With the Geelong Football Club celebrating its 100 year partnership with Ford in 2025, this 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 Five of this series will look back at some the best Indigenous moments from the Cats history. 

A number of players from Geelong's rich Indigenous heritage have produced incredible moments in big games, helping to shape the club to what it is today.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following content may contain images of deceased persons.

54. Ronnie Burns Sets the Cattery Alight in 2000

There were not many players with a better goal sense than Ronnie Burns, but the clever forward defied belief on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Kardinia Park in 2000. 

The ball was flicked out to Burns in the pocket, he had a slight fumble and then collected the footy close to the boundary line. Putting the ball on the outside of his left boot, Burns curled through a remarkable goal from a ridiculous angle, bringing Geelong fans to their feet. 

It was a feature of Burns' career, kicking 239 goals across his 134 games with Geelong and often wowing the crowd with his skill and goal sense. 

55. Polly Farmer's Game-Changing Handball

It is not very often that a player comes along and completely revolutionises a sport. 

But then again, there were not many players like the great Graham 'Polly' Farmer. 

The Geelong legend was renowned for his extraordinary handballing prowess, able to cover plenty of ground and move the ball quickly to teammates further down field. He often used his size and skill to have an impact around stoppages, paving the way for the more aggressive and attacking style of game that is seen in the modern era. 

Farmer helped to guide the Cats to the 1963 VFL premiership while also winning two Carji Greeves Medals, ultimately receiving Legend Status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame and the AFL Team of the Century.

56. Motlop Soars into the Geelong Sky

Steven Motlop was in the midst of a stellar 2013 campaign and was quickly becoming a fan favourite at Geelong, when he figuratively and literally took his game to new heights heading towards September. 

In the Round 22 clash with Sydney at GMHBA Stadium, the Cats were in control late in the game and had a healthy lead, when James Podsiadly launched a long and high kick inside Geelong's forward 50. 

Motlop took a few steps with eyes only for the footy, launching high onto the shoulders of Mitch Duncan and pulling down an incredible mark of the year contender. 

57. Lawson's Sensational and Emotional Moment in Adelaide

Geelong's trip to Adelaide in Round 10 this year was special enough as it was for Lawson Humphries, wearing the Cats 2025 First Nations Guernsey for the first time which was designed by his sister, Meeza Humphries with contributions from her siblings and input from parents Jodi and Ross.

With the Cats leading narrowly early in the third term, the ball found its way into Humphries' hands inside forward 50 and he nailed a brilliant finish, converting just the second goal of his AFL career. 

But what was even more special than the goal was Lawson's celebration, giving an emphatic tug on the jumper with the passion boiling over, creating one of the most memorable moments of the season. 

An exciting future awaits in the Hoops with Humphries after two brilliant seasons to begin his AFL journey. 

58. Varcoe Tears Apart the 2011 Grand Final

While there were many memorable storylines to come from Geelong's Grand Final triumph over Collingwood, there might not have been any better than the underrated performance by Travis Varcoe. 

It took the clever Cat just 11 seconds to make an impact on the game, receiving a handball from Joel Selwood out of the first centre stoppage and breaking through the 50 metre arc, nailing the finish on the run to open proceedings with the quickest goal in AFL Grand Final history. 

Varcoe followed that with the second major of the game minutes later, before closing the door on the Magpies with another sensational goal later in the contest, running the full length of the ground with multiple efforts which led to his memorable left foot snap.

The three goals were the cherry on top of an incredible performance, with Varcoe also collecting 21 disposals and two goal assists to help the Cats win their third premiership in five years. 

59. Tyson Stengle Caps Off a Remarkable 2022 Season

Stengle's 2022 season will remain one of the most remarkable stories in football for some time to come. 

After two stints at other clubs, the small forward was picked up by Geelong as a delisted free agent at the end of 2021 and it set in motion an incredible 12 months for the Cats No.18. 

He would go on to kick 53 goals in 2022, hitting the scoreboard in 21 of his 25 games and earning an All-Australian blazer, all just one year on from being picked up as a free agent. 

But the best moment of the year came in the Grand Final where Stengle slotted a game-high four goals, finishing third in the Norm Smith Medal voting and becoming a premiership player, capping off a truly phenomenal year. 

60. Australian Football's First Indigenous Player, Albert Pompey Austin

Poorne Yarriworri (c. 1844–1889), better known as Albert ‘Pompey’ Austin, was the only First Nations person to play top-level Australian football in Victoria in the 19th century.

Pompey Austin was far more than a footballer. At various times throughout his short life he was an athlete (pedestrian as they were known in those days), cricketer, possibly a boxer, racehorse owner, jockey and horse-breaker, artist, musician, explorer, entertainer and public speaker.

Pompey was the first, and almost certainly the only, Aboriginal man to play senior Australian Rules Football in Victoria in the 19th century. He played for the Geelong Football Club on 25 May 1872 against Carlton, while also playing in teams for the Framlingham Mission.

61. Stokes Guides Geelong to Drought-Breaking Grand Final

He had a number of standout performances during his brilliant career at Geelong, but there may not have been any quite as important as Mathew Stokes' display in the 2007 Preliminary Final. 

Stokes kicked Geelong's opening goal early in the first quarter, following that up with a second and third major before the quarter time siren sounded. 

His three goals would ultimately be an equal game-high, helping the Cats secure their first Grand Final berth since 1995 and ultimately breaking a 44-year premiership drought the following week. 

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

Part Five: Indigenous Moments

54. Ronnie Burns Sets the Cattery Alight in 2000
55. Polly Farmer's Game-Changing Handball
56. Motlop Soars into the Geelong Sky
57. Lawson's Sensational and Emotional Moment in Adelaide
58. Varcoe Tears Apart the 2011 Grand Final
59. Tyson Stengle Caps Off a Remarkable 2022 Season
60. Australian Football's First Indigenous Player, Albert Pompey Austin
61. Stokes Guides Geelong to Drought-Breaking Grand Final

Make sure to keep your eyes peeled as we continue to recap the top 100 moments in the Hoops.