Squaring off against an experienced Collingwood outfit in a heavily anticipated clash, Geelong’s AFLW debut featured plenty of exciting headlines including the start of number one draft pick, Nina Morrison’s career.
Cats fans were certainly aware of the occasion, with a strong crowd of more than 18,000 spectators packing into GMHBA Stadium to see the history-making match.
Geelong started the match slowly but found an early opportunity through Maddie Boyd, a born and bred local, who placed herself in the history books by kicking the Cats first ever AFLW goal.
The Geelong faithful erupted and the players celebrated accordingly.
The Cats confidence soared, recording the next four scores including a classy finish from Mia-Rae Clifford, who capitalised on an opportunity to put the Cats in front.
Boyd added another major just before half time, Geelong carrying a healthy 11 point buffer into the main break.
Collingwood fought back in the second half but the Cats defended strongly, led by captain Meg McDonald who was staunch in defence all day with 11 intercept possessions and four marks.
Geelong had opportunities to kick away but were unable to split the big sticks, leaving scores level in a tense contest with time winding down in the final term.
Fittingly the defining moment of the match fell to debutant, Nina Morrison who had been dominant up to that point collecting 21 disposals, six clearances and nine tackles.
Morrison had a set-shot to break the deadlock, her kick striking the right goal post but it was enough to nudge the Cats in front by that solitary point.
The tight tussle continued right to the end as the Pies threw everything they had at Geelong.
Maddie Keryk had been lively all day but perhaps her biggest moment came with six seconds on the clock, collecting a loose ball and belting the footy out of Collingwood’s attacking 50 in what proved to be the final play of the game.
The siren sounded and Geelong secured their first victory to the joyous cheers of the crowd, a history making moment for the club as commentator Jason Bennett remarked on the final siren “…that banner will be flying high at Kardinia Park tonight.”
Several players from that inaugural team are still playing for Geelong today, but all 21 players etched their name into Cats folklore on that famous day in 2019.
