Eighteen hours prior to the Cats’ record breaking win on Saturday, a collection of some of the finest names in the club’s history gathered at the ground.

The inaugural Geelong Cats Hall of Fame dinner was a night many will never forget. Previously the Hall of Fame, life members and RJ Hickey award recipients had received their awards at three separate functions, while on Friday night they gathered under the same roof.

Individually the groups are impressive, combined they are out of sight.

Names such as Hocking, Clarke, Sharrock, Blight, Scarlett, Stokes, Mackie, Lonergan, a couple of Hawkins and Taylor were among them. But ultimately it was the heartfelt speeches from the two newest Hall of Fame inductees Max Rooke and Brad Ottens that summed up the night.

They represented everything that is admired about the Cats most recent era of success. Dedicated, humble, skilful and tough. The term the Geelong Way could not apply better to two Cats greats.

Perhaps the sense of occasion found its way onto the field on Saturday. Malcolm Blight’s speech on Friday night, as he was inducted as a life member, spoke of all the things that made fans love the team of that era. His speech took us back to the aggressive, attacking football that would pack out stadiums and create a buzz of excitement.

And then on Saturday it was like we had ventured back in time. Following on from the first quarter where the Cats struggled to read the wind, the next three were something special. It was traditional Saturday afternoon football, the weather was unpredictable, there was scintillating skill from midfielders, resolute and uncompromising defenders and a big forward who was kicking goals.

Many of the attendees were there on Saturday, maybe a little worse for wear after a night of story-telling. They would have been proud the Cats performance was absolutely how the game should be played.