2008 Geelong Football Club season
# 2008 Geelong Football Club season

The 2008 Geelong Football Club season was the club's 109th season in the Australian Football League (AFL). Geelong finished the regular season in first position on the ladder, earning the club a second-consecutive McClelland Trophy, and its ninth overall. Geelong's regular season record was impressive (21 wins, 1 loss), the best performance of a team in the home-and-away season since Essendon Football Club in 2000. Geelong then went on to win its Qualifying and Preliminary finals in succession, earning a place in the 2008 AFL Grand Final against Hawthorn, and the chance for a second-consecutive premiership. However, Geelong failed to capitalise on its outstanding performance during the season, losing the premiership in a Grand Final thriller.

Geelong signed up a club record 36,850 club members for the season, and had an average home crowd attendance of 43,176, also a club record.

## Season overview

Geelong did well in the home and away season and finished four games and percentage clear on top of the ladder. It was an outstanding season with the team winning 21 out of the 22 games & finished with a percentage of 161.84, the only loss was to Collingwood in round 9 by a massive 86 points. With the team widely considered to be premiership favorites the Cats were almost unbackable favourites to win the 2008 AFL premiership. They beat St Kilda in the first qualifying final 17.17(119) to 8.13(61). A 29-point win over the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final secured the Cats a grand final a berth against Hawthorn.

Geelong were defeated in the 2008 AFL Grand Final by Hawthorn in front of an attendance of 100,012 people. Despite having numerous chances in the first half of the game, and dominating through the midfield, the Cats failed to convert and were defeated by the Hawks.

## Captains

* Captain: Tom Harley
* Vice-captain: Cameron Ling
* Deputy vice-captain: Cameron Mooney

## Club List

### Player List

| Name | No. | Height (cm) | Weight (kg) | Birthdate | Debut | Games | Games | Games | Goals | Goals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | No. | Height (cm) | Weight (kg) | Birthdate | Debut | 2008 | Total | Club | 2008 | Total |
| Ablett, Gary | 29 | 182 | 88 | 14 May 1984 | 2002 | 19 | 144 | 144 | 24 | 189 |
| Ablett, Nathan | 23 | 196 | 98 | 13 December 1985 | 2005 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 46 |
| Bartel, Jimmy | 3 | 187 | 88 | 4 December 1983 | 2002 | 23 | 131 | 131 | 21 | 83 |
| Blake, Mark | 24 | 200 | 101 | 9 September 1985 | 2005 | 23 | 56 | 56 | 6 | 8 |
| Byrnes, Shannon | 17 | 175 | 77 | 7 April 1984 | 2004 | 9 | 54 | 54 | 8 | 27 |
| Chapman, Paul | 35 | 179 | 88 | 5 November 1981 | 2000 | 18 | 154 | 154 | 32 | 203 |
| Corey, Joel | 11 | 191 | 88 | 17 February 1982 | 2000 | 23 | 174 | 174 | 6 | 54 |
| Davenport, Jason | 1 | 185 | 82 | 4 September 1985 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Djerrkura, Nathan | 18 | 176 | 80 | 19 September 1988 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Djerrkura, Nathan | 18 | 176 | 80 | 19 September 1988 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donohue, Adam | 25 | 182 | 83 | 22 February 1990 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Egan, Matthew | 19 | 196 | 101 | 10 July 1983 | 2005 | 0 | 59 | 59 | 0 | 1 |
| Enright, Corey | 44 | 187 | 91 | 14 September 1981 | 2001 | 23 | 148 | 148 | 6 | 45 |
| Gamble, Ryan | 15 | 184 | 80 | 23 September 1987 | 2006 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 21 |
| Harley, Tom | 2 | 193 | 95 | 18 July 1978 | 1998 | 23 | 182 | 181 | 0 | 10 |
| Hawkins, Tom | 26 | 197 | 103 | 27 July 1988 | 2007 | 10 | 19 | 19 | 13 | 25 |
| Hogan, Simon | 34 | 182 | 75 | 16 August 1988 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hunt, Josh | 8 | 185 | 100 | 14 March 1982 | 2001 | 21 | 120 | 120 | 3 | 16 |
| Johnson, David | 28 | 181 | 84 | 28 October 1981 | 2002 | 1 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 16 |
| Johnson, Steve | 20 | 189 | 88 | 4 July 1983 | 2002 | 23 | 110 | 110 | 50 | 207 |
| Kelly, James | 9 | 183 | 85 | 29 December 1983 | 2002 | 19 | 127 | 127 | 8 | 61 |
| Ling, Cameron | 45 | 189 | 94 | 27 February 1981 | 2000 | 21 | 180 | 180 | 15 | 106 |
| Lonergan, Tom | 13 | 197 | 99 | 17 May 1984 | 2005 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 33 | 39 |
| Mackie, Andrew | 4 | 192 | 85 | 7 August 1984 | 2004 | 19 | 80 | 80 | 11 | 52 |
| McKenna, Dan | 31 | 195 | 85 | 29 June 1989 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Milburn, Darren | 39 | 189 | 92 | 15 April 1977 | 1997 | 20 | 233 | 233 | 6 | 86 |
| Mooney, Cameron | 21 | 195 | 99 | 26 September 1979 | 1999 | 22 | 166 | 155 | 49 | 203 |
| Ottens, Brad | 6 | 202 | 108 | 25 January 1980 | 1998 | 14 | 202 | 73 | 13 | 235 |
| Prismall, Brent | 32 | 186 | 88 | 14 July 1986 | 2006 | 12 | 25 | 25 | 8 | 15 |
| Rooke, Max | 33 | 189 | 93 | 19 December 1981 | 2002 | 18 | 110 | 110 | 9 | 30 |
| Scarlett, Matthew | 30 | 192 | 95 | 5 June 1979 | 1998 | 20 | 204 | 204 | 0 | 16 |
| Selwood, Joel | 14 | 182 | 83 | 26 May 1988 | 2007 | 22 | 43 | 43 | 6 | 13 |
| Simpson, Dawson | 16 | 206 | 105 | 17 February 1989 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Simpson, Scott | 22 | 196 | 92 | 19 October 1989 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stokes, Mathew | 27 | 177 | 80 | 22 November 1984 | 2006 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 37 | 78 |
| Taylor, Harry | 7 | 193 | 91 | 12 June 1986 | 2008 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 3 | 3 |
| Tenace, Kane | 10 | 182 | 86 | 4 July 1985 | 2004 | 1 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 11 |
| Varcoe, Travis | 5 | 180 | 78 | 10 April 1988 | 2007 | 14 | 32 | 32 | 13 | 28 |
| West, Trent | 12 | 198 | 103 | 17 October 1987 | 2008 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Wojcinski, David | 40 | 180 | 80 | 18 September 1980 | 1999 | 13 | 131 | 131 | 7 | 44 |
| Statistics are to end of Qualifying Final, 2008 Season (7 September 2008) |||||||||||

