With the Geelong Football Club celebrating its 100 year partnership with Ford in 2025, this new article series will take a look back at the 100 most iconic moments from the Cats history.
The eight part series will be released over the remainder of the year and will cover milestone moments, heartwarming stories, the club's greatest successes on and off the field while celebrating the people that made it all happen.
Part Four of this series will look back at some the most successful moments from the Cats history.
With numerous premierships at AFL and VFL level, Coleman Medalists and Brownlow triumphs, there is plenty to celebrate and a number of incredible players who crafted some sensational legacies in the Hoops.
40. Steve Johnson Sets the 2007 Grand Final Alight
The tension was palpable in the 2007 Grand Final, Geelong were looking to snap a 44-year premiership drought after having a number of near misses in the 1980's and 90s.
After a relatively even opening 20 minutes, the Cats showed that they were not going to let this opportunity slip as they put the foot down, kicking 19 goals to four after quarter time and recording the biggest margin of victory in AFL Grand Final history.
The catalyst behind so many of Geelong's damaging plays was none other than Steve Johnson, who capped off a brilliant year with another stellar performance on the biggest stage of all.
'Stevie J' collected 23 disposals, kicked four goals and dished off another two goal assists, ultimately recognised as the best player on the ground and winning the Norm Smith Medal.
41. Cats Record Greatest AFLW Victory in 2023 Semi Final
Geelong headed into their sixth year in the AFLW still searching for their first Finals win, managing to get over that hurdle in an Elimination Final against Essendon during the 2023 season.
It set up a blockbuster Semi Final against the reigning premiers, Melbourne at IKON Park and what unfolded was one of the best games in the competition's history.
The Cats dominated for three quarters and held a 30-point lead heading into the final term, before staving off a late challenge to knock the Demons out in straight sets.
The five point victory will live on in the minds of Geelong's AFLW fanbase for some time to come.
42. Geelong's Six Coleman Medal Winners
One of the games most prestigious awards, the Coleman Medal has been presented each year since 1995 to the competition's leading goal kicker, named in honour of legendary forward John Coleman.
Geelong have had six different Coleman Medal winners across its history including Gary Ablett Senior, Doug Wade, Noel Rayson, Tom Hawkins, Larry Donohue and this year, Jeremy Cameron added his name to the incredible list.
Ablett Senior took home three consecutive Coleman Medals between 1993 and 1995, while Doug Wade also secure three Coleman Medals during his career.
Geelong's Coleman Medal Winners
| PLAYER | SEASON | GOALS KICKED |
| Jeremy Cameron | 2025 | 83 |
| Tom Hawkins | 2020 | 42 |
| Gary Ablett Senior | 1995 | 118 |
| Gary Ablett Senior | 1994 | 113 |
| Gary Ablett Senior | 1993 | 124 |
| Larry Donohue | 1976 | 99 |
| Doug Wade | 1969 | 122 |
| Doug Wade | 1967 | 79 |
| Doug Wade | 1962 | 62 |
| Noel Rayson | 1955 | 77 |
43. Ollie Dempsey Caps Rapid Rise in 2024
Before the start of the 2024 AFL season, not many outside the four walls at the Geelong Football Club would have been familiar with the name Ollie Dempsey.
But in the Cats' season opener against St Kilda, Dempsey announced himself to the football world with a stunning performance, collecting 15 disposals and three goals to earn an AFL Rising Star nomination.
He continued to get better and better as the season went on, ultimately polling 52 votes to take out the 2024 AFL Rising Star award ahead of George Wardlaw (43 votes) and Kai Lohmann (21 votes), becoming the first Cat since Joel Selwood in 2007 to win the award.
From there, Dempsey has continued to develop and is now considered one of the competition's best wingers, as highlighted last Friday night with his match-winning display against Brisbane in the Qualifying Final.
44. Amy McDonald Goes Back-to-Back-to-Back in the Cats' Best and Fairest
Winning a club best and fairest is a remarkable achievement for any player, doing it twice is incredibly rare, but being crowned three times puts you firmly amongst the top echelon of players across the games history.
In a dominant and consistent run, Geelong AFLW star Amy McDonald did exactly that taking home the Cats 2021 best and fairest, and both awards in 2022 (Season 6, Season 7).
Across those three seasons, McDonald averaged over 22 disposals and six clearances per game, dominating around stoppages and in contested situations to be considered one of the AFLW's best players.
45. Emerging Stars Announce Themselves in 2002 VFL Grand Final
There might never have been a better precursor in the games history than the 2002 VFL Grand Final, when a bunch of Geelong's greatest ever players got their first taste of premiership success.
