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Geelong Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, are a professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Australia and playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club have been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with three in the AFL era (since 1990). They have also won nine McClelland Trophies, a record shared with Essendon.〔〔(AFL Tables ) (Finishing Summary 1897–2006 ).〕 The club was formed in 1859, making it the second oldest club in the AFL after Melbourne and one of the oldest football clubs in the world.〔(Official Website of the Geelong Football Club ) (GFC History ) Retrieved on 10 June 2007.〕 Geelong participated in the first football competition in Australia and was a foundation club of both the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877 and the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1897.〔Rodgers, Stephen (1983) ''Every Game Ever Played'' p. i. Melbourne: Lloyd O'Neil〕 The club first established itself in the VFA by playing off in a record eleven Grand Finals and winning seven premierships, making it the most successful VFA club leading up to the formation of the VFL in 1897. The club won a further six premierships by 1963, before enduring a 44-year waiting period until it won its next premiership—an AFL-record 119-point victory in the 2007 AFL Grand Final.〔(AFL Tables )〕〔(Finishing Summary 1897–2006 )〕〔(The Bulletin publishes for the last time )〕 Geelong have since won a further two premierships in 2009 and 2011, making them the joint second most successful club since the commencement of the AFL in 1990 with three premierships. The club's home ground is Kardinia Park, currently also known by its sponsorship name "Simonds Stadium". However, the club also hosts home matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Docklands Stadium. Geelong's traditional guernsey colours are white with navy blue hoops, white shorts, and white with navy blue hooped socks. The club's nickname, "The Cats", was first used in 1923 after a run of losses prompted a local cartoonist to suggest that the club needed a black cat to bring it good luck. The club's official team song and anthem is "We Are Geelong". ==History== (詳細はoldest football clubs in the world. The club contested its first match of Australian rules football against Melbourne at Argyle Square in 1860, which finished as a scoreless draw. In 1863, Geelong travelled to Melbourne to contest the Caledonian Challenge Cup. Although the competition was played under compromised rules, Geelong reached the final and defeated Melbourne to become the second winners of the cup. The club continued to contest the cup in the following years, and reached the final twice more in 1867 and 1869. During this time, Tom Wills—one of the founders of Australian football—played exclusively for the club from 1865 until his retirement from football in 1874. Following the formation of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877, Geelong joined the association as one of its foundation clubs. The club relocated to Corio Oval as its main home ground in time for the 1878 season, coinciding with the club's first VFA premiership in only the VFA's second season.〔 The club continued to excel over the following twenty years in the VFA, and established itself as one of the dominant clubs in the association by winning a total of seven premierships up to the birth of the (Victorian Football League) (VFL) in 1897.〔(VFA/VFL Summary Chart 1877 to 2007 )〕 As one of the eight foundation clubs in the newly established VFL, Geelong finished second to Essendon in its inaugural season after a round-robin finals system was used to determine the premier instead of the traditional Grand Final. In 1924, following the death of VFL and Geelong administrator Charles Brownlow, the league named its award for the best and fairest player in a season the Brownlow Medal. The first player to win the award was Geelong's Edward Greeves. Having been one of the dominant clubs in the old VFA, Geelong struggled to maintain the same level of success during its early years in the VFL. It wasn't until 1925 that the club won its first VFL premiership.〔 Geelong followed up with further premiership wins in 1931 and 1937.〔 In 1941, the club was forced to relocate from its Corio Oval base due to the oval being required for military training during World War 2. During this time, the club decided to set base at the more centrally located Kardinia Park in South Geelong. Geelong experienced a notably lean period during the 1940s, as World War II wartime restrictions prohibited traveling. As a result, players transferred over to other clubs and forced Geelong into recess during 1942 and 1943. In 1949, the club's former premiership captain Reg Hickey was appointed as coach for the third time. Despite missing the finals during this first season back with the club, Hickey led Geelong to two consecutive premierships in 1951 and 1952—to date, the only back-to-back premierships in the club's history.〔 Bernie Smith became the club's second Brownlow Medalist in 1951, a year during which the club also signed the Ford Motor Company as a corporate sponsor. Following the conclusion of the 1959 season, Hickey retired as coach and was succeeded by Bob Davis, a dual premiership player from the club's successful 1951 and 1952 period. Before the 1962 season, Davis helped Geelong recruit ruckman Graham "Polly" Farmer from East Perth to partner Billy Goggin and Alistair Lord in the midfield. Despite Lord winning the Brownlow Medal and full forward Doug Wade winning the Coleman Medal, Farmer missed multiple games through injury and the club were eliminated in the Preliminary Final. However, the club won their sixth premiership of the VFL era the following season in 1963.