For so long the Geelong Football Club has crafted a reputation as a team that can win matches under any circumstance. 

Cats fans have watched on numerous times as their side battles back to defy the odds, something that has become the Club's mantra over an extended period of time. 

Within that of course are a number of matches that narrowly standout above the rest, including one particular Final against Carlton in the 1994 season. 

Fresh off a thrilling Qualifying Final win after the siren against Footscray, and the crowning of a new Geelong king, the Cats headed to Waverley Park for a date with Carlton. 

Looking to secure their place in a Preliminary Final, Tim 'Bluey' McGrath recalls that the team was dealt a hammer blow before the game with a number of key players missing through injury. 

"We were up against it against Carlton with our three best midfielders not playing in Couch, Bairstow and Hocking," McGrath detailed in his chat with Cats Media. 

"We came out onto the ground to warm up prior to the game starting, there was just a hush over the ground and everyone realised that they weren't playing.

"We probably even thought downstairs before the coach spoke, Malcolm Blight that were going to be up against it and Carlton were a really good side.

"His rev up before the game was unbelievable and it got us thinking that we can win this, and I think Carlton thought they would just roll out and beat us."

If the Blues were expecting an easy victory, they were in for a rude shock. 

The under-manned Cats team shot out of the blocks with a brilliant opening half, slamming home nine goals to race out to a 28-point lead by the main break. 

It was the usual suspect leading the way, Gary Ablett Senior booting three goals to half time in a clinical display, but there were a number of other players who were up for the challenge. 

Most notably was the game of Liam Pickering who was sent to eventual Brownlow Medallist, Greg Williams and stifled his impact while also collecting 31 disposals of his own in a monumental performance. 

"He just played in the centre and took it on as a challenge to play on 'Diesel,' McGrath reminisced. 

"Blighty said we want you to play on Greg Williams, 'Pickers' just decided that he would shut him down but also get plenty of the footy himself, which he could do on numerous occasions.

"That was the main one, 'Diesel' Williams was a champion and especially in a Final, he lifted in those games.

"So for 'Pickers' to be able to shut him out and everyone else do their bit, went a long way for us to march through that Finals series."

The Cats were aware that the job was not done at half time, that certainly started to ring true after Carlton converted the first two goals in the third quarter to narrow the margin. 

But with momentum starting to drift the Blues way, Geelong put a stop to it booting five of the next eight majors and keeping their lead at 26 points heading into the final term. 

Playing like their lives depended on it, Blight's team continued to pressure and harass the Carlton side throughout the last quarter and it paid off, keeping the Blues goalless as they held on for a famous 33-point victory.  

As was often that case, Ablett spearheaded the win with an incredible bag of six goals. 

"At times when you are playing in those sides, you probably take it for granted a little bit," McGrath described playing with Ablett. 

"Then you hear the opposition start talking about him and you think, this is actually pretty good isn't it.

"Looking back now, one on one he would probably win eight or nine out of ten contests. Probably the trouble we had at times was we couldn't get the ball to him enough, but the six goals he kicked in the game was unbelievable."

The win over Carlton further added to a simply incredible Finals series for the Cats, sandwiched in between matches that were decided by a kick after the siren. 

First it was Billy Brownless who sealed the deal against Footscray in a Qualifying Final, then Gary Ablett followed suit in the Preliminary Final with his iconic 'Hand of God' moment, that sent the Cats through to the decider. 

"I couldn't remember playing in a home and away game where we won with a kick after the siren, so to win two in three weeks in a Finals series was unheard of," McGrath said. 

"Billy kicked the first one against Footscray and Gazza kicked the one against the Kangaroos, it was pretty exciting and it was a great Finals series."

1994 Semi Final – Carlton v Geelong @ Waverley Park

CARLTON        2.1     5.3      10.7     10.12     (72)
GEELONG       4.4     9.7      14.9     15.15    (105)

GOALS: Ablett 6, Mensch 3, Tudor 2, Darcy, Hickmott, Lord, Riccardi 1

DISPOSALS: Pickering 31, Hocking 28, Lord 24, Breuer 23, Hickmott, Barnes 20

CROWD: 53,160 @ Waverley Park

GEELONG STARTING 21
1. Steve Hocking
2. Leigh Colbert
4. Andrew Wills
5. Gary Ablett
6. John Barnes
9. Shayne Breuer
10. Grant Tanner
11. Leigh Tudor
14. Steven Handley
15. Peter Riccardi
16. Bill Brownless
17. Tim McGrath
20. Stephen O'Reilly
23. Liam Pickering
24. Aaron Lord
28. Tim Darcy
29. Ken Hinkley
31. David Mensch
37. Sean Simpson
40. Paul Brown
42. Adrian Hickmott