Here are some of the names in the Cats team that day; Gary Ablett Junior, Jimmy Bartel, Steve Johnson, Paul Chapman, James Kelly and Josh Hunt. That group would go on to win three Brownlow Medals, three Norm Smith Medals, 16 All-Australian blazers, three Carji Greeves Medals and a number of premierships.
Geelong finished on top of the ladder in the 2002 VFL season, lost their Qualifying Final against Port Melbourne, took the long way home and made it through to the big dance, getting a second crack at Port Melbourne and defeating them by 22 points.
In amongst all the incredible talent in the side, current assistant coach James Rahilly shone brightest on that day, recognised as the best player on the ground and winning the Norm Goss Medal.
Geelong would also go on to win VFL premierships in 2007 and 2012, mirroring the success seen at the top level over that period.
46. September Specialist, Jimmy Bartel Dominates the Magpies in 2011
There were not many players that enjoyed the big stage quite like Jimmy Bartel, consistently one of Geelong's most reliable and dominant performers when September rolled around.
That notion certainly extended into the 2011 Grand Final, where Bartel put on a clinic and helped the Cats to prevail over Collingwood to win their third premiership in five years.
The Cats superstar finished the day with 26 disposals and three goals, polling 13 of a possible 15 votes to win the Norm Smith Medal.
It added another accolade to go alongside his Brownlow Medal, three premierships and two All-Australian blazers.
47. Seven Cats Triumph on Brownlow Night
Geelong has had an illustrious history with the games most prestigious individual accolade, seven different Cats getting to take home the Brownlow Medal across the awards extensive history.
Ed 'Carji' Greeves was the first, winning the inaugural Brownlow Medal back in 1924, paving the way for Geelong players to follow in future years.
Bernie Smith (1951), Alistair Lord (1962) and Paul Couch (1989) would follow suit across the 20th century, before Jimmy Bartel (2007), Gary Ablett Junior (2009) and Patrick Dangerfield (2016) all etched their name into the AFL record books.
48. Ablett Senior's Extraordinary Performance in the 1989 Decider
Widely considered one of the greatest games in V/AFL history, many Cats fans will remember it as the day Gary Ablett Senior nearly won Geelong a Grand Final off his own boot.
Facing a Hawthorn side that had experienced plenty of success in the 1980's, Ablett kicked nine goals which is tied for the most by a player in any V/AFL Grand Final, putting together an extraordinary performance to nearly steer his side home.
The Cats ultimately fell six-points short in an epic decider, but Gary Ablett would become just the second player in the games history to win the Norm Smith Medal in a losing side.
49. Dangerfield Inspires the Cats through September in 2022
For a player who had achieved almost everything in the game, a premiership was the one thing that seemed to elude Patrick Dangerfield as he went further and further into his illustrious career.
But 2022 was an opportunity he was simply not going to let slip, willing himself to every contest and putting his body on the line whenever the ball was there to be won, putting together three inspirational performances.
He started with a strong showing in the Qualifying Final against Collingwood (22 disposals, eight clearances), but the Preliminary Final was where he really stamped his authority collecting 28 disposals (16 contested), eight clearances, seven inside 50's and two goals.
Dangerfield followed that up with another brilliant display in the Grand Final, winning nine clearances and dishing off six goal assists from his 13 score involvements, finishing second behind Isaac Smith in the Norm Smith Medal voting.
50. Joel Selwood Starts Writing his Legacy in 2007
When Joel Selwood first stepped onto a football field in the blue and white Hoops, not many could have predicted the remarkable career that he had ahead of him.
But it did not take long for the champion Cat to show the footballing world exactly what he was capable of, becoming an integral part of Geelong's team right away in his inaugural season and helping the Cats to break their 44-year premiership drought in 2007.
Selwood polled 44 of a possible 45 votes to take out the AFL Rising Star award, while also receiving the AFLPA's Best First Year Player Award to cap off a sensational debut season, paving the way for the incredible career that followed.
51. Geelong Reach the Holy Grail of Football on 10 Occasions
Each of Geelong's premierships could easily have their own moments, with the Cats reaching the pinnacle of football 10 times throughout the club's history.
Geelong's first taste of success came in 1925 under the leadership of captain-coach Cliff Rankin, with the Cats also going on to win premierships shortly after in 1931 and 1937.
The club went back-to-back with VFL premierships in 1951 and 1952, winning another in 1963 before having to wait 44-years to hold the premiership cup once again.
Then came the Cats golden era.
2007 was the breakthrough season and was closely followed by 2009 and 2011, Geelong winning three premierships in five years, before winning their most recent flag in 2022.
