2008 Geelong Football Club season

The 2008 Geelong Football Club season was the club's 109th season in the Australian Football League (AFL). Geelong finished the regular season in first position on the ladder, earning the club a second-consecutive McClelland Trophy, and its ninth overall. Geelong's regular season record was impressive (21 wins, 1 loss), the best performance of a team in the home-and-away season since Essendon Football Club in 2000. Geelong then went on to win its Qualifying and Preliminary finals in succession, earning a place in the 2008 AFL Grand Final against Hawthorn, and the chance for a second-consecutive premiership. However, Geelong failed to capitalise on its outstanding performance during the season, losing the premiership in a Grand Final thriller.

Geelong Football Club
2008 season
PresidentFrank Costa
CoachMark Thompson
(9th season)
Captain(s)Tom Harley
(2nd season)
Home groundSkilled Stadium
Pre-season competitionQuarter final
AFL season1st
Finals seriesRunner-up
Best and FairestJoel Corey
Leading goalkickerSteve Johnson (50)
← 2007 2009 →

Geelong signed up a club record 36,850 club members for the season,[1] and had an average home crowd attendance of 43,176, also a club record.[2]

Season overview

Geelong did well in the home and away season and finished four games and percentage clear on top of the ladder. It was an outstanding season with the team winning 21 out of the 22 games & finished with a percentage of 161.84, the only loss was to Collingwood in round 9 by a massive 86 points. With the team widely considered to be premiership favorites the Cats were almost unbackable favourites to win the 2008 AFL premiership. They beat St Kilda in the first qualifying final 17.17(119) to 8.13(61). A 29-point win over the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final secured the Cats a grand final a berth against Hawthorn.

Geelong were defeated in the 2008 AFL Grand Final by Hawthorn in front of an attendance of 100,012 people. Despite having numerous chances in the first half of the game, and dominating through the midfield, the Cats failed to convert and were defeated by the Hawks.

Captains

Club List

Player List
Name No. Height (cm) Weight (kg) Birthdate Debut Games Goals
2008 Total Club 2008 Total
Ablett, Gary 29 182 88 14 May 1984 2002 19 144 144 24 189
Ablett, Nathan 23 196 98 13 December 1985 2005 0 32 32 0 46
Bartel, Jimmy 3 187 88 4 December 1983 2002 23 131 131 21 83
Blake, Mark 24 200 101 9 September 1985 2005 23 56 56 6 8
Byrnes, Shannon 17 175 77 7 April 1984 2004 9 54 54 8 27
Chapman, Paul 35 179 88 5 November 1981 2000 18 154 154 32 203
Corey, Joel 11 191 88 17 February 1982 2000 23 174 174 6 54
Davenport, Jason 1 185 82 4 September 1985 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Djerrkura, Nathan 18 176 80 19 September 1988 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Djerrkura, Nathan 18 176 80 19 September 1988 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Donohue, Adam 25 182 83 22 February 1990 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Egan, Matthew 19 196 101 10 July 1983 2005 0 59 59 0 1
Enright, Corey 44 187 91 14 September 1981 2001 23 148 148 6 45
Gamble, Ryan 15 184 80 23 September 1987 2006 13 14 14 21 21
Harley, Tom 2 193 95 18 July 1978 1998 23 182 181 0 10
Hawkins, Tom 26 197 103 27 July 1988 2007 10 19 19 13 25
Hogan, Simon 34 182 75 16 August 1988 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Hunt, Josh 8 185 100 14 March 1982 2001 21 120 120 3 16
Johnson, David 28 181 84 28 October 1981 2002 1 71 71 0 16
Johnson, Steve 20 189 88 4 July 1983 2002 23 110 110 50 207
Kelly, James 9 183 85 29 December 1983 2002 19 127 127 8 61
Ling, Cameron 45 189 94 27 February 1981 2000 21 180 180 15 106
Lonergan, Tom 13 197 99 17 May 1984 2005 14 21 21 33 39
Mackie, Andrew 4 192 85 7 August 1984 2004 19 80 80 11 52
McKenna, Dan 31 195 85 29 June 1989 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Milburn, Darren 39 189 92 15 April 1977 1997 20 233 233 6 86
Mooney, Cameron 21 195 99 26 September 1979 1999 22 166 155 49 203
Ottens, Brad 6 202 108 25 January 1980 1998 14 202 73 13 235
Prismall, Brent 32 186 88 14 July 1986 2006 12 25 25 8 15
Rooke, Max 33 189 93 19 December 1981 2002 18 110 110 9 30
Scarlett, Matthew 30 192 95 5 June 1979 1998 20 204 204 0 16
Selwood, Joel 14 182 83 26 May 1988 2007 22 43 43 6 13
Simpson, Dawson 16 206 105 17 February 1989 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Simpson, Scott 22 196 92 19 October 1989 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Stokes, Mathew 27 177 80 22 November 1984 2006 20 50 50 37 78
Taylor, Harry 7 193 91 12 June 1986 2008 19 19 19 3 3
Tenace, Kane 10 182 86 4 July 1985 2004 1 54 54 0 11
Varcoe, Travis 5 180 78 10 April 1988 2007 14 32 32 13 28
West, Trent 12 198 103 17 October 1987 2008 6 6 6 1 1
Wojcinski, David 40 180 80 18 September 1980 1999 13 131 131 7 44
Statistics are to end of Qualifying Final, 2008 Season (7 September 2008)