〔 In 1966, the club board decided to re-open the coaching position for application and eventually settled on Peter Pianto to replace Davis. Pianto led Geelong to the 1967 Grand Final, where they were defeated by Richmond in Farmer's final match for the club. The 1970s were notably unsuccessful for the club, as Geelong won only one final during the entire decade. Despite this, club full-forward Larry Donohue became the club's third Coleman Medalist after kicking over 100 goals in 1976. During 1980, the club brought back Goggin to coach the team. Despite making multiple finals appearances in his first two seasons, the club struggled to replicate their home and away season success during the finals. After failing to make the finals in 1982, the club board sacked Goggin as coach and appointed former Richmond premiership coach Tom Hafey in his place. However the club's poor performances on the field continued under Hafey, who failed to lead Geelong to a finals series during his tenure. During his time however, Hafey helped recruit several players to the club, including Gary Ablett, Paul Couch, and Greg Williams. In 1986, the club appointed former premiership player John Devine as coach. Under Devine, the club grew accustomed to the league-wide introduction of the salary cap and AFL Draft, recruiting Barry Stoneham, Garry Hocking, Mark Bairstow and Billy Brownless. However, the club failed to make the finals during Devine's tenure and replaced him as coach with Malcolm Blight. Geelong adapted quickly to Blight's coaching philosophy, and became renowned for kicking high scores. During the 1989 season, Geelong were the only club to win matches by 100 points for three weeks in succession. The club's high scoring game plan led them into their first Grand Final since 1967, however they were defeated by Hawthorn. Gary Ablett was awarded the Norm Smith Medal after kicking nine goals and one behind, equaling the record set by Collingwood's Gordon Coventry for most goals kicked in a Grand Final. Paul Couch also won the Brownlow Medal to become the club's fourth Brownlow Medalist and first in twenty-seven years. In 1990, the league was expanded to a national level and became known as the Australian Football League (AFL). Geelong failed in 1990 to reproduce the exciting brand of attacking football of 1989. Season 1991 started ominously. On the eve of the season, Gary Ablett retired for odd reasons. Nevertheless, Geelong won some games. Ablett returned mid-season to the club. The club finished third at the end of the home and away season. The final against 4th placed St Kilda was a memorable one. Tony Lockett kicked his nine goals for St Kilda by three-quarter time. Billy Brownless, kicked eight goals. The Cats managed to win by seven points. Ablett was suspended for elbowing St Kilda's Nathan Burke, and missed the rest of the season due to suspension. Over the next two weeks, Geelong met Hawthorn and the West Coast Eagles, both losses for the club. Consistent with the close finish of 1989, Hawthorn won the match by two points. The loss against the Eagles was by fifteen points. In 1992 Geelong returned to the spectacular form of three seasons previous. Against the Brisbane Bears at Carrara the club kicked a VFL/AFL record score of 37 goals 17 behinds (239 points). This record score still stands. Gary Ablett Sr. and Billy Brownless both kicked more than 70 goals for the season to form a potent forward-line combination. Geelong finished the regular season on top of the ladder, eclipsing their previous record for total points scored in a home-and-away season (2916 in 1989) and increased it to 3057 points.〔(Season Scoring Records: Most Points For in a Season )〕 After beating Footscray in the qualifying final by 61 points, Geelong lost the 2nd semi final to West Coast Eagles by 38 points, then beat Footscray again in the preliminary final by 64 points. The Cats again squared off against the power of the West Coast Eagles in the Grand Final and got off to a wonderful start, at one stage during the second quarter leading by four goals. However, in the second half West Coast's Peter Matera ran riot, booting five goals and earning himself the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground. The Perth-based West Coast won by 28 points to take the first premiership won by a non-Victorian club. In 1993 the Geelong once again underachieved as Malcolm Blight experimented with more defensive tactics. For most of the season on-field performances were lacklustre as the players struggled to adapt. It was not until late in the season when Geelong reverted to its all-out attacking style of play. Several experienced players urged Blight to revert to Geelong's customary geisha style of play. Blight agreed and Geelong began to play like champions again. Frustratingly, Geelong narrowly missed the finals on percentage. In 1993 Blight decided to play Gary Ablett at Full Forward permanently. The move paid handsome dividends, as Ablett reached the second fastest century in VFL/AFL history. Ablett's most notable performances of this year included 11 goals against Melbourne, 14 against Essendon and 10 against the Adelaide Crows – all in losing sides. Tallies of 10 goal against North Melbourne, and 12 against his favourite victim, Richmond, in winning sides. 