St Kilda – 9.14 (68)
Geelong – 12.8 (80)
The best Grand Final of the last three years. The sweetest victory for Geelong and the bitterest of defeats for St Kilda. The Saints didn’t make the most of their opportunities when they were dominating the game. St Kilda couldn’t find the goal kickers to secure the victory and create the scoreboard pressure that they desperately desired. Geelong sticked in there and managed to pull through for a great victory. Paul Chapman was the Norm Smith Medalist but it was hard to seperate the players. The Norm Smith could have been given to any one of about six players in a hard fought contest that made for a great Grand Final.
Big Moment It was hard to pick the biggest moment. It could have been the free kick to Schneider in the goal square against Darren Milburn for demonstrative behaviour. It could have also been the match winning goal to Chapman. Key Players for St Kilda Jason Gram – Had a good day for most of the day with 30 disposals. He ran hard all game but relly flourished after half time. He took 5 marks, kicked a behind, and was frequently seen either creating plays or finalising them into the forward line with his 6 inside 50s. Lenny Hayes – He had a fantastic day with 24 disposals, but an absolutely massive 18 of those were contested possessions. He also had 8 tackles and 10 clearances which is a massive acheivement. Pretty stiff to not get the Norm Smith really. Brendan Goddard – Goddard only had 21 disposals, but he had an efficiency of 81% and considering he was carrying a broken nose and an AC problem he was important. He also chipped in with a goal and 9 tackles. Key Players for Geelong Paul Chapman – 26 disposals, 4 tackles, 9 inside 50s, 3 assists, and 3 clearances. Not a bad day out for the Norm Smith medalist. He was instrumental in the Cats getting across the line, despite appearing to twinge his troublesome hamstring early on. He was also the leading goal scorer for the day with 3 majors. Joel Selwood – He gathered 24 disposals for the day with 12 contested possessions. Played his normal hard game and reaped the rewards. 5 clearances and 2 inside 50s were just a little addition to his day. Joel Corey – He lead the Cats for disposals with 29, and he gathered 8 contested possessions, 6 tackles, and 5 clearances along the way. He showed why he is one of the best and remained calm and collected when he needed to. Musings from the match First Quarter On the biggest day of the year, Clinton Jones once again was given the task on Gary Ablett. Geelong started well and although the game was pretty even around the ground they kicked their way to an early 2 goal lead. The first came through Max Rooke who was awarded a free kick and bombed it from outside 50, and the second came through the birthday boy Cameron Mooney (it was his 30th birthday). It took the Saints more than 12 minutes to post their first major, and it came through Goddard who somehow managed to get loose and take an important mark inside 50. He converted and the gap was closing for the Saints. Geelong continued their good start and posted their third just 5 minutes later through Joel Selwood who received it from Paul Chapman after he was awarded a free kick and sent it forward. Just minutes later Jimmy Bartel gave Nick Dal Santo a high “don’t argue” and the resulting free kick ends in the hands of an unattended Lenny Hayes who converts for the Saints. Another 5 minutes later, after some tough work from both sides, the ball was sent into the Saints forward line and Farren Ray centred the ball into the hands of Adam Schneider who kicked truly putting his team in front for the first time. Time ran out from there and the Saints took the honours in the first quarter with a 2 point lead.
