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{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
The '''history of the [[Geelong Football Club]]''', began in 1859 in the city of [[Geelong]], Australia, is significant as the club is the second oldest AFL club, is believed to be the fourth [[oldest football club]] in Australia and one of the oldest in the world and one of the most successful.<ref name="catshistory">[http://www.gfc.com.au/ Official Website of the Geelong Football Club] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426211854/http://www.gfc.com.au/ |date=26 April 2012 }} [http://www.gfc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=4015 GFC History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902144558/http://gfc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=4015 |date=2007-09-02 }} Retrieved on 10 June 2007.</ref> Initially playing under its own rules, some of which, notably, were permanently introduced into [[Australian Football]]. It adopted the [[Laws of Australian Football]] in the early 1860s after a series of compromises with the Melbourne Football Club. 

Geelong went on to play for most of its existence in the premier competitions, the first competition, the Caledonian Society Cup, a foundation club of both the [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) in 1877 and the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]] (VFL) in 1897.<ref>Rodgers, Stephen (1983) ''Every Game Ever Played'' p. i. Melbourne: Lloyd O'Neil</ref>, VFL and continues in the elite [[Australian Football League]] (AFL). The Cats have been the [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL premiers]] ten times, with four in the AFL era (since 1990). They have also won ten [[McClelland Trophy|McClelland Trophies]], the most of any AFL/VFL club.<ref name=catshistory/><ref name="yearstats">[http://www.afltables.com/ AFL Tables] [http://www.afltables.com/afl/teams/allteams/seasons.html Finishing Summary 1897–2006].</ref>

With four premierships since the league changed its name to the AFL in 1990, Geelong is the second most successful team since that time.

Many of the club's official records before 1920 have disappeared.<ref>{{cite web|last=McClure|first=Geoff|title=UNEARTHING HISTORY: THE LOST BROWNLOW FILES|publisher=fullpointsfooty.net|url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/unearthing_history_the_lost_brownlow_files.htm|accessdate=30 September 2010}}</ref>

== Origins ==
Records of football matches in Geelong date to 1858. The Geelong Advertiser appears to indicate that Geelong had Saturday [[football team]]s regularly "hacked shins" in March 1859. In April 1859 local [[teetotaler]] Mr. William "Stitt" Jenkins (of [[Liverpool]], England and Melbourne) who had been working in Geelong from 1853 educating local youths made repeated calls to form an athletic club to play football on Saturday afternoons in April<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150077569 |title=CURRENT TOPICS. |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]] |issue=3,919 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=21 April 1859 |access-date=1 December 2021 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and May of that year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150078585 |title=CURRENT TOPICS. |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]] |issue=3,953 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=23 May 1859 |accessdate=14 December 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The formation of the Melbourne Football Club in May 1859 appears to have spurred the Pivotonians to incorporate a club of their own.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146568035 |title=CURRENT TOPICS. |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]] |issue=3,999 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=16 July 1859 |accessdate=14 December 2021 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

The Geelong Football Club was formally established at a meeting held in the Victoria Hotel on 18 July 1859.<ref name="catshistory"/> 

Historian Graeme Atkinson considers it likely that Geelong's rules were drawn up prior to the establishment of both Geelong and Melbourne Football Club's and that club's rules being drafted on 17 May 1859.<ref name="graeme">Graeme Atkinson, 1981, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Australian Rules Football but Couldn't be Bothered Asking", Five Mile Press</ref> Rules allegedly used by the Geelong Football Club in 1859 were originally written down by hand.<ref name="graeme"/> A reprint of what were believed in 1923 to have been the Geelong's eleven 1859 rules appeared in the Geelong Advertiser courtesy of Fred Blackham from an old folded card.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166012753 |title=OLD TIME FOOTBALL |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]] |issue=23,770 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=8 August 1923 |accessdate=14 December 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> These reprinted rules, which appeared to differ only slightly from Melbourne Football Club's rules, notably do not mention a requirement to [[running bounce|bounce the ball]] which was to feature early in Geelong's rules, however the scrimmage rule showed more influence of [[rugby football]] than Melbourne's rules.

{{Quote box
|title= Claimed to be Geelong Football Club's official 1859 rules
 |quote  = I. The distance between the Goals and the goal post shall be decided upon by the captains of the sides playing<br/>
II. The captains on each side shall toss for choice of goal the side losing the toss has the kick off from the centre point between the goals<br/>
III. A goal must be kicked fairly between the posts without touching either of them or any portion of the person of one of the opposite side in
case of the ball being forced between the goal posts in a scrimmage a goal shall be awarded<br/>
IV. The game shall be played within a space of no more than 200 yards wide the same to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn through the centres of the two goals and two posts to be called the "kick off posts" shall be erected at a distance of 20 yards on each side of the goal posts at both ends and in a straight line with them in case the ball is kicked behind <br/>
V. In case the ball is kicked behind Goal any one of the side behind whose Goal it is kicked may bring it 20 yards in front of any portion of the space between the 'kick-off' posts, and shall kick it. as nearly as possible in a line with the opposite Goal<br/>
VI. Any player catching the ball directly from the foot may call 'mark'. He then has a free kick: no player from the opposite side being allowed to come inside the spot marked<br/>
VII. Tripping, holding and hacking are strictly prohibited. Pushing with the hands or body is allowed when any Player is in rapid motion, or in possession of the Ball, except in the case provided for in rule VI<br/>
VIII. The ball may at any time be taken in hand, but not carried further than is necessary for a kick.<br/>
IX. When a ball goes out of bounds the same being indicated by a row of posts it shall be brought back to the point where It crossed the boundary
line, and thrown in at right angles with that line<br/>
X. The ball, while in Play, may under no circumstances be thrown<br/>
XI. In ease of deliberate infringement of any of the above Rules by either side the Captain of the opposite side may claim that any one of his party
may have a free kick from the place where the breach of Rule was made; the two Captains in all cases, save where Umpires are appointed, to be
the sole Judges of infringements
 |source = ''[[Geelong Advertiser]]'', 1923.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166012753 |title=OLD TIME FOOTBALL |newspaper=[[Geelong Advertiser]] |issue=23,770 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=8 August 1923 |accessdate=14 December 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
 |width  = 70%
 |align  = center
}}

The club contested its first interclub match against Melbourne at Argyle Square in 1860, which finished as a scoreless draw. The two clubs fostered a strong early rivalry. Mangan (1992) states that Geelong introduced the [[running bounce]] due to an ongoing dispute between the two clubs which came to a head during a match in 1862. Melbourne members familiar with the rugby rules were regularly flaunting their own rules of not running with the ball (particularly [[H. C. A. Harrison]] but also [[Tom Wills]]) carrying it great distances while not being penalised by the umpires. The rules at the time were written in such a way as it could be interpreted by the umpire that the players were allowed sufficient time (to continue to run) for as long as they needed to prepare an effective kick, that is, virtually indefinitely. Geelong officials asserted that the game was "not meant to be played like rugby", began to enforce its rule of bouncing the ball at a certain distance (the exact distance is unknown) while carrying it for matches between the two clubs.<ref name="Mangan 1992 p. 116">{{cite book | last=Mangan | first=J. A. | title=The cultural bond : sport, empire, society | publisher=Routledge | publication-place=London New York | year=1992 | isbn=978-1-135-02437-6 | oclc=841168671 | page=116}}</ref> This rule was later standardised in Victoria in 1866.

==1860s: Regular Competition==
In 1863, Geelong travelled to Melbourne to contest the [[Caledonian Challenge Cup]]. Although the competition was played under compromised rules, Geelong reached the final and defeated Melbourne to become the second winners of the cup, before defeating two challengers to win the cup permanently in 1864.

[[File:Tom_Wills_carte_de_visite.jpg|thumb|Australian football founder [[Tom Wills]] (left) pictured 1863 was a captain-coach and administrator from 1865.]]
[[Tom Wills]], one of the founders of Australian football, played exclusively for Geelong from 1865 until his retirement from football in 1874. As Geelong's captain, he pioneered the Australian football tactic of [[Flooding (Australian football)|flooding]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=de Moore|first=Greg|title=Tom Wills: First Wild Man of Australian Sport|publisher=Allen & Unwin|year=2008|pages=176–177, 266–270|isbn=978-1-74237-598-4}}</ref>

Geelong played most of its early home games at the Argyle Square, situated between Aberdeen Street and Pakington Street. However, in 1881 the club was evicted from the ground by the private owner who ploughed up the paddock because the club had neglected to pay its rent.<ref>''THE CLUBS. The Complete History of Every Club in the VFL/AFL''; Garrie Hutchinson, John Ross, et al.; 1988, Viking, Melbourne.  Page 190</ref>

== VFA success (1877–96) ==
{{see also|History of Australian rules football in Victoria (1853–1900)#The game of the century}}
[[File:Geelong Melbourne 1880.jpg|thumb|Engraving of Geelong and Melbourne match 1880]]
[[File:Geelong_fc_1882.jpg|thumb|1882 premiership team]]
[[File:R J Talbot captain of the Geelong Football Club from Melbourne Punch 22 September 1887 pg 9.png|thumb|R J Talbot captain of the Geelong Football Club in 1887]]
[[File:Chas Brownlow.jpg|thumb|[[Chas Brownlow|Charles "Chas" Brownlow]] (right) captained the club in its 1883 premiership season, and was later a club administrator from 1885 to 1923]]

Following the formation of the [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) in 1877, Geelong joined the association as one of its foundation clubs. The club relocated to [[Corio Oval]] as its main home ground in time for the 1878 season, coinciding with the club's first VFA premiership in the VFA's second season.<ref name=catshistory/> The club continued to excel over the following twenty years in the VFA, and established itself as one of the dominant clubs in the association by winning a total of seven premierships up to the birth of the ([[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]]) (VFL) in 1897.<ref name="VFA/VFL Summary Chart 1877 to 2007">[http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/vfa_l_summary_chart.htm VFA/VFL Summary Chart 1877 to 2007]</ref>

In 1884, the club merged with the Geelong Cricket Club to form the Geelong Cricket and Football Club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220482169 |title=Football Notes. |newspaper=[[Weekly Times]] |issue=887 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=11 September 1886 |accessdate=14 December 2021 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> This affiliation would continue until the 1950s.

