about my frame of mind until then.

Don’t get me wrong, the other wins were magical, it’s just 2007 proved we could actually win one!


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
For me you can never have clear favorites - but i never in my wildest dreams thought id see 4 premierships in my lifetime let alone 4 in 15 years.

1. 2009 - 1st flag i attended in person after flying back from the UK for 08 and leaving the MCG thinking i'd never see a flag in person - edge of the seat stuff all day the last 5 mins after chappy's goal some of the most nerve racking of my life.

2. 2022 - Being able to take my eldest son (9) to his first Grand Final and knowing 5 mins into the 3rd quarter that we had one the flag and just watching my sons face for pretty much the whole 2nd half.

3. 2011 - Footy at its absolute best - Collingwood bring the best out of us with the genuine superstars dragging us home - while the emergence of Tom Hawkins made everyone (except Ben Reid) Smile

4. 2007 - Drought Breaker and boy did the Damn Wall break. In a match that still scars the entire Port Adelaide Football club this was footy the way it should be played - definitely worth being in the UK for and getting up at 4am for Pies and Fosters at Putney Walkabout.

Still remember calling my mum at 3/4 time after being 90pts in Front and asking (in tears) if we were going to win the flag. Her reply was typical of someone who had seen the failures of the past - "NOT EVEN GEELONG COULD LOSE IT FROM HERE"
 
I'm surprised some people rank 2009 so low. For me it's a clear number one. I was at the game and never celebrated a win so hard. It was a miserable day weather-wise and not very high scoring, but nothing has come close to the tension of that last quarter as we edged in front. And the amount of random people I hugged at the final siren.

2011 a close second, because it was against the Pies.

Agreed, when Chappy kicked that goal, I jumped about 10 feet in the air, was the biggest single release of tension I've experienced in footy.

Reverting to Back to Back GF losses after 2007 would have been damaging.
 
Agreed, when Chappy kicked that goal, I jumped about 10 feet in the air, was the biggest single release of tension I've experienced in footy.

Reverting to Back to Back GF losses after 2007 would have been damaging.

It would have been criminal for that side to walk away from 3 years of absolute dominance with 1 flag - it would have been comparable to Essendon of 1999,2000,2001 (which are hardly remembered at all)
 
Agreed, when Chappy kicked that goal, I jumped about 10 feet in the air, was the biggest single release of tension I've experienced in footy.

Reverting to Back to Back GF losses after 2007 would have been damaging.
A bit like you that's the moment I've mentioned here before I went the big fist pump on the couch requiring week of physio on the shoulder and time off work.
 
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Reverting to Back to Back GF losses after 2007 would have been damaging
stressed bill murray GIF
 
2007 for me. Like others I had come to think that I would not see us win one. Did not let myself believe we could win till halfway through the 3rd quarter. Silly when you look back at it.

I look at 2009 and though I enjoyed the win I think we got out of jail. St Kilda were the better side and deserved a flag. The weather played into our hands. Harry did a great job on Nick Riewoldt but if it had been dry I think Riewoldt would have torn us apart. It made up for 2008 though. If you play that game 100 times we win 99. The day in 2008 just happened to be the 1 out of 100.
 
2007 easily.

Growing up in 80s and 90s, Geelong were just not a 'premiership' team. Good honest battlers, never really shit, fun team to follow though. I always wondered if winning a flag, after that, I would be somehow 'different' as a person. The world would be just a bit different somehow.

Cast your mind back to what it was like before 2007. The Nick Davis game. The threats to move us to Docklands. The hope of 89 and 92. The disappointment of 94 and 95. I bought the ****ing DVD for the pre-season GF win against the Crows for crying out loud, went out and had a massive night.

Does anyone truly remember all of that?

Then one year, we were excellent. Out of this world. The only (until then) 200+ score since quarters were shortened. That win against West Coast at KP. Getting excited by a close low scoring win away against Adelaide!

The beers at the London Tavern on a sunny Sunday afternoon after a very exciting QF win over North. (Finals a different, unknown beast until then)

Pacing up and down the aisles in the Northern Stand in the last quarter of the PF. MCC members turned away - full. 98 friggen thousand people. A close win for the ages.


Grand Final. Walk to my mate's for breakfast. Walk to the MCG and take a seat alone in the AFL members. Mooney mark and goal. Steve Johnson alone 20m out. Ablett intercept. Ottens run down.

Second quarter, and the Nokia is going off every few seconds with text messages from people I haven't talked to in ages. (Remember, Geelong was not a 'premiership' team back then). Rooke's goal - surely we have it.

Half time - not with my mates and surrounded by neutrals telling me we've got it. I'm not ready to call it and grab some chips - just something to deal with nerves, the beer line is too long.

Third quarter - demolition. Fourth - taking the piss, trying to get a goal for King, the crowd chanting "Geeeeeeloooooong". The siren. No matter what from now, I'll always have this.

Back home. Spray champagne all over my mates. Head down to Geelong for a massive night-day-night again.

The world has been just a bit different ever since.
 

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2007, 2009, 2011, 2022 - which flag was most memorable for you

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