2008 Geelong Football Club season

Last updated

Geelong Football Club
2008 season
President Frank Costa
Coach Mark Thompson
(9th season)
Captain(s) Tom Harley
(2nd season)
Home ground Skilled Stadium
Pre-season competition Quarter final
AFL season 1st
Finals series Runner-up
Best and Fairest Joel Corey
Leading goalkicker Steve Johnson (50)

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.

Contents

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

NameNo.Height (cm)Weight (kg)BirthdateDebutGamesGoals
2008TotalClub2008Total
Ablett, Gary 291828814 May 198420021914414424189
Ablett, Nathan 231969813 December 1985200503232046
Bartel, Jimmy 3187884 December 19832002231311312183
Blake, Mark 242001019 September 1985200523565668
Byrnes, Shannon 17175777 April 1984200495454827
Chapman, Paul 35179885 November 198120001815415432203
Corey, Joel 111918817 February 1982200023174174654
Davenport, Jason 1185824 September 1985****00000
Djerrkura, Nathan 181768019 September 1988****00000
Djerrkura, Nathan 181768019 September 1988****00000
Donohue, Adam 251828322 February 1990****00000
Egan, Matthew 1919610110 July 198320050595901
Enright, Corey 441879114 September 1981200123148148645
Gamble, Ryan 151848023 September 198720061314142121
Harley, Tom 21939518 July 1978199823182181010
Hawkins, Tom 2619710327 July 198820071019191325
Hogan, Simon 341827516 August 1988****00000
Hunt, Josh 818510014 March 1982200121120120316
Johnson, David 281818428 October 1981200217171016
Johnson, Steve 20189884 July 198320022311011050207
Kelly, James 91838529 December 1983200219127127861
Ling, Cameron 451899427 February 198120002118018015106
Lonergan, Tom 131979917 May 198420051421213339
Mackie, Andrew 4192857 August 198420041980801152
McKenna, Dan 311958529 June 1989****00000
Milburn, Darren 391899215 April 1977199720233233686
Mooney, Cameron 211959926 September 197919992216615549203
Ottens, Brad 620210825 January 19801998142027313235
Prismall, Brent 321868814 July 19862006122525815
Rooke, Max 331899319 December 1981200218110110930
Scarlett, Matthew 30192955 June 1979199820204204016
Selwood, Joel 141828326 May 19882007224343613
Simpson, Dawson 1620610517 February 1989****00000
Simpson, Scott 221969219 October 1989****00000
Stokes, Mathew 271778022 November 198420062050503778
Taylor, Harry 71939112 June 1986200819191933
Tenace, Kane 10182864 July 1985200415454011
Varcoe, Travis 51807810 April 198820071432321328
West, Trent 1219810317 October 1987200866611
Wojcinski, David 401808018 September 1980199913131131744
Statistics are to end of Qualifying Final, 2008 Season (7 September 2008)

Rookie List

NameNo.HeightWeightBirthdateDebutGamesGoals
2008TotalClub2008Total
Bedford, Liam 421807312 July 1988****00000
Kangars, Chris 38193951 August 1989****00000
Laidler, Jeremy 37189805 August 1989****00000
Moles, Brodie 36183847 November 1985****00000
Mumford, Shane*412001025 July 1986200833300
* Nominated Rookie – Elevated to senior list during season, eligible for senior selection
Statistics are to end of 2008 Season (27 September 2008)

Changes from 2007 List

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 GardinerSt 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

Exhibition and Trial Games

NAB Cup

Date and Local TimeOpponentHome or AwayVenueScores
ResultHomeAway
First Round
Saturday, 16 February – 3:40 pm Melbourne Home Skilled Stadium Won by 712.22.10 (160)2.11.5 (89) [4]
Quarter Finals (Eliminated)
Saturday, 23 February – 3:40 pm St Kilda Away Manuka Oval Lost by 53.9.10 (91)3.8.11 (86) [5]