Rookie List
Name No. Height Weight Birthdate Debut Games Goals
2008 Total Club 2008 Total
Bedford, Liam 42 180 73 12 July 1988 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Kangars, Chris 38 193 95 1 August 1989 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Laidler, Jeremy 37 189 80 5 August 1989 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Moles, Brodie 36 183 84 7 November 1985 **** 0 0 0 0 0
Mumford, Shane* 41 200 102 5 July 1986 2008 3 3 3 0 0
* Nominated Rookie – Elevated to senior list during season, eligible for senior selection
Statistics are to end of 2008 Season (27 September 2008)

Additions
  • Exchange period – received:
    • None
  • Rookie elevation:
  1. Tom Lonergan
  2. Jason Davenport
  • Father/son selection:
  1. Adam Donohue
  • NAB AFL Draft (24 November 2007):
  1. Harry Taylor (Round 1; Overall pick 17; from East Fremantle)
  2. Dawson Simpson (Round 2; Overall pick 34; from Murray Bushrangers)
  3. Scott Simpson (Round 3; Overall pick 44; from Dandenong Stingrays)
  4. Dan McKenna (Round 3; Overall pick 50; from Gippsland Power)
  5. Adam Donohue (Round 4; Overall pick 60; from Geelong Falcons)
  • NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft (11 December 2007):
    • None
  • NAB AFL Rookie Draft (11 December 2007):
  1. Brodie Moles (Round 1; Overall pick 16; from Tasmania)
  2. Jeremy Laidler (Round 2; Overall pick 32; from Calder U18)
  3. Chris Kangars (Round 3; Overall pick 46; from Geelong U18)
  4. Shane Mumford (Round 4; Overall pick 57; from Geelong VFL)

Deletions
  • Exchange period – traded:
  1. Tim Callan and Round 4 draft selection (No.66) – to Western Bulldogs (received Western Bulldogs' Round 4 draft selection – No.62)
  2. Henry Playfair – to Sydney (received Sydney's Round 3 draft selection – No.44)
  3. Steven King and Charlie Gardiner – St Kilda (received St Kilda's Round 6 draft selection – No.90)
  • Delisted:
  1. Joel Reynolds[3]
  2. Matthew Spencer[3]
  3. Sam Hunt[3]
  4. Stephen Owen[3]
  5. Todd Grima[3]
  • Retirements:
    • None

Games

NAB Cup
Date and Local Time Opponent Home or Away Venue Scores
Result Home Away
First Round
Saturday, 16 February – 3:40 pm Melbourne Home Skilled Stadium Won by 71 2.22.10 (160) 2.11.5 (89) [4]
Quarter Finals (Eliminated)
Saturday, 23 February – 3:40 pm St Kilda Away Manuka Oval Lost by 5 3.9.10 (91) 3.8.11 (86) [5]

