Your favourite Premiership? (07, 09, or 11)

[Senatorguesty]

By sheer coincidence Collingwood is the ONLY team we've defeated more than once for the VFL/AFL Flag - 1925, 1937, 1952, 2011.

Who hasnt tho?

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Who hasnt tho?

Too right! Even the Sainters can say they've beaten the Pies in a Grand Final. That must suck...

 

[Ghost of Rooke]

Being born in 73 I missed our 60's success.

Being old enough to be excited by the 89 season and then gutted by the loss, and then to live through the rollercoaster of the 90's making them and then losing them, there is no way you can parallel the relief, joy, exuberance and sheer " you flucking beauty" that 07 brought.

Sitting in Hollywood Billiards on Hollywood blvd at 2am LA time with no voice, no friends left and just hugging anyone that would listen - or I thought was listening - cannot be replicated. I was never living in Geelong but felt a part of it when we won... albeit 17000kms away.....

07 was the most enjoyable and relieving..

09 was simply the challenge of wills and character.
After 08, the ghosts of the 90's reappeared - good enough to get there but not enough to win it...
I was even getting shit over here.... Hawks supporters that are also friends.. ( is that an oxymoron ) can find you anywhere.... and find they did.

That last 1/4 was not about skills. It was character, guts and determination. I dont care what other will say - it was just pure will to not be defeated that kept us going it seemed.

09 was the most difficult to enjoyat the time but most gratifying as a fan...

11 - the one that wasn't supposed to be. Not dissimilar to getting knocked up after a vasectomy. The tubes were cut and the good stuff gone. Bomber and Gaz - new coach - but same old list...

This was the perfect up yours to everyone that had ever ragged on us for anything. Not a chance was given to us externally and we revelled in it - as did I. Again - after the losses of 2010 on and off the field to just royally middle finger them all and take the flag was the most satisfying.

Thats my crazy take....

and the book has more chapters to follow......

GO Catters

 

[Siamese Cat]

This, I went in '09 and despite Geelong winning and the intensity, I thought it was an ordinary game.

'07 broke the drought and was beautiful clinical football but '11 was the best for me. Two great sides showing skill in difficult conditions. Was tight for most of the game, but gave you some time in the last quarter when you knew the Cats had won to really enjoy it.

Huh. Thought 09 was absorbing. It really was a game in four acts, with dasher playing the japester in the first half.

 

[Siamese Cat]

I went with 2011 as my fave.... but its a tough tough call.... Like some others I can watch 07 and last year over and over (and have done so) but haven't bothered with 09... I think i have watched the last quarter a few times.

07 was amazing, but the problem was it was so emphatic we started to celebrate about half way into the 2nd quarter (secretly we all thought we were home after Jimmys left foot snap in the 1st, but were too scared to say it for fear of jinxing us!!) the 2nd half of the match was a blur for me as I proceeded to get shitfaced lol, its ok brought the dvd the next day at Geelong from a highly ammused merchandise person who didn't believe I had slept from the night before (i had, i passed out by 8 o'clock!!) But it was the breaking of the hoodoo, so emphatic, so incredible... was just sensational

09 was too bloody tense, but the win again incredible, games like that there are always 1 or 2 magic moments that you will never forget.. I still get goosebumps every time i see that chappy snap, and of course the toe poke. The fact it was against the saints was the sweetener... Chappy was right plus it shut up a few saints fans I knew who just had this sense of entitlement to the flag that to this day I still never understand..

last year... well what can you say...
New coach, superstar walks out on us for bags of money... we looked terrible and finished in the prelim the year before... and then come out and do that.. and along the way smacked an arrogant Hawks team in the 1st final, our 90s nemesis in the Weagles and then roll the amazing unbeatable (according to media hype) pies in the GF.... couldn'y have asked for a better finals run!!
Probably the most enjoyable to watch for me as well, tight and tough for 3/4s then we split them open and really got to enjoy the last 10 mins of the game..

But hell its like asking who my favourite player is.... I LOVE THEM ALL!!

Loved this post. Well done that man.

 

[Willo_]

I was exactly the same, although it has been the only Geelong grand final where I've been relaxed enough to be drinking beers during the game.

I'm the opposite.... I tip them down quicker when I'm nervous... 09 would have been dangerous had I not learnt my lesson in 07..... And been given a warning about my behavior after putting a hole in a mates fence the year before as I wiped the 08 grand final from my memory

 

[Willo_]

Actually 07 holds a special place for me also because we made the local paper in ballarat... Being a Signwriter by trade I put a massive GO CATS across our front windows.. Then the morning of the place got decorated... We had a big projector and about 15 people round (I'm lucky that a few of my best mates are all cats) early in the 1st quarter we get a knock on the door... It's the paper, driving round doing the grandfinal celebrations thing.. Saw our place and stopped.. Great blokes, they stayed for a quarter and had a drink with us.. Took a heap of photos one which made the front page! Then a couple more were on the inside and me and my housemate got interviewed!! Still have the paper to this day!


