After vying for Premierships throughout the mid-nineties, the time had come for change at the Cats at the start of the millennium. 

Buoyed on by a new enthusiasm on the back of Mark Thompson’s appointment as senior coach at the end of the 1999 season, the Cats performed admirably to finish 5th at the end of the 2000 season.  

By the end of the 2001 season however, the Cats had dropped back to 12th on the ladder and were caught between the team of the nineties and the new crop of young Cats coming through.  

The Cats side for round one of the 2002 season illuminated the change. Club legend Garry Hocking had called an end to his illustrious career at the end of 2001, Clint Bizzell was traded to Melbourne and Justin Murphy returned to Carlton after an experience all sides would have preferred to forget.  

In their place came three youngsters drafted by the Cats in the 2001 national draft. 

A prodigious local named James Bartel, the son of club legend Gary Ablett and tough nosed ex-Essendon rookie named David Johnson. 

All three would have an ever-lasting impact on the club. Whilst Ablett and Bartel’s careers contain innumerable plaudits, Johnson’s post career role in player development at the club and his impact on some many careers should not be understated. Not to mention his two VFL premiership and VFL goal of the year.  

However, what were to become great careers, didn’t get to enjoy a first up win that night with the Cats being thumped by the Bombers to the tune of 50 points. 

Click the video above to see more from the game including Gary Ablett Jnr’s memories of the clash. 

Round 1, 2002 
30 March 
MCG 
Geelong 2.0.12 7.2.44 8.6.54 11.10.76 
Essendon 4.5.29 11.9.75   17.12.114  18.18.126 

Jimmy Bartel 

305 games 
202 goals 
2007, 2009 & 2011 AFL Premiership Player 
2007 Brownlow Medallist 
2011 Norm Smith Medallist 
2 x All Australian 

Gary Ablett  

346 games (238 Geelong, 110 Gold Coast) 
437 goals 
2007 & 2009 AFL Premiership Player 
2009 & 2013 Brownlow Medallist 
8 x All Australian 
2 x Carji Greeves Medallist 
5 x AFLPA MVP 
3 x AFLCA MVP 
Geelong leading goalkicker – 2006 

David Johnson 
79 games 
16 goals 
2002 & 2007 VFL Premiership Player 
Geelong Cats player development manager