2009 AFL Grand Final: Difference between revisions
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===Fourth quarter=== |
===Fourth quarter=== |
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Geelong's [[Paul Chapman (footballer)|Paul Chapman]] kicked a goal at the 23-minute mark of the final quarter to break a tense deadlock, before [[Max Rooke]] gave the Cats some breathing space with a kick off the ground in the forward line that resulted in a behind and a seven-point lead. Rooke added another goal after the final siren to confirm the Cats' win. Significantly, the Cats \kept the Saints goalless in the final term. |
Geelong's [[Tom Hawkins (footballer)|Tom Hawkins]]' goal less than two minutes into the last term was the first goal to have been scored in the game for 22 minutes. The Cats' [[Paul Chapman (footballer)|Paul Chapman]] kicked a goal at the 23-minute mark of the final quarter to break a tense deadlock, before [[Max Rooke]] gave the Cats some breathing space with a kick off the ground in the forward line that resulted in a behind and a seven-point lead. Rooke added another goal after the final siren to confirm the Cats' win. Significantly, the Cats \kept the Saints goalless in the final term. |
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Chapman was awarded the [[Norm Smith Medal]] for his three goals and 26 possessions. Rooke, [[Darren Milburn]], [[Gary Ablett Jr|Gary Ablett]], [[Jimmy Bartel]] and [[Harry Taylor (Australian rules footballer)|Harry Taylor]] were also excellent for Geelong (the latter restricting dangerous Saints forward [[Nick Riewoldt]] to just one goal), while Hayes, [[Jason Gram]], [[Luke Ball]], [[Clinton Jones (footballer)|Clinton Jones]], [[Leigh Montagna]], [[Steven Baker]] and [[Brendon Goddard]] contributed strongly for St Kilda. |
Chapman was awarded the [[Norm Smith Medal]] for his three goals and 26 possessions. Rooke, [[Darren Milburn]], [[Gary Ablett Jr|Gary Ablett]], [[Jimmy Bartel]] and [[Harry Taylor (Australian rules footballer)|Harry Taylor]] were also excellent for Geelong (the latter restricting dangerous Saints forward [[Nick Riewoldt]] to just one goal), while Hayes, [[Jason Gram]], [[Luke Ball]], [[Clinton Jones (footballer)|Clinton Jones]], [[Leigh Montagna]], [[Steven Baker]] and [[Brendon Goddard]] contributed strongly for St Kilda. |
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Revision as of 12:31, 26 September 2009
| 2009 AFL Grand Final | |
|---|---|
| Home Team | St Kilda |
| Away Team | Geelong |
| Date | 26 September 2009 |
| Stadium | MCG |
| City | Melbourne |
| TV in Australia | |
| Network | Network Ten |
| < 2008 • AFL Grand Final • 2010 > | |
The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 2009. It was the 113th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 2009 AFL season. The match, attended by 99,251 spectators, was won by Geelong by a margin of 12 points. The victory marked Geelong's eighth premiership win.
Background
St Kilda entered the 2009 premiership season after having lost its Preliminary Final in 2008 against eventual premiers Hawthorn. The Saints' home-and-away season was outstanding, and they won their first nineteen games (the longest winning streak in club history) before losing consecutive close games in Rounds 20 and 21 against Essendon and North Melbourne. They won their final game and earned the McClelland Trophy for the first time since 1997. Their record of 20-2 is the equal-third most wins of all time, behind the 2008 Cats and the 2000 Bombers. They accounted for fourth-placed Collingwood by 28 points in their Qualifying Final, and won a hard-fought and low scoring Preliminary Final against the Western Bulldogs by seven points to earn their place in the Grand Final.
Geelong entered the 2009 season after two consecutive minor premierships and two consecutive Grand Final appearances: a victory against Port Adelaide in the 2007 AFL Grand Final, and a loss against Hawthorn in the 2008 AFL Grand Final. They won their four preseason games to win the NAB Cup, and their first thirteen home-and-away games. Their first loss came in Round 14 against St Kilda (who at that stage were also undefeated) by six points. Following that loss, the Cats entered a form slump, caused in part by several key injuries; their eight games from Rounds 14 to 21 yielded four wins and four losses, but only one of those wins (a 46-point victory against eventual wooden spooners Melbourne) was by a margin greater than one goal. Geelong won their final game comfortably to finish with a record of 18-4. They defeated a fast-finishing Bulldogs team by 14 points in their Qualifying Final, then comfortably beat Collingwood by 73 points in their Preliminary Final to advance to the Grand Final.
In the week leading up to the Grand Final, Geelong's Gary Ablett was awarded the Brownlow Medal.
This Grand Final was the sixteenth in Geelong's history, and the third in succession, with the club attempting to win its eighth premiership and second in three years. In addition, Geelong had the chance to become the first team to win an additional $1,000,000 in prize money (on top of the standard prize) for winning both the pre-season and regular season premierships.
It was sixth Grand Final appearance in St Kilda's history, the first since the 1997 Grand Final, with the club attempting to win its second premiership. Its only flag to date was won 43 years earlier in the 1966 Grand Final.
This was the first time that St Kilda and Geelong met in a Grand Final.
Pre-match entertainment
Mark Seymour from Australian rock band Hunters and Collectors performed "Holy Grail" on stage, followed by Jimmy Barnes and "No Second Prize". John Farnham then began "You're the Voice", joined later by Seymour and Barnes.
Match summary
The Grand Final was played in cold and wet conditions, and it was a very tight and unrelenting game throughout, with no more than 12 points separating the teams until the final siren, and the entire second half was played with the gap in single digits.
First quarter
Geelong started strongly, earning with two-goal advantage after just eight minutes. Though St Kilda soon maintained ascendancy in the midfield (partly through the influence of Lenny Hayes who tallied 11 touches and a goal in the first term), they failed convert on the scoreborad due to inaccurate kicking. Wasteful shots from Andrew McQualter, Adam Schneider and Stephen Milne deprived St Kilda of three goals.
Second quarter
In the second quarter, Geelong threatened to break the game open with goals against the flow of play. Late in the quarter, St Kilda's Zac Dawson handed Tom Hawkins a gift goal with a clearance mistake deep in defence (although television replays revealed that Hawkins' kick hit the post). However, three quick goals by the Saints shortly before half time gave the them a six point half time lead.
Third quarter
After half time the ascendancy of the contest swayed much more evenly. Both St Kilda and Geelong added two goals in the third term, such that the Saints entered the final term just seven points in front.
Fourth quarter
Geelong's Tom Hawkins' goal less than two minutes into the last term was the first goal to have been scored in the game for 22 minutes. The Cats' Paul Chapman kicked a goal at the 23-minute mark of the final quarter to break a tense deadlock, before Max Rooke gave the Cats some breathing space with a kick off the ground in the forward line that resulted in a behind and a seven-point lead. Rooke added another goal after the final siren to confirm the Cats' win. Significantly, the Cats \kept the Saints goalless in the final term.
Chapman was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his three goals and 26 possessions. Rooke, Darren Milburn, Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel and Harry Taylor were also excellent for Geelong (the latter restricting dangerous Saints forward Nick Riewoldt to just one goal), while Hayes, Jason Gram, Luke Ball, Clinton Jones, Leigh Montagna, Steven Baker and Brendon Goddard contributed strongly for St Kilda.