1994 proved to be a hard year for the club. The club had a good home-and-away season to finish fourth. Gary Ablett topped the goalkicking for the year easily, kicking 129 goals (including the finals) and winning his second consecutive John Coleman Medal. The club met fifth placed Footscray in the first week of the finals. The match proved a nailbiter, with an after-the-siren kick and goal by Billy Brownless giving the club a five-point win. A week later Geelong had no hope of beating Carlton, who had finished 2nd after the home and away season, given that their three best midfielders; Garry Hocking, Paul Couch and Mark Bairstow were not playing through injury. However, with several young players and second-tier midfielders, along with six goals from Gary Ablett, Geelong defeated Carlton by 33 points. Geelong met North Melbourne in the Preliminary Final in a match which proved even more nailbiting than their match with Footscray 2 weeks prior. North Melbourne started well, but Geelong dominated the second and third quarters to lead by six goals in the third quarter. A fine feat given that Geelong's target all season, Gary Ablett was being beaten by North Melbourne's full back, Mick Martyn. However, North Melbourne came back strongly in the last quarter and took the lead late in the match. However, Geelong scored a behind to level the scores. With 25 seconds left and a boundary throw-in, the ball came to ground and Martyn cleared, only for the ball to be marked by Leigh Colbert. Colbert then kicked long, where ruckman John Barnes dropped the mark, allowing Leigh Tudor, a former North Melbourne player to swoop, and kick the ball over Martyn's head to land in the hand of Gary Ablett. As Ablett walked back to take his kick, the siren went, and Ablett kicked the winning goal, propelling Geelong to its third Grand Final in seven years. Geelong once again played West Coast for the premiership. Unlike two seasons ago, Geelong proved no match against an Eagles outfit superior to its 1992 premiership team, losing by 80 points. Billy Brownless stood out with a fantastic mark in the second quarter, as well as four goals. Malcolm Blight, dispirited by three Grand Final losses under his tenure, announced his resignation. His assistant Gary Ayres took over the job. Ayres immediately took action, sacking both Steven Hocking (on 199 games) and former captain Mark Bairstow. 1994 saw another best-and-fairest win to Garry Hocking, who also won 20 votes in the Brownlow Medal to finish third to eventual winner Greg Williams on 30 votes and Peter Matera on 28 votes. 1995 saw the club improve. The club was highly consistent, its biggest losing margin being less than 20 points, and never losing two matches in a row – the only club to do so for the year. The club finished second on the ladder to Carlton. Gary Ablett once again won the Coleman Medal and kicked over 100 goals for the third year in a row. In the finals the club met 7th placed Footscray and won by 82 points. The club earned a week break and returned for the third weeks clash against Richmond, and won by 78 points and so for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in seven years, Geelong played for the premiership, this time against Carlton, who had only lost two games for the year. The match was hard to tip, as many saw Geelong a definite chance given that the two sides met once during the year, which saw Carlton win by three points. Geelong was thrashed by 61 points, playing its worst game for the entire season. Gary Ablett played his worst game for years, blanketed by Carlton's Stephen Silvagni. To add insult to injury, former Geelong player Greg Williams, now a superstar at Carlton, was named best on ground with his five goals. A notable rookie of this year would be Brenton Sanderson, who would play over 200 games by the end of career, retiring at the end of 2005, and be recognised with selection into the Geelong Hall of Fame. The Best and Fairest was won by Paul Couch, who narrowly missed out on winning his second Brownlow Medal. In 1996 the club would experience an unsuccessful year, finishing seventh at the end of the home and away season. Gary Ablett would be suspended for five weeks after round 2, which resulted in a rapid decline in his quality. He would kick his 1000th career goal against Fremantle. The cats would meet eventual premier, North Melbourne in the first week of the finals, which saw North win by over 10 goals. Garry Hocking would once again win the Best and Fairest award, and miss out on the Brownlow Medal by a vote in the process. A notable recruit would be Steven King, standing at over two metres tall. In 1997 Geelong faced a season with no dependence on ageing superstars, Paul Couch and Gary Ablett. By mid season, Couch would retire on 259 games. Gary Ablett would not play a senior game ever again for the club after injuring his knee in the reserves. The club would start the season well, challenging Carlton to the 1997 Pre-season Premiership, the Ansett Australia Cup. However, identically to 1995, Geelong capitulated, allowing Carlton another piece of silverware. The club finished second on the ladder. The club met North Melbourne in a "home" final at the MCG at Night. North Melbourne, on its actual home ground beat Geelong by 18 points. Geelong then travelled to Adelaide and lost the game by eight points after the umpire failed to pay a courageous Leigh Colbert mark late in the game with Geelong narrowly hanging on to a lead, exiting by losing both finals. 1998 was a season best forgotten. The club finished 12th, its lowest finish for over 40 years. A notable recruit for Geelong came in the form of Matthew Scarlett, son of former player, John. Geelong took full advantage of the Father-Son Rule. This concession allowed sons of ex-players to nominate for their fathers' clubs, thus exempting them from being chosen by any other club in the national draft. In 1999 the club won five games straight to open the season. However, the club then lost its next 9 to finish the season with 10 wins and tenth position. The roller-coaster season saw coach Gary Ayres quit to take the job at Adelaide, which ironically was available after Malcolm Blight quit, almost identical to when Ayres took over Geelong in 1995. Mark Thompson was appointed coach. At the end of this season, Geelong traded Leigh Colbert for North Melbourne premiership player, Cameron Mooney. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Geelong Football Club」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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