Premiership season
Round Date and Local Time Opponent Home or Away Venue Scores Ladder Pos'n
Result Home Away
1 Thursday, 20 March – 8:15 pm Port Adelaide Away AAMI Stadium Won by 9 14.12 (96) 15.15 (105) 6 [6][7]
2 Sunday, 30 March – 2:10 pm Essendon Home Telstra Dome Won by 99 22.18 (150) 6.15 (51) 2 [7][8]
3 Sunday, 6 April – 1:10 pm Melbourne Home Skilled Stadium Won by 30 16.16 (112) 12.10 (82) 1 [9][10]
4 Saturday, 12 April – 2:10 pm St Kilda Away Telstra Dome Won by 42 13.16 (94) 21.10 (136) 1 [11][12]
5 Saturday, 19 April – 2:10 pm Sydney Home Skilled Stadium Won by 42 16.18 (114) 10.12 (72) 1 [13][14]
6 Friday, 25 April – 6:40 pm Fremantle Away Subiaco Won by 1 13.10 (88) 13.11 (89) 1 [15][16]
7 Saturday, 3 May – 2:10 pm Brisbane Lions Home Skilled Stadium Won by 27 15.15 (105) 11.12 (78) 1 [17][18]
8 Saturday, 17 May – 2:10 pm Richmond Away MCG Won by 30 10.9 (69) 14.15 (99) 1 [19][20]
9 Friday, 23 May – 7:40 pm Collingwood Away MCG Lost by 86 20.14 (134) 7.6 (48) 2 [21][22]
10 Saturday, 31 May – 7:10 pm Carlton Home Telstra Dome Won by 55 19.19 (133) 12.5 (77) 2 [23][24]
11 Friday, 6 June – 7:40 pm Kangaroos Away Telstra Dome Won by 13 17.12 (114) 19.13 (127) 2 [25][26]
12 Sunday, 15 June – 1:10 pm Port Adelaide Home Skilled Stadium Won by 59 15.18 (108) 7.7 (49) 1 [27][28]
13 Saturday, 21 June – 5:40 pm West Coast Away Subiaco Won by 135 5.17 (47) 28.14 (182) 1 [29][30]
14 Friday, 4 July – 7:40 pm Adelaide Away AAMI Stadium Won by 68 8.8 (56) 18.16 (124) 1 [31][32]
15 Saturday, 12 July – 2:10 pm Fremantle Home Skilled Stadium Won by 74 18.10 (118) 6.8 (44) 1 [33][34]
16 Saturday, 19 July – 2:10 pm Western Bulldogs Home Skilled Stadium Won by 61 19.17 (131) 10.10 (70) 1 [35][36]
17 Friday, 25 July – 7:40 pm Hawthorn Away MCG Won by 11 11.11 (77) 12.16 (88) 1 [37][38]
18 Saturday, 2 August – 7:10 pm Richmond Home Telstra Dome Won by 63 20.14 (134) 10.11 (71) 1 [39][40]
19 Friday, 8 August – 7:10 pm Melbourne Away MCG Won by 116 5.11 (41) 24.13 (157) 1 [41][42]
20 Saturday, 16 August – 7:10 pm Sydney Away ANZ Stadium Won by 39 14.10 (94) 20.13 (133) 1 [43][44]
21 Sunday, 24 August – 1:10 pm Kangaroos Home Skilled Stadium Won by 33 17.13 (115) 13.4 (82) 1 [45][46]
22 Saturday, 30 August – 2:10 pm West Coast Home Skilled Stadium Won by 99 24.20 (164) 10.5 (65) 1 [47][48]

Finals
Date and Local Time Opponent Home or Away Venue Scores
Result Home Away
Qualifying and Elimination Finals
Sunday, 7 September – 2:40 pm St Kilda Home MCG Won by 58 17.17 (119) 8.13 (61) [49]
Preliminary Final
Friday, 19 September – 7:40 pm Western Bulldogs Home MCG Won by 29 12.11 (83) 7.12 (54) [50]
Grand Final
Saturday, 27 September – 2:30 pm Hawthorn Home MCG Lost by 26 11.23 (89) 18.7 (115) [51]

See also

References
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  2. "Geelong Cats Crowds and Match Attendances". footy wire.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  3. Horan, Michael (18 October 2007). "Delisted Joel Reynolds upbeat". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  4. Burgan, Matt (16 February 2008). "Geelong sizzles in heat at Skilled Stadium". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  5. "Injuries mar bright afternoon for Saints". AFL BigPond Network. 23 February 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  6. Dodd, Geoff; Price, Matthew (21 March 2008). "Cats dig deep". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  7. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 1". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  8. Phelan, Jason (30 March 2008). "Cats run rampant in 99-point win". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  9. Broad, Ben (6 April 2008). "Melbourne improves but Cats prevail". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  10. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 3". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  11. Lavell, Steve (12 April 2008). "Cats make it four". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  12. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 4". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  13. Broad, Ben (19 April 2008). "Five straight for Cats". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  14. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 5". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  15. Clarke, Tim (25 April 2008). "Cats by a point". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  16. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 6". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  17. Devery, Pat (3 May 2008). "Cats get up". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  18. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 7". footyforecaster.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  19. Devery, Pat (17 May 2008). "Cats fire up to sink Tigers". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  20. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 8". footyforecaster.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  21. Devery, Pat (23 May 2008). "Pies maul Cats". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  22. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 9". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  23. Price, Matthew (31 May 2008). "Resurgent Cats dispatch Blues". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  24. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 10". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
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  27. "Cats pound Power". AFL BigPond Network. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
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  29. Devery, Pat (21 June 2008). "Cats annihilate Eagles". AFL BigPond Network. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  30. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 13". footyforecaster.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  31. Brettig, Daniel (4 July 2008). "Top Cats crush Crows". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
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  33. Devery, Pat (12 July 2008). "Geelong roll on". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  34. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 15". footyforecaster.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  35. Devery, Pat (19 July 2008). "Cats smash Dogs, stay on top". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  36. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 16". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  37. Lavell, Steve (25 July 2008). "Cats hold off Hawks in a thriller at the 'G". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 9 August 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  38. Breen, Greg. "AFL Ladder: After 2008 Round 17". footyforecaster.com. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  39. Walsh, Gary (2 August 2008). "Cats maul Tigers". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
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