Also an added bonus was I told a missus at the time where to go that night... Turns out she was a mega bitch so that worked out well too!! :-D

 

[Strangled Cat]

I'm the opposite.... I tip them down quicker when I'm nervous... 09 would have been dangerous had I not learnt my lesson in 07..... And been given a warning about my behavior after putting a hole in a mates fence the year before as I wiped the 08 grand final from my memory

I'm the same 07 I had hardly a drink until after the match, that's how absorbed I was in the match, but then I was at Skilled stadium (as it was known at the time) and it's a bit harder to get drinks than at a pub or home. 08 I stayed in Adelaide and watched it with the Adelaide Cats supporters group at a pub. It's fair to say that I wasn't allowed back in said pub for some time due to my behaviour. Yes I acted like a real you-know-what!. 09 I was with my old mates in Geelong at one of their houses, I was so nervous I'd downed 3/4 of my slab by the end of the game. It's also fair to say that it was one of the best nights of my life!

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

I'm the same 07 I had hardly a drink until after the match, that's how absorbed I was in the match, but then I was at Skilled stadium (as it was known at the time) and it's a bit harder to get drinks than at a pub or home. 08 I stayed in Adelaide and watched it with the Adelaide Cats supporters group at a pub. It's fair to say that I wasn't allowed back in said pub for some time due to my behaviour. Yes I acted like a real you-know-what!. 09 I was with my old mates in Geelong at one of their houses, I was so nervous I'd downed 3/4 of my slab by the end of the game. It's also fair to say that it was one of the best nights of my life!

I did the same thing in 2009 ha ha.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I'm the same 07 I had hardly a drink until after the match, that's how absorbed I was in the match, but then I was at Skilled stadium (as it was known at the time) and it's a bit harder to get drinks than at a pub or home. 08 I stayed in Adelaide and watched it with the Adelaide Cats supporters group at a pub. It's fair to say that I wasn't allowed back in said pub for some time due to my behaviour. Yes I acted like a real you-know-what!. 09 I was with my old mates in Geelong at one of their houses, I was so nervous I'd downed 3/4 of my slab by the end of the game. It's also fair to say that it was one of the best nights of my life!

Yeah, that's true...where you're watching it has a pretty big bearing. I've been lucky enough to go to all four grand finals since 2007, so it's a different situation than being at a mate's place/pub, where it would probably take you less than a minute to go and get a drink. Still I normally have a quick one before the game and at halftime, but I definitely wasn't even considering that between 2007-09. My MCC mates thought I was nuts sitting up in the nosebleeds (got in on the ballot) and refusing to go for a drink at halftime, but I'd just seen too many times where Geelong had lost the unloseable before. By Mooney's goal I was willing to accept the victory and I spent three quarter time onwards in the Blazer Bar, surrounded by mainly Melbourne supporters who were also celebrating (that they had no longer suffered the biggest defeat in GF history). Those Melbourne guys were going more nuts at every Geelong goal in the last quarter than the Geelong supporters were.

I've queued up for the other three grand finals (getting there anywhere from midnight to 3am, depending on the weather) and have got some of the best seats in the house, so getting up for a beer every twenty minutes isn't really on the things to do list. Still, like I said, I usually decline a drink before the game and at halftime, when Geelong is playing in a grand final.

 

[Cattrick]

It was meant to be 2009 so that my user name would show its true meaning- now I have to wait until 2015.

 

[muttweed]

It was meant to be 2009 so that my user name would show its true meaning- now I have to wait until 2015.

That is actually quite smart

 

[thegerman]

2011 - Sort of felt a huge weight off the shoulders, probably removed a lot of 2008 crap. Also, probably highlighted that no matter how much games you win, the GF
is a whole different ballgame. Beating the best team of the H&A season was very good. Though 2009 was in the same boat.

 

[vealesy]

Were they really the best side all year?

 

[romeoh]

Were they really the best side all year?

Nope-they were better than most teams but after round 8 I knew we could match/beat them. The Pies were able to beat most teams for much of the year but that didn't mean they were better than us. 3-0 suggests they weren't. Probs the same with Hawks this year-they were better than most teams but hadn't shown themselves to be better than Swans, (or even us). Every year the footy media describe a team as 'clearly the best in the comp', when it is rarely the case. Actually in 2010 Pies were the best side all year.