Geelong was the only non-Melbourne-based team to regularly play matches against metropolitan teams. Notable was Geelong's success in the "[[South Melbourne vs Geelong (1886 VFA season)|Match of the Century]]" in [[1886 VFA season|1886]]. This late season match in the VFA between two previously undefeated teams, Geelong and South Melbourne, stimulated unprecedented public interest. It was alleged that saboteurs attempted to destroy one of the special trains carrying Geelong supporters to the match in South Melbourne<!-- Citation needed -->. Following the victory team was an impromptu public parade in South Melbourne.

== Dawn of the VFL era (1897–1924) ==
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| image1    = Carji Greeves.jpg
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| image2   = First Brownlow Medal.jpg
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| footer   = [[Edward Greeves, Jr.|Edward "Carji" Greeves]] (left), winner of the first [[1924 Brownlow Medal|Brownlow Medal]] in 1924 (right)
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Geelong helped form the new VFL with other foundation clubs, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Melbourne, South Melbourne and St Kilda.

For many years the Geelong Football Club were known as the '''Pivotonians''', after the city's nickname 'The Pivot'. '''Seagulls''' was also an earlier nickname. The dark blue and white hooped uniform still worn today represents the blue water of [[Corio Bay]] and the white seagulls so numerous in the Bay. Geelong was nicknamed the 'Cats' in 1923 after a run of losses prompted a local cartoonist to suggest that the club needed a black cat to bring it good luck.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1923-07-06 |title=Wells Suggests Cats as Mascots. |work=The Herald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243810051 |access-date=2023-01-23}}</ref>

[[File:1909 Geelong Football Club.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Geelong team of 1909]]
Despite dominating in the VFA, Geelong found the premiership harder to win in the VFL. Geelong finished second to Essendon in its inaugural season after a round-robin finals system was used to determine the premier instead of the traditional Grand Final.

Geelong performed poorly early on in the [[1923 VFL season|1923 season]]. In the lead-up to the club's [[1923 VFL season#Round 9|Round 9]] clash against favourites Carlton, the ''[[Herald Sun]]'' published a depiction of the match by cartoonist Sam Wells, featuring a [[Black cat#Superstition, folklore, bringer of good or bad luck|black cat]] wandering onto the field to give Geelong good luck.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1923-07-06 |title=Wells Suggests Cats as Mascots. |work=Herald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243810051 |access-date=2023-01-23}}</ref> Credit was given to the cat when Geelong recorded an upset win. Geelong captain [[Bert Rankin]] liked the analogy and suggested the club adopt "the Cats" nickname, even recruiting key position forward [[Lloyd Hagger]], a talented artist, to design a cat that was made into badges for the players to wear on their lapels.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1923-08-03 |title=WELLS'S MASCOT CAT |work=Herald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243806315 |access-date=2023-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=McClure |first1=Geoff |title=Cats' purrfect cup final omen |url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/geoff-mcclure/cats-purrfect-cup-final-omen/2006/03/15/1142098529256.html?page=fullpage |accessdate=3 March 2015 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=16 March 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121174030/https://www.theage.com.au/news/geoff-mcclure/cats-purrfect-cup-final-omen/2006/03/15/1142098529256.html?page=fullpage |archivedate=21 November 2015 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Critchley |first1=Cheryl |title=The mad catter |url=http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/well-read/cover-story/6384-the-mad-catter#.VPWeccIcTIU |accessdate=3 March 2015 |work=The Weekly Review |publisher=Metro Media Publishing |date=12 June 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113504/http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/well-read/cover-story/6384-the-mad-catter#.Wz9RgdgzaCQ |archivedate=2 April 2015 |location=Geelong |url-status=dead}}</ref> Geelong have been known as the 'Cats' ever since.

In 1924, following the death of VFL and Geelong administrator [[Chas Brownlow|Charles Brownlow]], the league named its award for the best and fairest player in a season the [[Brownlow Medal]]. The first player to win the award was Geelong's [[Edward Greeves]]. Having been one of the dominant clubs in the old VFA, Geelong struggled to maintain the same level of success during its early years in the VFL.

== Grand Final success (1925–1937) ==
[[File:Geelong Football Club VFL premiers 1931.png|thumb|right|1931 VFL premiership team|alt=refer to caption]]
It wasn't until 1925 that the club won its first VFL premiership.<ref name=yearstats/> Geelong followed up with further premiership wins in 1931 and 1937.<ref name=yearstats/> The 1937 Grand Final is widely regarded as a game of the highest quality, remembered for its long and accurate kicking and high marking. During this era the "Coulter Law" discouraged club administrators from poaching players from each other's clubs. For many footballers who were seldom more than semi-professional sportsmen, match payments supplemented [[Great Depression]]-hit wages.

== The impact of World War II (1938–1948) ==
[[File:23rd_May_1929_(TableTalk)_-_Collingwood_Defeats_Geelong_-_Grandstand_and_Members_Reserve_at_Corio_Oval.png|thumb|Grandstand and Members Reserve at Corio Oval in 1929]]
In 1941, the club was forced to relocate from its [[Corio Oval]] base due to the oval being required for military training during World War II. During this time, the club decided to set base at the more centrally located [[Kardinia Park (Stadium)|Kardinia Park]] in [[South Geelong, Victoria|South Geelong]]. Geelong experienced a notably lean period during the 1940s, as World War II wartime restrictions prohibited traveling. As a result, players transferred over to other clubs and forced Geelong into recess during 1942 and 1943.

== Return to glory (1949–1959) ==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[1951 VFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" |  '''Geelong''' || '''11''' || '''15''' || '''81'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Ess}} || 10 || 10 || 70
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(84,109)</small>
|}

In 1949, the club's former premiership captain [[Reg Hickey]] was appointed as coach for the third time. Despite missing the finals during this first season back with the club, Hickey led Geelong to two consecutive premierships in 1951 and 1952—to date, the only back-to-back premierships in the club's history.<ref name=yearstats/> [[Bernie Smith]] became the club's second Brownlow Medalist in 1951, a year during which the club also signed the [[Ford Motor Company]] as a corporate sponsor.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23085404 |title=STILL ON!. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=12 October 1951 |accessdate=1 May 2011 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23095769 |title=1,200 CHEER GEELONG'S JUBILEE PENNANT. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=5 December 1951 |accessdate=1 May 2011 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Geelong won the 1951 Premiership under memorable circumstances. Essendon was favoured to win the third of a hat-trick of premierships. However, in the final round of the home and away season Essendon's champion full forward, [[John Coleman (Australian footballer)|John Coleman]] retaliated against Carlton full back, [[Harry Caspar]] and was reported and later suspended for four weeks. He therefore was unable to play in the grand final. [[Bob Davis (Australian rules footballer)|Bob Davis]] acknowledges the possibility that had Coleman played, Essendon may well have won, given that Geelong had no true match for him, as Coleman was simply too skilled.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[1952 VFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" |  '''Geelong''' || '''13''' || '''8''' || '''86'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Col}} || 5 || 10 || 40
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(82,890)</small>
|}

To celebrate its good fortune, Geelong buried a toy bomber in the Kardinia Park turf. This comical ceremony was inspired by the rumour that Geelong's premiership players of 1937 had buried a magpie in the middle of the ground after their premiership win over Collingwood that year. Players of note in this golden era include Bob Davis, [[Leo Turner]] (father of future star, [[Michael Turner (Australian rules footballer)|Michael Turner]]), [[Peter Pianto]], [[Fred Flanagan]], and [[Bernie Smith]].
Bernie Smith's quality was recognised with his win in the 1951 [[Brownlow Medal]]. In 1952, Geelong easily defeated [[Lou Richards]]' Collingwood team. To celebrate the win, the next day the players buried another dead magpie in the middle of Kardinia Park. In 1953, Collingwood defeated Geelong in the Grand Final.

In 1956, Geelong recruited [[Billy Goggin]], Geelong's greatest rover, who also coached Geelong in the 1980s.

Following the conclusion of the 1959 season, Hickey retired as coach and was succeeded by [[Bob Davis (Australian rules footballer)|Bob Davis]], a dual premiership player from the club's successful 1951 and 1952 period.

