1980 was a successful home and away season for the Cats. By the end of round 22, they were sitting atop the VFL ladder with 17 wins and five losses.

So with top spot sewn up, the Cats had the privilege of the bye in the first week of the finals. Carlton, who finished second on the ladder (also with 17 wins), would play Richmond (3rd with 16 ½ wins) whilst North and Collingwood (both 14 ½ wins) would face off in the elimination final.

Richmond would easily dispatch Carlton in week one with Collingwood just overcoming North. The Pies and Blues would face each other in week two while the Tigers would take on the Cats in the other semi-final.

The Tigers and Cats had split their two meetings during the home and away season so it was anyone’s game. Despite leading at quarter and half time, the Cats would lose by four goals in a hard-fought contest.

With Collingwood thrashing the Blues in the other semi, the stage was set for a blockbuster preliminary final between the Cats and Pies at Waverley Park.

The two sides had each registered a win against the other during the year, adding further intrigue to the match.

Unfortunately for the Cats, the started the day off on the wrong foot with Robert Neal withdrawn from the side with a hamstring injury. John Mossop was played in the reserves despite being named in the senior side two nights earlier, and Sam Newman was omitted despite also being named.

If that wasn’t bad enough, in the first quarter the Cats lost champion full-back Gary Malarkey to a dislocated shoulder.

According to a later report in the Canberra Times, a “torrid, tough and bruising” game played out. The Cats would slip behind the Pies who, according to coach Tom Hafey, utilised their long kicking on Waverley Park to outplay the fleet-footed Cats.

Despite being only two points down at time-on in the third term, the Cats would allow Collingwood to boot three goals to take a 20-point lead into the last break.

But the Cats rallied in the final term, booting 4.3 to the Pies 1.5 to get within four points. However, the Pies did enough to hang on to run out four-point winners.

After the match, Cats coach Billy Goggin would say his team “showed a great deal of heart” and that “we played to the best of our ability with what we had”.

The next week the Tigers would annihilate the Pies by 81 points in front of 113,461 at the MCG. The Cats would have to be content with taking out the reserves premiership on the same day.   

CLICK THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE TO WATCH THE FINAL MINUTES OF THE GAME

 

1980 preliminary final

Geelong 2.2  5.5  9.8  13.11 (89)

Def by

Collingwood 3.5  6.8  12.10  13.15 (93)

Goals

Cats – Clarke, Bruns, Bos 3, Johnston 2, Bright, B Nankervis

Pies – Wearmouth, Davis, Shaw 3, Stewart, Young, Moore, Daicos

 

Best

Cats – Turner, Johnston, Blake, Clarke, Bos, Bright

Pies – Wearmouth, McCormack, Moore, Davis, Daicos, Woolnough

 

Injuries

Cats – Hawkins (shin), Malarkey (shoulder), Clarke (groin), Turner (groin), Neal (hamstring)

Pies – Carlson (ankle)

 

Crowd – 75526 at Waverley Park (VFL record for the venue at the time)