### Rookie List

| Name | No. | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Debut | Games | Games | Games | Goals | Goals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | No. | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Debut | 2008 | Total | Club | 2008 | Total |
| Bedford, Liam | 42 | 180 | 73 | 12 July 1988 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kangars, Chris | 38 | 193 | 95 | 1 August 1989 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Laidler, Jeremy | 37 | 189 | 80 | 5 August 1989 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Moles, Brodie | 36 | 183 | 84 | 7 November 1985 | **** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mumford, Shane* | 41 | 200 | 102 | 5 July 1986 | 2008 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| * Nominated Rookie – Elevated to senior list during season, eligible for senior selection Statistics are to end of 2008 Season (27 September 2008) |||||||||||

### Changes from 2007 List

**Additions**

* Exchange period – received:
   * None
* Rookie elevation:
* Tom Lonergan
* Jason Davenport
* Father/son selection:
* Adam Donohue
* NAB AFL Draft (24 November 2007):
* Harry Taylor (Round 1; Overall pick 17; from East Fremantle)
* Dawson Simpson (Round 2; Overall pick 34; from Murray Bushrangers)
* Scott Simpson (Round 3; Overall pick 44; from Dandenong Stingrays)
* Dan McKenna (Round 3; Overall pick 50; from Gippsland Power)
* Adam Donohue (Round 4; Overall pick 60; from Geelong Falcons)
* NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft (11 December 2007):
   * None
* NAB AFL Rookie Draft (11 December 2007):
* Brodie Moles (Round 1; Overall pick 16; from Tasmania)
* Jeremy Laidler (Round 2; Overall pick 32; from Calder U18)
* Chris Kangars (Round 3; Overall pick 46; from Geelong U18)
* Shane Mumford (Round 4; Overall pick 57; from Geelong VFL)

**Deletions**

* Exchange period – traded:
* Tim Callan and Round 4 draft selection (No.66) – to Western Bulldogs (received Western Bulldogs' Round 4 draft selection – No.62)
* Henry Playfair – to Sydney (received Sydney's Round 3 draft selection – No.44)
* Steven King and Charlie Gardiner – St Kilda (received St Kilda's Round 6 draft selection – No.90)
* Delisted:
* Joel Reynolds
* Matthew Spencer
* Sam Hunt
* Stephen Owen
* Todd Grima
* Retirements:
   * None

## Games

### NAB Cup

| Date and Local Time | Opponent | Home or Away | Venue | Scores | Scores | Scores |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Date and Local Time | Opponent | Home or Away | Venue | Result | Home | Away |
| First Round ||||||||
| Saturday, 16 February – 3:40 pm | Melbourne | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 71 | 2.22.10 (160) | 2.11.5 (89) |
| Quarter Finals (Eliminated) ||||||||
| Saturday, 23 February – 3:40 pm | St Kilda | Away | Manuka Oval | Lost by 5 | 3.9.10 (91) | 3.8.11 (86) |