== Rebuilding and modest success (1960–1970) ==
Before the 1962 season, Davis helped Geelong recruit ruckman [[Graham Farmer|Graham "Polly" Farmer]] from East Perth to partner [[Billy Goggin]] and [[Alistair Lord]] in the midfield. Despite Lord winning the Brownlow Medal and full forward [[Doug Wade]] winning the [[Coleman Medal]], Farmer missed multiple games through injury and the club were eliminated in the Preliminary Final. However, the club won their sixth premiership of the VFL era the following season in 1963.<ref name=yearstats/>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[1963 VFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" |  '''Geelong''' || '''15''' || '''19''' || '''109'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Haw}} || 8 || 12 || 60
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(101,452)</small>
|}

On 6 July 1963 Geelong was comprehensively and unexpectedly beaten [[1963 VFL season#Round 10|by Fitzroy, 9.13 (67) to 3.13 (31)]] in the [[1963 Miracle Match]]. In the 1963 season, Geelong played Hawthorn four times. Early in the season the clubs played a draw. However, in the final round of the season, the semi-finals and the grand final (the only instance of a team playing three matches in a row against one other team – Hawthorn does not have that claim as it played Melbourne in the intervening Preliminary Final), Geelong defeated John Kennedy's Hawthorn (the Hawks). Captained by [[Fred Wooller]], Geelong clearly distinguished itself as the team of 1963 with an easy 49 point win. A dead hawk joined two magpies and a toy bomber under the Kardinia Park turf.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/cats-to-bury-hoodoo/story-e6frf7kx-1111114511528 |title=Pole-driven to be Port's undertaker | work=[[Herald Sun]]|date=27 September 2007|first=Terry |last=Brown}}</ref>

Frustratingly for supporters of the Club, 1963 was the last time that Geelong enjoyed premiership success until 2007.

At the beginning of 1964, Geelong recruited [[Sam Newman|John "Sammy" Newman]] as a ruckman from [[Geelong Grammar School]]. In an interview with Lou Richards on Channel 7's [[World of Sport (Australian TV series)|World of Sport]], Bob Davis predicted that Newman would enjoy a stellar career. [[Sam Newman]] played 300 games for Geelong and went on to become a prominent, if controversial, media personality.

Geelong played in finals in every year between 1962 and 1969. Graham Farmer succeeded Fred Wooller as captain in 1965, leading the club until the end of 1967. In 1966, the club board decided to re-open the coaching position for application and eventually settled on [[Peter Pianto]] to replace Davis. Pianto led Geelong to the 1967 Grand Final, where they were defeated by Richmond in Farmer's final match for the club.

== Search for a flag (1971–1988) ==
The 1970s were notably unsuccessful for the club, as Geelong won only one final during the entire decade. The club fell behind the progressive clubs of the 1970s, notably [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]], [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]], Hawthorn and [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]. Unlike these clubs, Geelong recruited poorly and/or could not afford to recruit quality footballers. During the 1970s footballers increasingly came to view the game as a profession rather than a pastime. Richer and more entrepreneurial clubs outbidded clubs like Geelong for talented and dedicated players.<ref>{{cite news| work=Economic Papers | title=The economics of achieving competitive balance in the Australian football league, 1897–2004 | first=Ross | last=Booth | year=2004| volume=23 | issue=4 | pages=325–344 | doi=10.1111/j.1759-3441.2004.tb00986.x }}</ref> Coaches Graham Farmer and [[Rodney Olsson]] failed to develop successful teams. Despite this, club full-forward [[Larry Donohue]] became the club's third Coleman Medalist after kicking over 100 goals in 1976.

During 1980, the club brought back Goggin to coach the team. Despite making multiple finals appearances in his first two seasons (including winning the [[minor premiership]] in 1980), the club struggled to replicate their home and away season success during the finals. After failing to make the finals in 1982, the club board sacked Goggin as coach and appointed former Richmond premiership coach [[Tom Hafey]] in his place. However the club's poor performances on the field continued under Hafey, who failed to lead Geelong to a finals series during his tenure. During his time however, Hafey helped recruit several players to the club, including [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]], [[Paul Couch]], and [[Greg Williams (Australian footballer)|Greg Williams]]. In 1986, the club appointed former premiership player [[John Devine (Australian rules footballer)|John Devine]] as coach. Under Devine, the club grew accustomed to the league-wide introduction of the salary cap and [[AFL Draft]], recruiting [[Barry Stoneham]], [[Garry Hocking]], [[Mark Bairstow]] and [[Billy Brownless]]. However, the club failed to make the finals during Devine's tenure and replaced him as coach with [[Malcolm Blight]].

== Decade of disappointment (1989–1999) ==
=== Return to the Grand Final ===
Geelong adapted quickly to Blight's coaching philosophy, and became renowned for kicking high scores. During the 1989 season, Geelong were the only club to win matches by 100 points for three weeks in succession. The club's high scoring game plan led them into their [[1989 VFL Grand Final|first Grand Final]] since 1967, however they were defeated by Hawthorn by just six points (in what was regarded as one of the greatest grand finals of all time).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/sep/23/1989-vfl-grand-final-hawthorn-geelong | title=1989 and all that: Remembering the greatest grand final &#124; Australian rules football &#124; the Guardian }}</ref> [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] was awarded the [[Norm Smith Medal]] after kicking nine goals and one behind, equaling the record set by Collingwood's [[Gordon Coventry]] for most goals kicked in a Grand Final. [[Paul Couch]] also won the [[Brownlow Medal]] to become the club's fourth Brownlow Medalist and first in twenty-seven years.

Geelong failed in 1990 to reproduce the exciting brand of attacking football of 1989.
Season 1991 started ominously. On the eve of the season, [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] retired for odd reasons. Nevertheless, Geelong were winning games. Ablett returned mid-season to the club. The club finished third at the end of the home and away season. The final against 4th placed St Kilda was a memorable one. [[Tony Lockett]] kicked his nine goals for St Kilda by three-quarter time.  Billy Brownless, kicked eight goals. The Cats won by seven points. Ablett was  suspended for elbowing St Kilda's [[Nathan Burke]], and missed the rest of the season due to suspension.

Over the next two weeks, Geelong met Hawthorn and the [[West Coast Eagles]], both losses for the club. Consistent with the close finish of 1989, Hawthorn won the match by two points. The loss against the Eagles was by fifteen points.

In 1992 Geelong returned to the spectacular form of three seasons previous. Against the [[Brisbane Bears]] at [[Carrara Stadium|Carrara]] the club kicked a [[List of VFL/AFL records|VFL/AFL record]] score of 37 goals 17 behinds (239 points). This record score still stands.<ref>{{harvnb|Lovett|2010|p=878}}</ref> Gary Ablett Sr. and Billy Brownless both kicked more than 70 goals for the season to form a potent forward-line combination.<ref>[https://afltables.com/afl/stats/1992.html#9 Goals scored by Geelong players in 1992 season]</ref> Geelong finished the regular season on top of the ladder, eclipsing their previous record for total points scored in a home-and-away season (2916 in 1989) and increased it to 3057 points.<ref>[http://afl.allthestats.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=223:season-scoring-records&catid=53:seasons&Itemid=60&qry=1&rec=6 Season Scoring Records: Most Points For in a Season] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120415145340/http://afl.allthestats.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=223:season-scoring-records&catid=53:seasons&Itemid=60&qry=1&rec=6 |date=15 April 2012 }}</ref>

After beating [[Western Bulldogs|Footscray]] in the qualifying final by 61 points, Geelong lost the 2nd semi final to the [[West Coast Eagles]] by 38 points. The club then bounced back to beat Footscray again in the preliminary final by 64 points to set up another matchup with the [[West Coast Eagles]] - this time in the grand final. Geelong got off to a wonderful start, and at one stage during the second quarter were leading by four goals. However, in the second half West Coast's [[Peter Matera]] ran riot, booting five goals and earning himself the [[Norm Smith Medal]] as best on ground. The Perth-based West Coast won by 28 points to take the first premiership won by a non-Victorian club.

In 1993 the Geelong once again underachieved as Malcolm Blight experimented with more defensive tactics. For most of the season on-field performances were lacklustre as the players struggled to adapt. It was not until late in the season when Geelong reverted to its all-out attacking style of play. Several experienced players urged Blight to revert to Geelong's customary geisha style of play. Blight agreed and Geelong began to play like champions again. Geelong narrowly missed the finals on percentage, despite arguably being the form team at the end of the year. Even more frustratingly, the club finished only one and a half games off top spot on the ladder, but finished seventh in what was a very even year and also the last season that featured a final six.

Also in 1993, Blight decided to play Gary Ablett at Full Forward permanently. The move paid handsome dividends, as Ablett reached the second fastest century in VFL/AFL history. Ablett's most notable performances of this year included 11 goals against Melbourne, 14 against Essendon and 10 against the Adelaide Crows – all in losing sides. Tallies of 10 goal against North Melbourne, and 12 against his favourite victim, Richmond, in winning sides.