Second Quarter The Saints sent it forward pretty quickly in the second and after a shank from Dal Santo, Dempster was awarded a pretty dodgy free kick that resulted in a goal for the Saints to stretch their lead. By this point the Saints had kicked 4 of the last 5 goals and turned around the game in their favour. Fopr the next 10 minutes though, a series of missed opportunities for the Saints ensued. They kicked 4 behinds from 4 shots, most of them easy shots that should have gone through the big posts. Steven Milne and Adam Schneider were the major culprits, and when you small crumbing forwards are not coming through for you in the wet you know things are not going your way. In the meantime Geelong stole a goal against the run of play which brought the margin back to within a goal, and at the 19:30 mark Gary Ablett received a free and converted the goal to put the cats in front again. The lead lasted just a minute though after a clever handball off the deck from Nick Reiwoldt handed Jason Gram the ball, he could only manage a behind to even the cores up though. At the 23 minute mark, Tom Hawkins got involved in the game after he smothered Zac Dawson’s kick, gathering and kicking a goal. Replays showed that the ball clearly hit the post though and it will no doubt go down as one of the umpiring blunders of the year. Just 90 seconds or so later Chapman bombed it from outside 50 and posted another major for the Cats. Geelong were starting to get rewards for their effort when Clinton Jones pulled a goal out of nowhere for St Kilda. He just gathered it after a stoppage, threw it on the boot and it rolled through. Not long later another goal came for St Kilda when Kosi kicked the ball off the ground after it fell behind the pack in the square. Scores were level and Darren Milburn decided to argue that he touched the ball before it went over the line. The umpire decided to award a free kick against Milburn for talking back to an umpire, Schneider took the kick and a goal sent the Saints 6 points up heading into the main break.
Third Quarter Chapman’s hamstring was put under pressure in the 3rd quarter and he moved forward to try ad start something early or possibly to give the hammy a rest. Mooney was up and about early but only scored a point. The rain had receded and it was turning in to a dry weather game. The footy was hotly contested and Geelong and St Kilda were going at it hard. Goddard was turned in to Voldemort with hair after he sustained a blow to the nose. He walked off with a pink sponge on his nose only to come back on later with his nose heavily scrapped like Judd did. Mooney took an easy mark against two defenders, it was a big defensive error by the Saints who should have spoiled it. Eric Banner was in the stands and loved it when Riewoldt took a great mark and goals to spur on his Saints. St Kilda worked hard again to try and deliver it to Riewoldt, he gathered but his kick was smothered by Harry Taylor and it didn’t go through for a goal. Brendan Goddard added to his injury list when he came off with a collar bone problem. McQualter failed to sheppard effectively for his captain and Roo gets cleaned up and it was a free kick to Geelong. Montagna snapped and goaled to put the Saints in to the lead going in to the last change. Geelong have the momentum going in to the last quarter, which promises to be a cracker.
Fourth Quarter The final quarter of what has been a fantastic season, the two best teams were evenly matched, it all came down to what happened next. You could see the desperation on the players faces. There were some sore and tired bodies out there and both teams were rushing to put the ball on the boot and kick for distance and hope for the best. The ball was swinging from end to end with ample stoppages. The umpires had swallowed their whistles in the most part and the play was flowwing well. Chapman kicked the ball to Hawkins who kicked his ‘second’ (his first was dubious). The game was free flowing. Ablett looked like he was going to break the game open and crack in to another gear, but that never really eventuated. Kosi threw the ball on his foot after taking a great mark on the wing, but nobody was home. Schneider misses another sitter to the annoyance of St Kilda fans. Some clever tap work by Clarke. A bunch of stoppages were breaking up the game in the middle of the quarter. There was another kick to Riewoldt whom knocked it down to Dempster who missed. Eric Banner is gutted at this. Riewoldt still can’t win the game for the Saints he can’t mark from a centering Milne kick. At the other end Mooney was dropping marks but the spoils ended up in Rooke’s hands who bounces the ball towards goal and Blake goes on a kamikaze mission and touches it before the line but poleaxes himself into the goalpost. Hes looking groggy. Seelwood gets the ball 50m out and goals beautifully. The Cats are in the lead, there is only say 5mins left. Ablett is still rocking the “dag tag” look, I’m sure he doesn’t care right now or with the cup in his hands. Ablett then avoids some tackles and delivers to Chapman who goals and puts Geelong in front with just minutes remaining. St Kilda are desperately tried to get the ball forward but Rooke kicks a point and it looks all over. Scarlett disguises a rushed behind and the saints are within a goal of the draw. Cats had the most important kick out of their season, but it is marked and they look home. There is only seconds remaining and Rooke marks inside 50. The siren sounds. The joyous cats celebrate while St Kilda comiserate. All the Saints wonder in to the center of the ground and nobody is left on the mark and Rooke dribbles it through for a goal to push the final margain out to two goals.
Very Detailed Match Review
Tags: 2009 Grand Final
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