Premiership season

RoundDate and Local TimeOpponentHome or AwayVenueScoresLadder Pos'n
ResultHomeAway
1Thursday, 20 March – 8:15 pm Port Adelaide Away AAMI Stadium Won by 914.12 (96)15.15 (105)6 [6] [7]
2Sunday, 30 March – 2:10 pm Essendon Home Telstra Dome Won by 9922.18 (150)6.15 (51)2 [7] [8]
3Sunday, 6 April – 1:10 pm Melbourne Home Skilled Stadium Won by 3016.16 (112)12.10 (82)1 [9] [10]
4Saturday, 12 April – 2:10 pm St Kilda Away Telstra Dome Won by 4213.16 (94)21.10 (136)1 [11] [12]
5Saturday, 19 April – 2:10 pm Sydney Home Skilled Stadium Won by 4216.18 (114)10.12 (72)1 [13] [14]
6Friday, 25 April – 6:40 pm Fremantle Away Subiaco Won by 113.10 (88)13.11 (89)1 [15] [16]
7Saturday, 3 May – 2:10 pm Brisbane Lions Home Skilled Stadium Won by 2715.15 (105)11.12 (78)1 [17] [18]
8Saturday, 17 May – 2:10 pm Richmond Away MCG Won by 3010.9 (69)14.15 (99)1 [19] [20]
9Friday, 23 May – 7:40 pm Collingwood Away MCG Lost by 8620.14 (134)7.6 (48)2 [21] [22]
10Saturday, 31 May – 7:10 pm Carlton Home Telstra Dome Won by 5519.19 (133)12.5 (77)2 [23] [24]
11Friday, 6 June – 7:40 pm Kangaroos Away Telstra Dome Won by 1317.12 (114)19.13 (127)2 [25] [26]
12Sunday, 15 June – 1:10 pm Port Adelaide Home Skilled Stadium Won by 5915.18 (108)7.7 (49)1 [27] [28]
13Saturday, 21 June – 5:40 pm West Coast Away Subiaco Won by 1355.17 (47)28.14 (182)1 [29] [30]
14Friday, 4 July – 7:40 pm Adelaide Away AAMI Stadium Won by 688.8 (56)18.16 (124)1 [31] [32]
15Saturday, 12 July – 2:10 pm Fremantle Home Skilled Stadium Won by 7418.10 (118)6.8 (44)1 [33] [34]
16Saturday, 19 July – 2:10 pm Western Bulldogs Home Skilled Stadium Won by 6119.17 (131)10.10 (70)1 [35] [36]
17Friday, 25 July – 7:40 pm Hawthorn Away MCG Won by 1111.11 (77)12.16 (88)1 [37] [38]
18Saturday, 2 August – 7:10 pm Richmond Home Telstra Dome Won by 6320.14 (134)10.11 (71)1 [39] [40]
19Friday, 8 August – 7:10 pm Melbourne Away MCG Won by 1165.11 (41)24.13 (157)1 [41] [42]
20Saturday, 16 August – 7:10 pm Sydney Away ANZ Stadium Won by 3914.10 (94)20.13 (133)1 [43] [44]
21Sunday, 24 August – 1:10 pm Kangaroos Home Skilled Stadium Won by 3317.13 (115)13.4 (82)1 [45] [46]
22Saturday, 30 August – 2:10 pm West Coast Home Skilled Stadium Won by 9924.20 (164)10.5 (65)1 [47] [48]

Finals

Date and Local TimeOpponentHome or AwayVenueScores
ResultHomeAway
Qualifying and Elimination Finals
Sunday, 7 September – 2:40 pm St Kilda Home MCG Won by 5817.17 (119)8.13 (61) [49]
Preliminary Final
Friday, 19 September – 7:40 pm Western Bulldogs Home MCG Won by 2912.11 (83)7.12 (54) [50]
Grand Final
Saturday, 27 September – 2:30 pm Hawthorn Home MCG Lost by 2611.23 (89)18.7 (115) [51]

See also

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