1994 proved to be a successful although ultimately hard year for the club. The club had a good home-and-away season to finish fourth. [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] topped the goalkicking for the year easily, kicking 129 goals (including the finals) and winning his second consecutive [[John Coleman Medal]].
The club met fifth placed Footscray in the first week of the finals. The match proved a nailbiter, with an after-the-siren kick and goal by Billy Brownless giving the club a five-point win.
A week later it seemed Geelong had no hope of beating [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]], who had finished 2nd after the home and away season, given that their three best midfielders; [[Garry Hocking]], [[Paul Couch]] and [[Mark Bairstow]] were not playing through injury. However, with several young players and second-tier midfielders, along with six goals from [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]], Geelong defeated Carlton by 33 points.
Geelong met North Melbourne in the Preliminary Final in a match which proved even more nailbiting than their match with Footscray 2 weeks prior. North Melbourne started well, but Geelong dominated the second and third quarters to lead by six goals in the third quarter. A fine feat given that Geelong's target all season, [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] was being beaten by North Melbourne's full back, [[Mick Martyn (Australian footballer)|Mick Martyn]]. However, North Melbourne came back strongly in the last quarter and took the lead late in the match. Geelong then scored a behind to level the scores, and with 25&nbsp;seconds left,  a boundary throw-in caused the ball came to ground as Martyn cleared, only for the ball to be marked by [[Leigh Colbert]]. Colbert then kicked long, where ruckman [[John Barnes (Australian footballer)|John Barnes]] dropped the mark, allowing [[Leigh Tudor]], a former North Melbourne player to swoop, and kick the ball over Martyn's head to land in the hand of [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]]. As Ablett walked back to take his kick, the siren went, and Ablett kicked the winning goal, propelling Geelong to its third Grand Final in seven years.

Geelong once again played West Coast for the premiership. Unlike two seasons ago, Geelong proved no match against an Eagles outfit superior to its 1992 premiership team, losing by 80 points. Billy Brownless stood out with a fantastic mark in the second quarter, as well as four goals.
[[Malcolm Blight]], dispirited by three Grand Final losses under his tenure, announced his resignation. His assistant [[Gary Ayres]] took over the job. Ayres immediately took action, sacking both [[Steven Hocking]] (on 199 games) and former captain [[Mark Bairstow]]. 1994 saw another best-and-fairest win to Garry Hocking, who also won 20 votes in the Brownlow Medal to finish third to eventual winner [[Greg Williams (Australian footballer)|Greg Williams]] on 30 votes and [[Peter Matera]] on 28 votes.

1995 saw the club improve. The club was highly consistent, its biggest losing margin being less than 20 points, and never losing two matches in a row. The club finished second on the ladder to Carlton. Gary Ablett once again won the [[Coleman Medal]] and kicked over 100 goals for the third year in a row.

In the finals the club met 7th placed Footscray and won by 82 points. The club earned a week break and returned for the third weeks clash against Richmond, and won by 89 points and so for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in seven years, Geelong played for the premiership, this time against Carlton, who had only lost two games for the year.
The match was hard to tip, as many saw Geelong a definite chance given that the two sides met once during the year, which saw Carlton win by three points. Geelong was thrashed by 61 points, playing its worst game for the entire season. Gary Ablett played his worst game for years, he was goalless for the afternoon and was blanketed by Carlton's [[Stephen Silvagni]]. Former Geelong player [[Greg Williams (Australian footballer)|Greg Williams]], now a superstar at Carlton, was named best on ground with his five goals.
A notable rookie of this year would be [[Brenton Sanderson]], who would play over 200 games by the end of career, retiring at the end of 2005, and be recognised with selection into the Geelong Hall of Fame. The Best and Fairest was won by [[Paul Couch]], who narrowly missed out on winning his second [[Brownlow Medal]].

=== Decline ===
In 1996 the club would experience an unsuccessful year, although still making the finals - finishing seventh at the end of the home and away season. [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] would be suspended for five weeks after round 2, which resulted in a rapid decline in his quality. He would kick his 1000th career goal against Fremantle.
The Cats would meet eventual premier, North Melbourne in the first week of the finals, which saw North win by over 10 goals. [[Garry Hocking]] would once again win the Best and Fairest award, and miss out on the Brownlow Medal by a vote in the process. A notable recruit would be [[Steven King (footballer)|Steven King]], standing at over two metres tall.

In 1997 Geelong faced a season with no dependence on ageing superstars, [[Paul Couch]] and [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]]. By mid season, Couch would retire on 259 games. [[Gary Ablett Sr.|Gary Ablett]] would not play a senior game again for the club after injuring his knee in the reserves. The club would start the season well, making the pre season competition grand final (for the first time since 1989) against Carlton. Unfortunately, identically to 1995, Geelong capitulated in the final, allowing Carlton another piece of silverware.
The club then went on to the regular season and produced a solid year with 15 home and away wins, equal top with St.Kilda (although second on the ladder with a slightly lower percentage). The club met North Melbourne in a home final at the MCG at night. North Melbourne beat Geelong by 18 points in a hard fought encounter. Geelong then travelled to Adelaide to play the Crows and lost the match by eight points. The resultant loss caused the cats to exit by losing both finals.

1998 was a season best forgotten. The club finished 12th, its lowest finish for over 40 years and its equally lowest ever. A notable recruit for Geelong came in the form of [[Matthew Scarlett]], son of former player, John. Geelong took full advantage of the [[Father-Son Rule]]. This concession allowed sons of ex-players to nominate for their fathers' clubs, thus exempting them from being chosen by any other club in the national draft.

In 1999 the club won five games straight to open the season. However, the club then lost its next 9 to finish the season with 10 wins and tenth position.
The roller-coaster season saw coach [[Gary Ayres]] quit to take the job at Adelaide, which ironically was available after [[Malcolm Blight]] quit, almost identical to when Ayres took over Geelong in 1995. [[Mark Thompson (footballer)|Mark Thompson]] was appointed coach. At the end of this season, Geelong traded [[Leigh Colbert]] for North Melbourne premiership player, [[Cameron Mooney]].

== New direction (2000–present) ==
=== Thompson's rebuild ===
Thompson's first season as senior coach in 2000 was somewhat successful; Geelong finished the regular season in fifth position and qualified for the finals series for the first time since 1997, losing to Hawthorn in an elimination final. It was the first AFL finals match played at the new [[Docklands Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Docklands - All Games |url=https://afltables.com/afl/venues/docklands_gm.html |website=AFL Tables |accessdate=8 July 2018}}</ref> Following the [[Australian Football League reserves affiliations#Dedicated reserves competition (1919–1999)|dissolution of the AFL reserves competition]] in 1999, Geelong began fielding a [[Geelong Football Club#Reserves team|reserves team]] in the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL){{ref label|Note1|a|a}} from 2000.{{Citation needed|date=July 2018}}

{{multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width=250
| align     = right
| image1    = Jimmy Bartel (cropped).jpg
| image2    = James Kelly playing for Geelong.JPG
| image3    = Gary Ablett in May 2019.6.jpg
| image4    = Steve Johnson Goalkicking.jpg
| footer    = [[Jimmy Bartel]], [[James Kelly (Australian footballer)|James Kelly]], [[Steve Johnson (Australian footballer)|Steve Johnson]] and [[Gary Ablett Jr.]] were all recruited by Geelong in the [[2001 AFL Draft]].
}}

Across the next three seasons Geelong experienced a lean period where finals were not realised for three years from 2001 to 2003 – finishing twelfth, ninth and twelfth respectively.<ref>{{harvnb|Lovett|2010|p=148}}</ref> The club did, however, recruit well during this period. Particularly notable was the [[2001 AFL Draft]], where future premiership players [[Jimmy Bartel]], [[James Kelly (Australian footballer)|James Kelly]], [[Steve Johnson (Australian footballer)|Steve Johnson]] and [[Gary Ablett Jr.]] (under the [[father–son rule]]) were all selected by Geelong.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bednall |first1=Jai |title=Geelong and Hawthorn top list of 12 best club drafts in AFL history |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelong-and-hawthorn-top-list-of-12-best-club-drafts-in-afl-history/news-story/49caee3aad20e9164251cd4340783470 |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=news.com.au |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=30 October 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708055254/https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelong-and-hawthorn-top-list-of-12-best-club-drafts-in-afl-history/news-story/49caee3aad20e9164251cd4340783470 |archivedate=8 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the absence of finals appearances at AFL-level, the club's reserves team won its first VFL premiership in 2002.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Caroline |author-link=Caroline Wilson (journalist) |title=VFL very much alive and kicking big goals |url=https://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/22/1032055035134.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=23 September 2002 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021015233150/https://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/22/1032055035134.html |archivedate=15 October 2002 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref>