### Premiership season

| Round | Date and Local Time | Opponent | Home or Away | Venue | Scores | Scores | Scores | Ladder Pos'n |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Round | Date and Local Time | Opponent | Home or Away | Venue | Result | Home | Away | Ladder Pos'n |
| 1 | Thursday, 20 March – 8:15 pm | Port Adelaide | Away | AAMI Stadium | Won by 9 | 14.12 (96) | 15.15 (105) | 6 |
| 2 | Sunday, 30 March – 2:10 pm | Essendon | Home | Telstra Dome | Won by 99 | 22.18 (150) | 6.15 (51) | 2 |
| 3 | Sunday, 6 April – 1:10 pm | Melbourne | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 30 | 16.16 (112) | 12.10 (82) | 1 |
| 4 | Saturday, 12 April – 2:10 pm | St Kilda | Away | Telstra Dome | Won by 42 | 13.16 (94) | 21.10 (136) | 1 |
| 5 | Saturday, 19 April – 2:10 pm | Sydney | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 42 | 16.18 (114) | 10.12 (72) | 1 |
| 6 | Friday, 25 April – 6:40 pm | Fremantle | Away | Subiaco | Won by 1 | 13.10 (88) | 13.11 (89) | 1 |
| 7 | Saturday, 3 May – 2:10 pm | Brisbane Lions | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 27 | 15.15 (105) | 11.12 (78) | 1 |
| 8 | Saturday, 17 May – 2:10 pm | Richmond | Away | MCG | Won by 30 | 10.9 (69) | 14.15 (99) | 1 |
| 9 | Friday, 23 May – 7:40 pm | Collingwood | Away | MCG | Lost by 86 | 20.14 (134) | 7.6 (48) | 2 |
| 10 | Saturday, 31 May – 7:10 pm | Carlton | Home | Telstra Dome | Won by 55 | 19.19 (133) | 12.5 (77) | 2 |
| 11 | Friday, 6 June – 7:40 pm | Kangaroos | Away | Telstra Dome | Won by 13 | 17.12 (114) | 19.13 (127) | 2 |
| 12 | Sunday, 15 June – 1:10 pm | Port Adelaide | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 59 | 15.18 (108) | 7.7 (49) | 1 |
| 13 | Saturday, 21 June – 5:40 pm | West Coast | Away | Subiaco | Won by 135 | 5.17 (47) | 28.14 (182) | 1 |
| 14 | Friday, 4 July – 7:40 pm | Adelaide | Away | AAMI Stadium | Won by 68 | 8.8 (56) | 18.16 (124) | 1 |
| 15 | Saturday, 12 July – 2:10 pm | Fremantle | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 74 | 18.10 (118) | 6.8 (44) | 1 |
| 16 | Saturday, 19 July – 2:10 pm | Western Bulldogs | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 61 | 19.17 (131) | 10.10 (70) | 1 |
| 17 | Friday, 25 July – 7:40 pm | Hawthorn | Away | MCG | Won by 11 | 11.11 (77) | 12.16 (88) | 1 |
| 18 | Saturday, 2 August – 7:10 pm | Richmond | Home | Telstra Dome | Won by 63 | 20.14 (134) | 10.11 (71) | 1 |
| 19 | Friday, 8 August – 7:10 pm | Melbourne | Away | MCG | Won by 116 | 5.11 (41) | 24.13 (157) | 1 |
| 20 | Saturday, 16 August – 7:10 pm | Sydney | Away | ANZ Stadium | Won by 39 | 14.10 (94) | 20.13 (133) | 1 |
| 21 | Sunday, 24 August – 1:10 pm | Kangaroos | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 33 | 17.13 (115) | 13.4 (82) | 1 |
| 22 | Saturday, 30 August – 2:10 pm | West Coast | Home | Skilled Stadium | Won by 99 | 24.20 (164) | 10.5 (65) | 1 |

### Finals

| Date and Local Time | Opponent | Home or Away | Venue | Scores | Scores | Scores |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Date and Local Time | Opponent | Home or Away | Venue | Result | Home | Away |
| Qualifying and Elimination Finals ||||||||
| Sunday, 7 September – 2:40 pm | St Kilda | Home | MCG | Won by 58 | 17.17 (119) | 8.13 (61) |
| Preliminary Final ||||||||
| Friday, 19 September – 7:40 pm | Western Bulldogs | Home | MCG | Won by 29 | 12.11 (83) | 7.12 (54) |
| Grand Final ||||||||
| Saturday, 27 September – 2:30 pm | Hawthorn | Home | MCG | Lost by 26 | 11.23 (89) | 18.7 (115) |
