GEELONG AFL PREMIERSHIP 2009 DVD RELEASED
Ben Jensen in Edinburgh 27 September 2009

By Ben Jensen GEELONG CATS' AFL PREMIERSHIP WIN OVER ST KILDA SAINTS (2009) is now available to own on DVD.

INCLUDES RADIO COMMENTARIES! A year after failing to defend their 2007 Premiership, the Geelong Cats returned to the MCG and faced the juggernauts of the 2009 season – the mighty St Kilda, the minor premiers and the crowd favourites.

The Cats of Mark Thompson had been written off by many during the season as injuries took their toll but on Grand Final day in front of a packed MCG, the Geelong Cats produced that magic brand of football. For the third time in as many years they played on the biggest football stage of all.

A star studded Cats line up led by Tom Harley and featuring the game’s most exciting player Gary Ablett would meet and beat St Kilda in a game Cats fans will relish for ever. Now on DVD, the entire 2009 Toyota AFL Grand Final, uninterrupted from Anthem to presentations.

GEELONG defeated St Kilda by twelve points to win the 2009 AFL Premiership. On a damp day the Cats will be considered lucky to have overcome the Saints, who for several periods early in the game were dominant but failed to score goals. But Geelong rebounded strongly in the second half, after unluckily trailing by a goal at half-time, conceding three goals inside a minute. They held St Kilda to just two goals in the second half and none at all in the final term, booted five themselves including three in the last quarter, to snatch their second flag in three seasons. Paul Chapman edged out Max Rooke and the excellent Harry Taylor for best afield to grab the Norm Smith Medal. Geelong legend Bob Davis, 1963 Premiership coach and 1951-52 Premiership player, presented the Premiership cup, setting off wild scenes of celebration and a touching moment as Mark Thompson helped Davis from the podium. VIDEOS

GEELONG: 3.0 7.1 9.4 12.8 (80) DEFEATED
ST KILDA: 3.2 7.7 9.11 9.14 (68)

GOALS
GEELONG: Mooney 3, Chapman 3, Hawkins 2, Rooke, Selwood, Byrnes, Ablett
ST KILDA: Schneider 2,Goddard, Hayes, Dempster, Jones, Koschitzke, Riewoldt, Montagna

BEST
GEELONG: Chapman, Enright, Ablett, Milburn, Corey, Selwood, Taylor, Rooke
ST KILDA: Gram, Goddard, Hayes, Ball, Montagna

INJURIES
GEELONG: TBC
ST KILDA: TBC

CROWD: 99,251 at MCG, Melbourne

UMPIRES
FIELD: Stephen McBurney, Brett Rosebury, Shaun Ryan
BOUNDARY: Darren Wilson, Adam Coote, Mark Foster, Mark Thomson (4 of them!)
GOAL: David Dixon, Mark Canning

Tom Harley won the toss and chose to kick to the Ponsford Stand end, same as 2007 if memory serves me correct. We aren't at the game but will be bringing you updates from the Cattery residence in Edinburgh, host to possibly the city's only Grand Final house party. So far the entertainment has included Mark Seymoor or Hunters and Collectors fame; Jimmy Barnes; Johnny Farnham and even James Morrisson (the trumpet guy). It's going to be a wet Grand Final, conditions Jimmy Bartel will be lapping up but may dampen some other more skillful players in either side. Stay tuned.

Geelong dominated play early in the first quarter but didn't capitalise on the scoreboard when kicking to the favourable Ponsford Stand end, whereas St Kilda finished off the quarter strong to lead by two points at half time and were unlucky not to be further in front. The Saints went on with it in the second quarter but again kicked more behinds than goals, while the Cats made hay, with goals to Byrnes, Ablett, Hawkins and Chapman giving them a handy two goal lead. Then with less than a minute to go, Clint Jones made something out of nothing, squeezing a stolen ball from a stoppage through a crowded pack of players for a team lifting goal. When Justin Koschitzke booted his first from the goal square thirty seconds later to equalise, it was all too much for Darren Milburn, who characteristically mouthed off at the umpire who had no hesitation in awarding an unprecedented free kick right on the goal-line before play restarted in the centre. The Saints went into half time with a six point lead.

The third quarter was a tough one with little scoring actually occurring despite many opportunities. Geelong managed to level the scores with 5 minutes remaining and should have at least taken the lead but could not manage even a behind in several plays in front of goal. The Saints again came up with a late quarter goal, Leigh Montagna breaking the deadlock to put his side up by a goal. Another behind next play gave the Saints a seven point lead at the final break.

Tom Hawkins' goal in the third minute, converting a strong contested mark from 35m out on an angle, put the Cats right back into it from a spiritual basis and had the crowd (especially in this house) pumping. Tense moments ensued as the Saints went close but could not manage an actual goal the entire quarter. The Cats did though, Paul Chapman's 3rd putting the Cats up by six points and a behind the next play making the margin a seemingly unassailable seven points. Matthew Scarlett conceded a behind in the dying moments of the game before Cameron Mooney marked inside fifty in the final seconds of the match. When the siren sounded the Cats were six points up, Mooney's 3rd goal stretching the margin to the equal biggest of the day, twelve points.