The Geelong Cats

from w
I suppose I really ought to say something about football here in Geelong as the town has been jumping with delight over winning the premiership. Blue and white flags are still everywhere and a huge bunfight was held down at the Waterfront to celebrate - with thousands of people cheering on their idols. Okay, now footie season is over for a few weeks. Phew!

The Cats of Geelong

from w
It's Cats fever at present, the town decked out in blue and white as Geelong Footie team tonight hopes to win a place in the Grand Final. It doesn't bother me too much - yawn - but it's positive vibes if we win matches. Geelong has been the outstanding team this year anyway. There'll be a lot of long faces around if the team doesn't win! Footie is the 'religion' of the people it seems and draws crowds of 90,000 or more.

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LATER: HARDLY A MEIOU FROM THE CATS - HOPELESS AGAINST COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES
What a let-down. Beaten by over forty points. A great disappointment for so many Geelong people.

The cats are purring in Geelong

from w
With Geelong winning their match superbly in the semi-final, it's now our hope that they won't choke in the Grand Final next weekend. The whole town is buzzing and optimistic with the demolition of Collingwood on Saturday, though of course there are a few people out of 250,000 who might not be interested in football or even care if the Geelong Cats win or lose. Their song is a tune from 'Carmen' but the footie guys do not sing it in an operatic style! The AFL - now national, was once a Victoria only Australian Rules Football. I don't go to matches but occasionally watch highlights on the TV but when our boys were young they all played Aussie Rules footie and that's the way to go. Join in sports, rather than watch it.

Will Geelong win the Grand Final?

from w
Once again the Geelong Footie team is in the Grand Final which is on next Saturday. Last year Geelong Cats broke the drought of over 40 years to win the Grand Final. The town is really hyped up again with blue and white flags and banners everywhere. Well, I'm not an excited football fan, but it is catching. Yesterday I was in a congregation of about 1000 people and the leader asked for a Mexican kind of wave ripple to go around the church, naming where we were from. A voice called out and I'm sure was distinctly heard 'Go the Cats!' Did that actually come from my voice? I could hardly believe it. Anyway tonight is the Brownlow Medal count for the Best and Fairest and perhaps a Geelong player, Gary Ablett Junior might win. And go the Cats next Saturday of course. Aussie Rules started in Victoria and was known as the VFL for many years then it went national. At least this year both teams in the final actually do come from Victoria! And by the way, Geelong will play against Hawthorn next Saturday.

When our kids were young they barracked for different teams - Essendon, Hawthorn and Richmond. I barracked for Geelong and Peceli barracked for St Kilda! The boys all played Aussie Rules football when they were teenagers and those days we keenly followed their games.

Geelong, the Cats

from w
Everyone here is talking about the amazing good kicking/team play of the Geelong Football Club. They've had about 18 wins out of 19 and certainly ready for the Grand Final. They won yesterday by about 100 points. They haven't won a premiership for over forty years it seems though they've been in the final a few times. Maybe this time the Cats will really do it.