Geelong returned to the finals in 2004, progressing through to the preliminary finals where they lost to Brisbane by nine points.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pierik |first1=Jon |title=Matthews still 'feels sick' over 2004 preliminary final |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/matthews-still-feels-sick-over-2004-preliminary-final-20130728-2qsqv.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=28 July 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708073512/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/matthews-still-feels-sick-over-2004-preliminary-final-20130728-2qsqv.html |archivedate=8 July 2018 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref> Post season, Geelong signed [[Nathan Ablett]] under the father–son rule,<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Geelong signs Nathan Ablett |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/25/1098667682999.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |accessdate=8 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041123070154/https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/25/1098667682999.html |archivedate=23 November 2004 |url-status=live|date=2004-10-25 }}</ref> just as the club had done with older brother Gary in 2001. Geelong also recruited [[Brad Ottens]] from Richmond during the [[2004 AFL draft#Trades|2004 trade period]];<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Cats secure Ottens as frenzied trading ends |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-10-08/cats-secure-ottens-as-frenzied-trading-ends/565270 |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=8 Oct 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027190531/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-10-08/cats-secure-ottens-as-frenzied-trading-ends/565270 |archivedate=27 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> this trade would later prove significant with Ottens playing a key role in the club's coming premiership success.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chan |first1=Alfred |title=The five best recruiting decisions of the last decade |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2013/03/04/the-five-best-recruiting-decisions-of-the-last-decade/ |website=The Roar |publisher=Conversant Media |accessdate=8 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305011721/http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/03/04/the-five-best-recruiting-decisions-of-the-last-decade/ |archivedate=5 March 2013 |date=4 March 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> A notable departure from Geelong was [[Ben Graham (football player)|Ben Graham]], the club captain from 2000 to 2002,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hutchison |first1=Craig |author-link=Craig Hutchison (broadcaster) |title=Benny and the Jets take $7m punt |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/benny-and-the-jets-take-7m-punt/2006/05/20/1147545567659.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=21 May 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103145436/http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/benny-and-the-jets-take-7m-punt/2006/05/20/1147545567659.html |archivedate=3 November 2012}}</ref> who quit playing Australian rules football to pursue a career as a [[Punt (gridiron football)|punter]] with the [[New York Jets]] in the [[National Football League]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne to join a long line of Australian sportsmen trying to make the NFL |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-15/hayne-joins-list-of-australian-sportsmen-chasing-the-nfl-dream/5815600 |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=15 October 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101032607/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-15/hayne-joins-list-of-australian-sportsmen-chasing-the-nfl-dream/5815600 |archivedate=1 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The club once again played in the finals in 2005, defeating Melbourne in an elimination final by 55 points to reach the semi-finals,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Randall |first1=Michael |title=Jeff White recalls horrific injuries after being kicked in face by Steven King in 2005 |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-demons/jeff-white-recalls-horrific-injuries-after-being-kicked-in-face-by-steven-king-in-2005/news-story/e164dace6cc3f7d3139c45fd75428e9d |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=news.com.au |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=14 May 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716124145/http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-demons/jeff-white-recalls-horrific-injuries-after-being-kicked-in-face-by-steven-king-in-2005/news-story/e164dace6cc3f7d3139c45fd75428e9d |archivedate=16 July 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> where they played Sydney at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]]. Although Geelong were leading by as much as 23 points in the final quarter, Sydney's [[Nick Davis (footballer)|Nick Davis]] scored the final four goals of the game (including a goal just before the final siren) to give Sydney a three-point victory.<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Last gasp win |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/last-gasp-win/2005/09/09/1125772697033.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=9 September 2005 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708081539/https://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/last-gasp-win/2005/09/09/1125772697033.html |archivedate=8 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Sydney would subsequently win the [[2005 AFL Grand Final]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Victory to the Swans |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/victory-to-the-swans/2005/09/24/1126982265994.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=24 September 2005 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103094233/http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/victory-to-the-swans/2005/09/24/1126982265994.html |archivedate=3 January 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

After winning the [[2006 NAB Cup|2006 pre-season competition]],<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Geelong still celebrating NAB Cup win |url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/SPORT/Geelong-still-celebrating-NAB-Cup-win/2006/03/19/1142703208133.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=19 March 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708100038/https://www.theage.com.au/news/SPORT/Geelong-still-celebrating-NAB-Cup-win/2006/03/19/1142703208133.html |archivedate=8 July 2018 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref> Geelong opened the regular season with two wins before losing seven of its next eight games.<ref name="2006 review">{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Caroline |title=How Geelong turned the corner |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/how-geelong-turned-the-corner-20160520-gp05om.html |accessdate=8 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=20 May 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708095722/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/how-geelong-turned-the-corner-20160520-gp05om.html |archivedate=8 July 2018 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref> Ultimately, the club finished tenth on the ladder and failed to make the finals.<ref>{{cite web |title=2006 Season Scores and Results |url=https://afltables.com/afl/seas/2006.html |website=AFL Tables |accessdate=9 July 2018}}</ref> {{citation needed span|date=July 2018|text=Responding to member anger, the Board ordered a comprehensive review of all aspects of the administration of the club and of the club's personnel. Coach Mark Thompson was widely perceived to be at risk. However, the review accepted that Thompson should continue as coach. The Board opted for stability over the uncertainty of radical personnel change. Thompson was publicly outraged by the ordeal which he considered poorly handled.}}

=== Premiership drought ends ===
{{Main|2007 Geelong Football Club season|l1=2007|2008 Geelong Football Club season|l2=2008|2009 Geelong Football Club season|l3=2009|2010 Geelong Football Club season|l4=2010 Geelong Football Club seasons}}
It appeared Geelong would repeat the outcome of the previous season after five rounds of the 2007 season, where Geelong was positioned tenth on the ladder with two wins and three losses, with the latest loss being against the Kangaroos at Skilled Stadium. Following this unexpected loss at their home ground, player [[Paul Chapman (footballer, born 1981)|Paul Chapman]] publicly criticised the club's culture, expressing frustration at the lack of team mentality present with many of the players, and urging the club as a whole to change this underachieving culture for the better.<ref name="chapmans catalyst">{{cite news |last1=Gullan |first1=Scott |title=Chappy swipes at Cats |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/more-sports/chappy-swipes-at-cats/news-story/f4e975c402955aa33aca7bbba5698f61 |accessdate=6 November 2009 |work=Herald Sun |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=30 April 2007 |location=Melbourne}}</ref> Chapman's criticisms, which followed a similar assessment from coach Mark Thompson, led to a group discussion involving all of the club's playing and coaching staff, and produced frank assessments of both individuals and the club in general.<ref name="chapmans catalyst"/> This session proved to be a catalyst for the club to begin a transformation of the club's culture, and resulted in a 157-point defeat of Richmond, with Geelong's score of 222 points the club's third-highest overall.<ref name="Cats annihilate Richmond">{{cite web|title=Cats annihilate Richmond|url=http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=42430|publisher=AFL BigPond Network|date=6 May 2007|accessdate=24 August 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930124949/http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=42430|archivedate=30 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> This was the beginning of a winning-streak where the club won 15 games in succession before losing to the second-placed Port Adelaide in round 21.  Geelong then succeeded in winning their remaining match of the regular season, where they finished three games clear of Port Adelaide in first position on the ladder, earning the club their first [[McLelland Trophy]] since 1992, and qualification for the [[2007 AFL finals series|season's finals series]].{{fact|date=December 2021}}

[[File:A vision of play during the 2007 AFL Grand Final.jpg|thumb|left|Geelong ending its 44-year premiership drought by beating Port Adelaide in the 2007 Grand Final]]
Geelong proceeded to defeat the Kangaroos and Collingwood in their [[2007 AFL finals series#First Qualifying Final (Geelong vs. North Melbourne)|qualifying]] and [[2007 AFL finals series#First Preliminary Final (Geelong vs. Collingwood)|preliminary]] finals respectively, the latter being a close game with Collingwood threatening victory late in the match. Geelong ultimately won the match by five points.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[2007 AFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" | '''Geelong''' || '''24''' || '''19''' || '''163'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Por}} || 6 || 8 || 44
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(97,302)</small>
|}

These two victories ensured Geelong a place in the [[2007 AFL Grand Final]] against Port Adelaide, which Geelong won by a record margin of 119 points. Geelong scored 24 goals and 19 points for a total of 163 points (the highest score by any grand finalist since Essendon in 1985 with 170), compared to the six goals and eight points scored by Port Adelaide for a total of 44 points (the lowest score by any grand finalist since Essendon in 1990). [[Steve Johnson (Australian footballer)|Steve Johnson]] was awarded the [[Norm Smith Medal]] after being judged the best player in the match, providing Geelong with just their second [[Norm Smith Medal]]list. [[Cameron Mooney]] scored the highest number of goals with five, and a total of 11 Geelong players scored at least one goal, with five of those players scoring two goals or more. The win was Geelong's first premiership since 1963, and broke the club's 44-season premiership drought. The club had also won the 2007 VFL premiership against Coburg the weekend before.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

Geelong changed their name to the Geelong Cats in 2008 and continued to dominate with the club having a regular season record of 21 wins and one loss to become the best-performing team in the home-and-away season since Essendon in 2000. The club's sole loss occurred in Round 9 with an 86-point deficit against Collingwood. Geelong finished the regular season in first position on the ladder, earning the club a second-consecutive McClelland Trophy, its ninth overall. Geelong then proceeded to win its [[2008 AFL finals series#First Qualifying Final (Geelong vs St Kilda)|qualifying]] and [[2008 AFL finals series#First Preliminary Final (Geelong vs Western Bulldogs)|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 performance during the season, losing the grand final by a margin of 26 points.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[2009 AFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Stk}} || 9 || 14 || 68
|-
| style="text-align:left" | '''Geelong''' || '''12''' || '''8''' || '''80'''
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(99,251)</small>
|}