52. Paul Chapman Guides Cats Home in 2009
Geelong and St Kilda played out one of the toughest and most memorable Grand Finals in 2009, and it was champion Cat Paul Chapman that came in clutch as he had done so many times before, kicking a crucial goal late in the epic contest.
Finishing off the famous "Toe Poke" play, Chapman received a handball from Travis Varcoe and snapped truly to put the Cats up by a goal in the dying stages of the game.
Chapman would later receive the Norm Smith Medal for his 26 disposals, three goals and eight inside 50's.
53. Isaac Smith Torches Sydney on the Last Saturday in September
In what turned into a day to remember for the Cats, an unlikely player rose to the occasion to clinch the Norm Smith Medal in a simply stunning performance.
A then 33 year old Isaac Smith had had a strong 2022 campaign in his second season at the club, but burst out of the blocks in the decider kicking two goals in the opening quarter against Sydney, commencing what would be one of his best games.
Smith finished the game with an incredible 32 disposals, three goals, 12 marks and 11 inside 50's, becoming the oldest ever Norm Smith Medallist and cementing himself in Cats folklore.
Ford 100 Moments - List To Date
Part One: Milestone Moments
1. Joel Selwood Becomes Longest-Serving Captain in V/AFL History
2. Geelong's First AFLW Game and Win in 2019
3. Gary Ablett Senior Reaches 1000 Goals
4. Cats Register Highest Score in a Match
5. Geelong's First Ever Women's Captain, Audrey Cope
6. Tom Hawkins Breaks Club Games Record
7. Cats Set Record for Longest Winning Streak in the 1950's
8. Maddie Boyd Kicks Geelong's First Goal in the AFLW
9. Chris Scott Surpasses Reg Hickey to Become Geelong's Longest-Serving Coach
10. Cats Farewell Trio of Premiership Legends in 2015
11. Selwood Sets the Record for Most Finals Appearances
Part Two: Exhilarating Moments
12. Varcoe Sets the 'G Alight in the 2011 Grand Final
13. Cranston Blitzes the Dockers
14. 'Cometh the Moment, Cometh the Man.... the Son of the Man'
15. High Flying Scheer Soars into Orbit
16. Ablett Senior Pulls Down Mark of the Century
17. As Perfect as Football Gets in 2011 Demolition of the Dees
18. Ottens' Launches Skyward to Win Mark of the Year
19. Ablett Junior Defies Logic from the Pocket..... Twice
20. Leaping Chapman puts the Cherry on Top in 2007
21. Humphries Sinks the Crows with First Career Goal
Part Three: Heartwarming Moments
22. Joel Selwood's Fairytale Finish
23. Renee Garing's Return
24. Saying Farewell to the Little Master
25. An Irish Flavour to the Team Song (2022 S7)
26. Tom Lonergan's Remarkable Comeback
27. Erin Hoare Pulls on the Hoops Again
28. Joel Selwood and Sam Moorfoot's Iconic Grand Final Celebration
29. The Famous Rankin Name Returns to Geelong
30. June Ford, Carji Greeves' Daughter Visits the Cattery
31. Opening of the Parents Room
32. Cameron Ling Caps off a Sensational Career
33. Angus and Tom Stewart's Special Bond
34. Acknowledging a Club Great, Vic Fuller
35. Ablett Sets the 'G Alight in First Game Back
36. Garing and Hoare Embrace after Return Game
37. Scott Reaches the Pinnacle in First Season at Geelong
38. Esther Brings up the Ton
39. The Selwood Stand Officially Unveiled
Part Four: Success Moments
40. Stevie 'Norm' Johnson Sets the 2007 Grand Final Alight
41. Cats Record Greatest AFLW Victory in 2023 Semi Final
42. Geelong's Six Coleman Medal Winners
43. Ollie Dempsey Caps Rapid Rise in 2024
44. Amy McDonald Goes Back-to-Back-to-Back in the AFLW Best and Fairest
45. Emerging Stars Announce Themselves in 2002 VFL Grand Final
46. September Specialist, Jimmy Bartel Dominates the Magpies in 2011
47. Seven Cats Triumph on Brownlow Night
48. Ablett Senior's Extraordinary Performance in the 1989 Decider
49. Dangerfield Inspires the Cats through September in 2022
50. Joel Selwood Starts Writing his Legacy in 2007
51. Geelong Reach the Holy Grail of Football on 10 Occasions
52. Paul Chapman Guides Cats Home in 2009
53. Isaac Smith Torches Sydney on the Last Saturday in September
Make sure to keep your eyes peeled as we continue to recap the top 100 moments in the Hoops.
