Fire up for Chappy
This Saturday's final against the Dockers Paul Chapman will play his 250th AFL game for the Geelong Cats
This week when the Cats step on to Simonds Stadium for Geelong's first home final in over 100 years the tenacious veteran, Paul Chapman, will be tightening up his boots for the 250th time.
Since his debut in 2000 Chappy’s compelling stage presence and passion for the game has not only captivated the hearts of the Geelong fans and his teammates but the surrounding AFL community.
Nothing Chappy says or does out on the field is ever ordinary according to his teammate Corey Enright.
“He’s a funny man Chappy the way he goes about it, you know he can fire up and he can probably get too fired up at times but that’s way we love him,” Enright told Cats TV.
“You know he’s pretty passionate about the way he plays and Geelong, he’s been really good for our footy club.”
Enright says Chappy’s infamous pact of never losing to the Hawks pretty much sums up Chappy’s brand of footy.
“The thing he said about Hawthorn that ‘we would never lose to them again’ you won’t hear too many guys say that but he genuinely feels it and means it and to date he’s been right, so hopefully we can continue on while we’re still playing.”
Chappy, who has kicked 332 goals, taken 3252 disposals and 1009 inside-50s during his career, has been one of Geelong’s most iconic footy players.
Bartel says many people forget just how talented and proficient the courageous forward is.
“He’s the most fierce competitor you’ll ever get, he’s a pretty straight down the line kind of guy, and everyone knows what you see is what you get but people tend to overlook how skillful he is on the field,” Bartel said.
“He’s probably one of the most elite kicks in footy and has been for his whole career. He’s a really polished performer mixed with being a super hard player.”
As Taylor Hunt says Chappy’s “competitive edge and will to win is what Geelong is all about.”
Click on the video above to watch the warrior in action on Cats TV.