Geelong's season began strongly in 2009, with the club winning the [[2009 NAB Cup]] and managing a successive run of victories for the opening 13 rounds of the season. The winning streak was broken when [[St Kilda vs Geelong (2009 AFL season)|Geelong was defeated by St Kilda]] in Round 14 by six points. Geelong managed to defeat the reigning premiers, Hawthorn, in the two clubs' second meeting of the season in Round 17. The match was notable with Geelong successfully completing a comeback from a 28-point deficit early in the final quarter to record a victory when an [[After the siren kicks in Australian rules football|after-the-siren kick]] [[Jimmy Bartel]] scored a point and resulted in a win. Despite not placing first on the ladder at any point during the regular season, Geelong managed a regular-season record of 18 wins and four losses, which was the first time a team had won 18 or more matches in the VFL or AFL's regular season for three consecutive seasons.<ref name="fremantle round 22">{{Cite news|first=David|last=Reed|title=Cats belt Freo by 40 points|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83747/default.aspx|publisher=AFL BigPond Network|date=29 August 2009|accessdate=29 August 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413055837/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83747/default.aspx|archivedate=13 April 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> After qualifying for the [[2009 AFL finals series]], Geelong proceeded to win its [[2009 AFL finals series#Second qualifying final (Geelong v Western Bulldogs)|qualifying]] and [[2009 AFL finals series#Second preliminary final (Geelong v Collingwood)|preliminary]] finals in succession, earning a place in the [[2009 AFL Grand Final]] against St Kilda. Geelong were victorious, defeating St Kilda by 12 points.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

[[File:Celebration for the Geelong Football Club.jpg|left|thumb|[[Cameron Mooney]] and [[Cameron Ling]] holding the 2009 premiership cup]] This victory marked the first time since 1984 that a grand final had been won by a team which had been trailing at all breaks. The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Paul Chapman, after gathering 26 possessions and scoring three goals, including the goal which effectively won the match for Geelong.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

In addition to the premierships and Norm Smith Medallists, this era of success for the Geelong Football Club was capped by supplying Brownlow Medallists (Bartel and [[Gary Ablett, Jr.]] in 2007 and 2009 respectively).   Between 2007 and 2009, Geelong players received 13 individual selections in All-Australian teams over the three seasons, including a record nine selections in the [[2007 All-Australian team|2007 team]]. Other individual successes include Ablett winning the [[Leigh Matthews Trophy]] as the [[AFL Players Association]] (AFLPA) [[Leigh Matthews Trophy|Most Valuable Player]] on a record three occasions and for a record three consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2009.{{fact|date=December 2021}}

In 2010, Geelong finished second on the ladder but did not reach the grand final. After much speculation throughout the season, it was confirmed at season's end that [[Gary Ablett Jr.]] would be joining the [[Gold Coast Football Club|Gold Coast]] [[Expansion team|expansion club]] that was entering the league in the 2011 season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McNicol |first1=Adam |title=Big fish landed |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103397/default.aspx |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=BigPond |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303183502/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103397/default.aspx |archivedate=3 March 2011 |date=29 September 2010 | url-status=dead}}</ref> As a [[marquee player]], Ablett signed a five-year contract worth an estimated $1.6 million ([[Australian dollar|AUD]]) a season, which was significantly more than Geelong could afford to offer.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gullan |first1=Scott |last2=Warner |first2=Michael |title=Ablett follows the gold to the coast - dollars make sense to the little champ |work=Herald Sun |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=30 September 2010 |location=Melbourne |page=7}}</ref> Less than a week later, [[Mark Thompson (footballer)|Mark Thompson]] resigned from his position as senior coach, despite being contracted until the end of 2011.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brodie |first=Will |title=Geelong coach Thompson quits |url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/geelong-coach-thompson-quits-20101004-163n4.html?autostart=1 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=4 October 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101007104107/http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/geelong-coach-thompson-quits-20101004-163n4.html?autostart=1| archivedate= 7 October 2010 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref> Although he cited [[Occupational burnout|burnout]] from coaching as the primary reason for his departure, Thompson joined Essendon one month later as a senior assistant coach to [[James Hird]].<ref>{{cite web |last=McNicol |first=Adam |title=Thompson confirms Cat exit |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103680/default.aspx |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=BigPond |date=4 October 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101008055343/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103680/default.aspx| archivedate= 8 October 2010 | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Thomas |title='Bomber' joins Hird at Windy Hill, both miss announcement |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bomber-joins-hird-at-windy-hill-both-miss-announcement-20101110-17n1r.html |accessdate=5 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=10 November 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705082726/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bomber-joins-hird-at-windy-hill-both-miss-announcement-20101110-17n1r.html |archivedate=5 July 2018 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref>

Through the 2007–2010 period of success under Thompson, Geelong perfected a style of high-possession and, in particular, high-handpassing football. Using the skill of its star midfielders, Geelong often executed long running chains of handpasses to break through the defensive zones which top clubs like {{AFL Syd}} and {{AFL Ade}} had used to great effect in 2005–2006. The club set new records for most disposals every year through this period, with record low kick-to-handpass ratios – including having fewer kicks than handpasses across its entire 2009 premiership season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/yearly.html|title=Yearly Totals and Averages|accessdate=22 September 2022|publisher=AFL Tables}}</ref> Its success with the tactic was revolutionary: as recently as 2003, having fewer kicks than handpasses was universally seen as a sign of a struggling team; but Geelong's teams were able to turn it into an attacking weapon and become the highest scoring team in the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/729891/cats-use-old-tricks|date=27 August 2013|publisher=Geelong Cats |author=Peter Ryan|title=Cats use old tricks |accessdate=17 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/trouble-at-hand-for-the-kick/news-story/7f5cfc42038ee602c2d176e5895c1bd6|title=Dreaded statistical turnaround in the AFL as the kick gets the boot|date=17 September 2022|work=Fox Sports|accessdate=17 September 2022|author=Mark Stevens}}</ref> It was not until teams began adopting full field defensive presses, pioneered by {{AFL Stk}} in 2009, that Geelong's dominance was matched.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefanatics.com/sports.news.view.php?id=37508699|title=Cats too slow to evolve: Thompson|date=18 September 2010|accessdate=22 September 2022|author=Sam Lienert|publisher=The Fanatics}}</ref>

=== Scott takes over ===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[2011 AFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Col}} || 12 || 9 || 81
|-
| style="text-align:left" | '''Geelong''' || '''18''' || '''11''' || '''119'''
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(99,537)</small>
|}
Following Thompson's departure, former Brisbane player [[Chris Scott (Australian footballer)|Chris Scott]] was appointed as senior coach of the club.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cats confirm Scott appointment |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-18/cats-confirm-scott-appointment/2302212 |accessdate=3 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=18 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030072734/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-18/cats-confirm-scott-appointment/2302212 |archivedate=30 October 2016}}</ref> Despite an ageing playing list and predictions that the team would struggle in 2011,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Connolly |first1=Rohan |title=Too old, too slow, two flags ... and counting |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/too-old--too-slow--two-flags---and-counting-20110923-1kpjy.html |accessdate=4 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=24 September 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704104024/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/too-old--too-slow--two-flags---and-counting-20110923-1kpjy.html |archivedate=4 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Geelong finished the regular season in second position on the ladder, with only three losses for the season. The team then won its first two matches of the finals series to qualify for the [[2011 AFL Grand Final]] against reigning premier Collingwood, where Geelong proceeded to win the match by 38 points to claim its third premiership in the space of five seasons, and the club's ninth VFL/AFL premiership overall.<ref name="2011 Grand Final">{{cite news |last1=Goraya |first1=Raman |title=Cats empire reigns over Pies |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-01/cats-empire-reigns-over-pies/3205092 |accessdate=4 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=2 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030145531/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-01/cats-empire-reigns-over-pies/3205092 |archivedate=30 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Jimmy Bartel]], who played in each of these three premiership wins, was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his best on ground performance.<ref>{{cite news |title=Medallist Bartel puts Geelong first |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-02/medallist-bartel-puts-geelong-first/3205430 |accessdate=4 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=2 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030150033/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-02/medallist-bartel-puts-geelong-first/3205430 |archivedate=30 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Notably, all three of Collingwood's losses for the season were to Geelong.<ref name="2011 Grand Final"/> Premiership captain [[Cameron Ling]] announced his retirement from the AFL at the conclusion of the season,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Top Cat bows out as Ling calls time |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/top-cat-bows-out-as-ling-calls-time-20111005-1l96l.html |accessdate=6 July 2018 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=5 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706075557/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/top-cat-bows-out-as-ling-calls-time-20111005-1l96l.html |archivedate=6 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Joel Selwood]] was appointed to the position in January 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Selwood named new Cats captain |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-20/selwood-named-new-cats-captain/3785350 |accessdate=6 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=20 January 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031022721/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-20/selwood-named-new-cats-captain/3785350 |archivedate=31 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

{{multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width=300
| align     = left
| image1    = Chris Scott 2018.1.jpg
| image2    = Joel Selwood in May 2019.2.jpg
| footer    = Current senior coach [[Chris Scott (Australian footballer)|Chris Scott]] and captain [[Joel Selwood]]
}}

