2016 QF Cats v Hawks
The two best sides of the previous ten years resumed their incredible battle in the 2016 qualifying final. When Adelaide dropped out of the top four in the final round it set up another chance to watch the two titans slug it out at the home of football. The game was a seesawing clash with the Cats leading by seven points at quarter time, the Hawks by seven points at half-time before the Cats took a two point lead into the final quarter. It was a heart-stopper that finished with Isaac Smith lining up to kick for goal after the siren. He shot pushed wide and the Cats escaped with a famous two point victory.
Final score: Geelong 12.13 85 def Hawthorn 12.11 83
2009 QF Cats v Dogs
After starting the year on fire winning their first 13 games, the Cats had a stuttering finish to 2009 winning just five of their last nine. The first final would be the Bulldogs at the MCG, one of the sides who had recently beaten the Cats. The Cats were off to a flyer in the first quarter though booting six goals and taking a 28 point lead into quarter time. The game cramped up in the second with the Cats booting just one goal and their lead was trimmed to 20 at half-time. The third quarter opened up for the Cats with six goals whilst Jason Akermanis booted three of his own in the third quarter for the Dogs. A comfortable 35 point lead was whittled away to 14 points in the last quarter but the Cats hung on and set themselves up for a second premiership in three years.
Final score: Geelong 14.12 96 def Western Bulldogs 12.10 82
2007 QF Cats v Roos
The Cats first final in 2007 was always going to be intriguing. In the final round the Cats went down in a thriller to Port Adelaide at home and despite beating the Kangaroos in round 20 by 27 points, questions were asked as to whether the Cats would finally break their premiership drought after a dominant year. Jimmy Bartel was welcomed back for his first game since the round 20 clash following appendix surgery. The first quarter was a scrappy affair with the Cats leading 3.5 to 3.0 at the first break. Then the Cats came to life. A seven goal second quarter, six goal third quarter and seven goal last quarter blew the game away with the Cats running out 106 point winners.
Final score:
Geelong 23.18 156 def North Kangaroos 8.2 50
1994 QF Cats v Dogs
The Cats and Dogs both had similar 1994 seasons, both finishing on 52 points and with only four percentage points separating them. The Cats got off to a flyer booting eight goals in the first quarter. From then on the Dogs whittled away the lead until in the dying seconds of the game they took a one-point lead. All of a sudden the Cats got the ball forward with David Mensch taking a strong mark across half forward. He spun around and popped a kick up to open space 30m out from goal. Gary Ablett, who had booted six goals for the game, started to move towards it but, like a freight train, Billy Brownless moved through and grabbed it. The rest is history as Billy booted the goal and in Sandy Roberts famous words, “Billy you are the king of Geelong!”
Final score:
Geelong 15.16 106 def Footscray 15.11 101
1981 QF Cats v Pies
The Cats had lost their two home and away games against the Pies in 1981 and heading into the finals, there was an expectation that trend would continue in the club’s first ever qualifying final. And at quarter time, the Pies were doing their bit leading by three goals at the MCG. But over the next two quarters the Cats stepped up to boot 12 goals to four and had a 26 point lead at three quarter time. The Pies hit hard in the last quarter but the Cats held on to win by 14 points on the back of John Mossop’s seven goals.
Final score:
Geelong 16.16 112 def Collingwood 13.20 98.