 

[Topper]

By sheer coincidence Collingwood is the ONLY team we've defeated more than once for the VFL/AFL Flag - 1925, 1937, 1952, 2011.

So really, they're our bitches

 

[BringBackTomFloyd]

2009 for many reasons. Toughest opponent, toughest conditions. We were dominated for most of the day. Losing that game wouldve been disastrous as it would've reinforced our 'chokers' tag and left our % winning record over the 3 years open to mockery. You could tell the relief off the players and coaching staff after the game.

It was without doubt the most courageous game I've seen a Geelong team play.

Well said Cheshire Cat. 2009 for me. I dont think 2009 gets the accolades that it deserves from supporters. 2007 was a heavyweight against a bantomweight, 2011 was a heavyweight against a struggling middleweight but 2009 was 2 heavyweights slugging it out for glory. In boxing terms the 2007 and 2011 were mismatches at different degrees but if you are a true football lover, who loves to watch 2 quality teams going at it, then this is the one for me. Geelong has played some courageous games over the years but yes, with the stakes so high this was possibly the most courageous they have played. I still believe that if we won in 2008 we would not have won this game. climbing the mountain for a third year would have been an enormous task and maybe when it got tough we could have rested on our back to back wins if you know what I mean. Getting home at 5.30am made it a memorable night out but 2 hours sleep was all I could conjure as I raised my head to watch the replay again and again. The will to win and dont discount our fitness have been 2 of the major cornerstones behind all 3 grand final wins in my opinion.

 

[catman 71]

2007- Because I finally saw the day I was worried would never came.

2009- Because I was there!

2011- Because I thought we couldn't win it without Ablett or Thompson!

 

[Duskfire]

I'm a pretty big defensive fan; people love the pack marks and the goals, but I love good defenders, and really, Taylor was the man in 09', and one of the reasons why I love it the most. He deserved Norm Smith in my mind; the amount of goals he stopped and the pressure that was absorbed was outstanding (not that I rue Chappie for winning it of course.) Was brilliant defending on arguably the most valued forward of that year.

 

[Mike Williamson]

They were all special - OP should of given us a 4th option.

2007 was the ice breaker. 2009 was immense, and 2011 was double immense. Beating the Pies is epic any time but better in a grand final

 

[footscore]

They were all special - OP should of given us a 4th option.

2007 was the ice breaker. 2009 was immense, and 2011 was double immense. Beating the Pies is epic any time but better in a grand final

good post
I was surprised to read the amount times Geelong faced Collingwood throughout the 20th century:

1925 Geelong 10.19.79 def Collingwood 9.15.69
1930 Collingwood 14.16.100 def Geelong 9.16.70
1937 Geelong 18.14.122 def Collingwood 12.18.90
1952 Geelong 13.8.86 def Collingwood 5.10.40
1953 Collingwood 11.11.77 def Geelong 8.17.65
2011 Geelong 18.11.119 def Collingwood 12.9.81

 

[Seeds]

good post
I was surprised to read the amount times Geelong faced Collingwood throughout the 20th century:

1925 Geelong 10.19.79 def Collingwood 9.15.69
1930 Collingwood 14.16.100 def Geelong 9.16.70
1937 Geelong 18.14.122 def Collingwood 12.18.90
1952 Geelong 13.8.86 def Collingwood 5.10.40
1953 Collingwood 11.11.77 def Geelong 8.17.65
2011 Geelong 18.11.119 def Collingwood 12.9.81

I think I've heard somewhere that Geelong and Collingwood have played more GF's against each other than any other teams in the competition. Its surprising that Geelong and Collingwood don't have a bigger rivalry. Particularly considering that we've played four knock out finals against each other in the past 6 years.

 

[footscore]

Its surprising that Geelong and Collingwood don't have a bigger rivalry.

yeh good point, it probably has a lot to do with the fact Geelong have literally had no rivals for quite a few years now.
Collingwood as good as they have been, we seemed to be far too good for them in 07, 08, 09, they turned the tables on everyone in 2010 but they again went missing the following year.

I can see why Eddie only builds up intense blockbusters against weaker opposition

 

[The rabbi]

​

I love them all.​

 

[Karl Hungus]

09>11>07

The close ones are always the best, also given the loss the previous year.

2011 just seemed to be a culmination of the successful period and it all coming together at the right time as in development (Hawk, Christensen, Duncan), and the 'olds' just going about their business (Jimmy, Selwood etc....)
Not to mention beating the Pies (not sure which is better? beating the Pies or Hawks in a GF, hopefully next year we'll know..).
2007 was amazing but the 'least' enjoyable looking back, it was over pretty early and by the end I think Cat's supporters were the only ones left at the pub.