Geelong were unsuccessful in defending their premiership in 2012, finishing the regular season in sixth position and subsequently losing its elimination final against [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]] at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.<ref name="Freo 2012">{{cite news |last1=McFarlane |first1=Glenn |title=Fremantle star Matthew Pavlich leads the Dockers to victory over Geelong |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/fremantle-star-matthew-pavlich-leads-the-dockers-to-victory-over-geelong/news-story/f0c76634bacddddab7bd2b9a6e69c93c |accessdate=6 July 2018 |work=news.com.au |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=9 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706094126/https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/fremantle-star-matthew-pavlich-leads-the-dockers-to-victory-over-geelong/news-story/f0c76634bacddddab7bd2b9a6e69c93c |archivedate=6 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> It was the first time Fremantle had won a final outside its home state in its 18-year existence.<ref name="Freo 2012"/> This unexpected loss resulted in some commentators stating that it was the end of Geelong's era of recent success.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rose |first1=Cameron |title=The end of Geelong's era finally arrives |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2012/09/10/the-end-of-geelongs-era-finally-arrives/ |website=[[The Roar (website)|The Roar]] |publisher=Conversant Media |accessdate=6 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022181226/http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/09/10/the-end-of-geelongs-era-finally-arrives/ |archivedate=22 October 2012 |date=10 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the reserves however, Geelong won its third VFL premiership, defeating [[Port Melbourne Football Club|Port Melbourne]] by 33 points in the [[2012 VFL season#Grand Final|2012 VFL Grand Final]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Phelan |first=Jason |title=Cats take out VFL flag |url=http://www.geelongcats.com.au/geelongnews/newsarticle/tabid/3933/newsid/148331/default.aspx |work=geelongcats.com.au |publisher=[[BigPond]] |date=23 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927033637/http://www.geelongcats.com.au/geelongnews/newsarticle/tabid/3933/newsid/148331/default.aspx |archivedate=27 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Geelong again participated in the finals series across the next two seasons, reaching the preliminary finals in 2013 and the semi-finals in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McNicol |first1=Adam |title=Killing the curse: Hawks snap Cats' hold to make Grand Final |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-20/hawks-stop-the-streak |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=BigPond |accessdate=6 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923120524/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-20/hawks-stop-the-streak |archivedate=23 September 2013 |date=20 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=North Melbourne eliminates Geelong to reach AFL preliminary final against Sydney Swans |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-12/kangaroos-hang-on-to-eliminate-geelong/5741350 |accessdate=6 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=12 September 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101030821/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-12/kangaroos-hang-on-to-eliminate-geelong/5741350 |archivedate=1 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Notably, Geelong's qualifying final against Fremantle in 2013 was the first time [[Kardinia Park (stadium)|Kardinia Park]] hosted a finals match,<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Tough ask for Dockers with Geelong's Simonds Stadium to host its first final |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tough-ask-for-dockers-with-geelongs-simonds-stadium-to-host-its-first-final-20130901-2syfw.html |accessdate=6 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=1 September 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706111746/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tough-ask-for-dockers-with-geelongs-simonds-stadium-to-host-its-first-final-20130901-2syfw.html |archivedate=6 July 2018 |location=Melbourne}}</ref> with Geelong losing the game by 15 points.<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Fremantle shocks Geelong with 15 point win at Kardinia Park to seal place in preliminary final |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-07/fremantle-geelong-afl-finals/4942802 |accessdate=6 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=7 September 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031160432/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-07/fremantle-geelong-afl-finals/4942802 |archivedate=31 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During 2015, the round fourteen match between Adelaide and Geelong was cancelled, and declared a draw, following the death of Adelaide coach [[Phil Walsh (Australian footballer)|Phil Walsh]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Adelaide Crows' AFL match against Geelong cancelled after Phil Walsh's death, round 14 to go ahead |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-03/afl-phil-walsh-gillon-mclachlan-adelaide-crows-geelong/6593282 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=3 July 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210144614/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-03/afl-phil-walsh-gillon-mclachlan-adelaide-crows-geelong/6593282 |archivedate=10 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was the first time a match had been abandoned in VFL/AFL history.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Jon |title=Phil Walsh murdered: AFL confirms cancellation of Adelaide v Geelong, rest of Round 14 to go ahead |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/phil-walsh-murder-adelaidegeelong-clash-in-doubt/news-story/83973649bae45a26b8d2212f95d12e53 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=news.com.au |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=3 July 2015}}</ref>

=== Recruiting for success and entry of women's team ===
After finishing tenth on the ladder in 2015, Geelong failed to qualify for the finals series; it was the first time the club had not played in the finals since the 2006 season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmook |first1=Nathan |title=Inspired Pies end season for flat Cats |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-28/pies-oust-flat-cats |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |accessdate=7 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829045115/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-28/pies-oust-flat-cats |archivedate=29 August 2015 |date=28 August 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> As a result, Geelong were highly active in the offseason's [[2015 AFL draft|free agency and trade period]], opting to recruit established AFL players [[Patrick Dangerfield]] (from Adelaide), [[Lachie Henderson]] (Carlton), [[Scott Selwood]] (West Coast) and [[Zac Smith]] (Gold Coast) in a bid to return to premiership contention in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hope |first1=Shayne |title=2016 preview: Cats recruiting for another flag |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/2016-preview-cats-recruiting-for-another-flag-ng-ya-101601 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=The West Australian |publisher=Seven West Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707091019/http://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/2016-preview-cats-recruiting-for-another-flag-ng-ya-101601 |archivedate=7 July 2018 |date=17 March 2016 |location=Perth |url-status=live}}</ref> Dangerfield's recruitment, in particular, had been the subject of much media speculation throughout the season, as it was confirmed that he wished to return to his home state of Victoria.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Coventry |first1=James |title=Adelaide Crows confirm Patrick Dangerfield wants to return to Victoria |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-23/crows-confirm-patrick-dangerfield-wants-to-return-to-victoria/6791730 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=23 September 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207234717/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-23/crows-confirm-patrick-dangerfield-wants-to-return-to-victoria/6791730 |archivedate=7 December 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Consequently, Dangerfield was traded to Geelong after winning Adelaide's [[Malcolm Blight Medal|best and fairest award]] for 2015.<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=AFL trade week: Patrick Dangerfield deal done as Geelong sends Adelaide Dean Gore and draft picks |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-12/dangerfield-deal-done,-cats-send-crows-gore-and-picks/6846668 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=12 October 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403201557/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-12/dangerfield-deal-done,-cats-send-crows-gore-and-picks/6846668 |archivedate=3 April 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Thring |first1=Harry |title=Departing Dangerfield exits with best and fairest win |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-27/dangerfield-departs-with-best-and-fairest-win |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |accessdate=7 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105120754/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-27/dangerfield-departs-with-best-and-fairest-win |archivedate=5 January 2016 |date=27 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Patrick Dangerfield 2019.4.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Patrick Dangerfield]] won a Brownlow Medal in first season at Geelong in 2016.]]

The club's recruitment strategy was in response to the departure of many of its premiership players in the preceding seasons,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Jon |title=Geelong hopes to remain contender through elite recruiting, culture, coaching and development |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelong-hopes-to-remain-contender-through-elite-recruiting-culture-coaching-and-development/news-story/e68e2f3466d11f86951e27dfc1402370 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=news.com.au |publisher=News Corp Australia   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707072402/https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelong-hopes-to-remain-contender-through-elite-recruiting-culture-coaching-and-development/news-story/e68e2f3466d11f86951e27dfc1402370 |archivedate=7 July 2018 |date=20 April 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> such as [[Brad Ottens]] (in 2011),<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Ottens hangs up the boots |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-31/geelongs-ottens-retires-from-afl/3610086 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=31 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030203247/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-31/geelongs-ottens-retires-from-afl/3610086 |archivedate=30 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Matthew Scarlett]] and [[David Wojcinski]] (2012),<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Wojcinski bows out |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/wojcinski-bows-out-20120918-264cr.html |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707062446/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/wojcinski-bows-out-20120918-264cr.html |archivedate=7 July 2018 |date=19 September 2012 |location=Melbourne |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Joel Corey]] (2013).<ref>{{cite web |last1=McNicol |first1=Adam |title=Joel Corey retires after 276 game career |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-09/corey-says-goodbye |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |accessdate=7 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707090518/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-09/corey-says-goodbye |archivedate=7 July 2018 |date=9 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition to retirements across this period, some veteran players were not offered new contracts and were either traded or released via free agency to new clubs; this included [[Paul Chapman (Australian footballer)|Paul Chapman]], [[James Kelly (Australian footballer)|James Kelly]] and [[Mathew Stokes]] all moving to Essendon, [[James Podsiadly]] joining Adelaide, as well as [[Josh Hunt]] and [[Steve Johnson (Australian footballer)|Steve Johnson]] both playing for Greater Western Sydney.<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Paul Chapman joins Essendon on a one-year deal after trade confirmed with Geelong |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/paul-chapman-joins-essendon-on-a-one-year-deal-after-trade-conf/5045996 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=25 October 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031190158/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/paul-chapman-joins-essendon-on-a-one-year-deal-after-trade-conf/5045996 |archivedate=31 October 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Essendon Bombers sign former Geelong Cat Mathew Stokes for 2016 AFL season |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-29/essendon-bombers-sign-former-geelong-cat-mathew-stokes-for-2016/7125890 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 January 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123024122/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-29/essendon-bombers-sign-former-geelong-cat-mathew-stokes-for-2016/7125890 |archivedate=23 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Geelong triple premiership player Steve Johnson joins GWS Giants on one-year deal |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-19/former-geelong-star-steve-johnson-signs-with-gws/6866358 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=19 October 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222233646/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-19/former-geelong-star-steve-johnson-signs-with-gws/6866358 |archivedate=22 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Geelong improved remarkably from the prior year in 2016, finishing the regular season in second position and progressing to the preliminary finals, where the team lost to Sydney by 37 points.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Howcroft |first1=Jonathan |title=Geelong Cats vs Sydney Swans: AFL preliminary final – as it happened |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2016/sep/23/geelong-cats-vs-sydney-swans-afl-preliminary-final-live |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=Guardian Australia |publisher=Guardian Media Group |date=23 September 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914033817/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2016/sep/23/geelong-cats-vs-sydney-swans-afl-preliminary-final-live |archivedate=14 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> During the season, [[Corey Enright]] achieved the club's all-time games record with his tally of 326 games in round nineteen; [[Jimmy Bartel]] also celebrated his 300th game milestone in the same round.<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Geelong beats Western Bulldogs by 25 points at Kardinia Park |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-29/cats-beat-the-bulldogs-at-kardinia-park/7674316 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 July 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110050523/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-29/cats-beat-the-bulldogs-at-kardinia-park/7674316 |archivedate=10 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Dangerfield, in his first season at the club, polled a then-record 35 votes to win the [[2016 Brownlow Medal]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmook |first1=Nathan |title=Dangerfield breaks record to seal Brownlow |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-09-26/patrick-dangerfield-wins-2016-brownlow-medal |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |accessdate=7 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614045311/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-09-26/patrick-dangerfield-wins-2016-brownlow-medal |archivedate=14 June 2018 |date=26 September 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The 2017 season resulted in Geelong once again reaching the preliminary finals, before succumbing to Adelaide by 61 points.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gaskin |first1=Lee |title=Match report: Crows crush Cats to advance to GF |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-22/match-report-crows-crush-cats-to-advance-to-gf |website=AFL.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |accessdate=7 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222061309/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-22/match-report-crows-crush-cats-to-advance-to-gf |archivedate=22 December 2017 |date=22 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the subsequent offseason, [[Gary Ablett Jr.]] was traded back to Geelong after seven seasons with Gold Coast.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGarry |first1=Andrew |title=Gary Ablett's trade to Geelong sends the AFL great back to family and his football home |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/gary-abletts-football-journey-comes-full-circle-to-geelong/9066858 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=19 October 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403210814/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/gary-abletts-football-journey-comes-full-circle-to-geelong/9066858 |archivedate=3 April 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The club placed eighth on the league's ladder in 2018, but did not progress past the first finals week after being defeated in an elimination final against Melbourne by 29 points.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Middlemas |first1=Corbin |title=AFL finals: Geelong needs to avoid being a fading September force against Melbourne |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/afl-geelong-cats-need-to-beat-finals-demons-against-melbourne/10209900 |accessdate=11 September 2018 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=7 September 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911030940/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/afl-geelong-cats-need-to-beat-finals-demons-against-melbourne/10209900 |archivedate=11 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=AFL finals: Melbourne Demons beat Geelong Cats to move through to semi-finals |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/afl-final-melbourne-demons-defeat-geelong-cats/10203730 |accessdate=11 September 2018 |work=ABC News |agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]] |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=7 September 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910171515/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/afl-final-melbourne-demons-defeat-geelong-cats/10203730 |archivedate=10 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The 2019 season saw Geelong finish on top of the AFL ladder for the first time since 2008.<ref name="cursedcats">{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |title=Cursed Cats? Five barriers Geelong must overcome to win the flag |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-01/cursed-cats-five-barriers-geelong-must-overcome-to-win-the-flag |website=AFL.com.au |date=September 2019 |accessdate=20 September 2019}}</ref> The Cats were excellent in the first half of the season, winning 11 of their first 12 matches.<ref name="slidingdoors">{{cite web |last1=Navaratnam |first1=Dinny |title=Ruthless Cats show undermanned Tigers no mercy |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/12/rich-v-geel#/match-report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607123609/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/12/rich-v-geel#/match-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 June 2019 |website=AFL.com.au |accessdate=20 September 2019}}</ref> However, their form dropped off after the round 13 bye and they would not win consecutive matches for the remainder of the year.<ref name="geelongseason">{{cite web |title=Geelong - All Games - By Season |url=https://afltables.com/afl/teams/geelong/allgames.html#2019 |website=AFL Tables |accessdate=20 September 2019}}</ref> After losing the first qualifying final to Collingwood by 10 points,<ref name="1stqf">{{cite web |last1=Beveridge |first1=Riley |title=Powerful Pies surge into prelim, extend Cats' finals heartbreak |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/24/geel-v-coll#/match-report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915074431/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/24/geel-v-coll#/match-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 September 2019 |website=AFL.com.au |accessdate=20 September 2019}}</ref> they bounced back to eliminate reigning premiers West Coast by 20 points in the first semi-final.<ref name="1stSF">{{cite web |last1=Ramsey |first1=Michael |title=Cats storm into prelim but face nervous wait on star |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/25/geel-v-wce#/match-report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915074438/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/25/geel-v-wce#/match-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 September 2019 |accessdate=20 September 2019}}</ref> They reached the preliminary final stage for the fourth time in seven years but would again fall at the penultimate hurdle, losing to eventual premiers Richmond by 19 points.<ref name="yellowandback">{{cite web |last1=Beveridge |first1=Riley |title=Yellow and back: Tigers into another GF with comeback win over Cats |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/26/rich-v-geel#/match-report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915074441/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/26/rich-v-geel#/match-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 September 2019 |website=AFL.com.au |accessdate=20 September 2019}}</ref>

The Cats finished fourth on the ladder at the end of the COVID effected [[2020 AFL season|2020 regular season]] and, despite losing to Port Adelaide by 16 points in the qualifying final, they would finally end their losing run in preliminary finals and book their first grand final place in nine years after defeating Collingwood and Brisbane by 68 and 40 points in the semi-final and prelim respectively. However, the Cats would not add to their trophy cabinet after losing to Richmond by 31 points in the decider, despite leading by 15 points at half time. This match ended up being a sad farewell to [[Gary Ablett Jnr]], who was playing his last game after hurting his twice previously-injured shoulder in the opening minutes of the match. He played on, although  he was clearly dealing with pain all night, and left the field beside a [[guard of honour]] from both sides while carrying son Levi. <ref>https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-gary-ablett-retirement-gary-ablett-walk-off-levi-ablett-jordan-ablett-geelong-afl-grand-final/news-story/c10b85c18676143d3ec2d632bc94cb91</ref>

Geelong finished third on the ladder in 2021 and made it through to yet another preliminary final, having overcome a poor 43-point loss to Port Adelaide in the qualifying final to defeat Greater Western Sydney by 35 points the following week. However, the Cats’ hopes of avenging their grand final defeat were dashed in uncompromising fashion, suffering an 83-point belting at the hands of Melbourne in the preliminary final.

After being overlooked to join the inaugural [[AFL Women's]] (AFLW) competition in 2017,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chalkley-Rhoden |first1=Stephanie |title=AFL Women's league: Collingwood, Carlton among eight clubs in new national competition |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-15/teams-unveiled-for-national-afl-womens-competition/7511612 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=15 Jun 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924065805/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-15/teams-unveiled-for-national-afl-womens-competition/7511612 |archivedate=24 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> the club has been granted a licence to enter a [[Geelong Football Club#AFL Women's team|standalone team]] in the league from the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite news |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=AFLW: Tasmania-North Melbourne and Geelong win licences to field teams from 2019 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-27/tasmania-nth-melb-geelong-win-new-aflw-licences-for-2019/8992508 |accessdate=7 July 2018 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=27 September 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206083205/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-27/tasmania-nth-melb-geelong-win-new-aflw-licences-for-2019/8992508 |archivedate=6 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Geelong has also participated in the [[Victorian Football League#VFL Women's|VFL Women's]] competition since 2017.<ref>{{cite web |author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Cats announce VFL women's side |url=http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2016-10-14/cats-announce-vfl-womens-side |website=geelongcats.com.au |publisher=Telstra Media |accessdate=7 July 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502003423/http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2016-10-14/cats-announce-vfl-womens-side |archivedate=2 May 2017 |date=14 October 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Cats end their finals hoodoo and win 10th premiership=== 
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin:1em;"
|+ [[2022 AFL Grand Final]]
|-
!
! G
! B
! Total
|-
| style="text-align:left" | '''{{AFL Gee}}''' || '''20''' || '''13''' || '''133'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFL Syd}} || 8 || 4 || 52
|-
! colspan=4 | Venue <small>(attendance)</small>
|-
| colspan=4 | [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] <small>(100,024)</small>
|}
Geelong had a shaky start to their 2022 campaign, beginning the year with five wins and four losses. However, the Cats would not lose another game for the entire season, including a 6-point qualifying win over {{AFL Col}}, a 71-point preliminary final domination of the {{AFL BL}} and a grand final triumph over {{AFL Syd}} to notch the Cats' 10th premiership and Chris Scott's 2nd. Geelong jumped the Swans early on, clinching a 6.5 (41) to 1.0 (6) quarter time lead which enabled them to cruise to an 81-point victory. [[Isaac Smith (footballer)|Isaac Smith]] won the [[Norm Smith Medal]].

== See also ==
* [[List of Geelong Football Club seasons]]
* [[1963 Miracle Match]]

== Notes ==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{note label|Note1|a|a}} The current [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL) was renamed from the former Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1996. It is a separate competition from the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL), which was known as the Victorian Football League from 1897 to 1989.
{{Refend}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book | title=AFL Record Season Guide 2010 | editor=Lovett, Michael | year=2010 | page=521 | publisher=G. Slattery | isbn=978-0-9806274-5-9 |ref={{harvid|Lovett|2010}}}}

{{Geelong Football Club}}

[[Category:Geelong Football Club]]
[[Category:History of Australian rules football]]
[[Category:History of sport in Australia by team|Geelong Football Club]]
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