How Geelong became an AFL Powerhouse for 15 Years

[@TrueFootyAFL]

Go to betterhelp.com/truefooty for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #advert

[@LivncA_Dis3]

Geelong is the most consistent team of the modern era

[@liamskis2677]

The 15 year dynsasty is the 15 years Joel Selwood spent playing AFL. Rising star and flag in his first season. Premiership captain in his last. Lost the brownlow to the greatest prime ever Gary Ablett Junior by a singular vote. The most courageous player ever. The highest win percentage of any player ever. He isnt the GOAT but The most perfect AFL career of all time.

[@metacus9777]

I'm still devastated that Joel missed that Brownlow by one vote. I wish it had been a tie with Gaz, it would've been perfect.

[@Ozvideo1959]

Just making the point, there is no evidence that the Geelong dynasty is over. They missed the finals last season, but I may be biased, being a cats, but I think they will bounce back into contention.

[@Taj-2452]

@@Ozvideo1959 fax, same thing happened in 2015

[@bendalgleish8312]

@@Ozvideo1959 so far this season you are right

[@biggi3st3v3]

​@@Ozvideo1959must be feeling pretty chuffed with that call 3 months on, they just don't go away lol

[@sirljb8309]

It’s crazy to think how far we’ve come in the last 20-25 years. Late 90s we were $8M in debt, Kardinia park was a wreck, club in shambles. 4 flags later and a 15 year+ dynasty and a very healthy club. So proud of the catters

[@ianscott424]

Frank Costa and Brian Cook - turned that club on its head. Amazing how many people don't understand the relationship between on field and off field performance - clubs that achieve both are the successful ones.

[@dhenderson1810]

​@@ianscott424 But there are plenty of clubs where they are good internally but can't win on the field.

[@ianscott424]

@@dhenderson1810 therein lies the difference - clubs need both. You can have a great organisation and great culture, but if you can't get your game plan or list right then you're no chance. The strongest clubs are the ones that have their on field and off field departments working in harmony.

[@drunkpaulocosta]

Mate if you never had proven drug cheat doctors at your club under a literal billy affiliated drug addict like Thompson. You would have a single thing in the past 15+ years And if you think they would then you are an absolute POS human. Why does nobody talk about the essendon drug cheats(Bomber and doctor Dank) Dank joins in 07 at the start of that dynasty. After a VERY average 6 years under Bomber just started playing like gods. Yeah REAL DYNASTY. Google anything I said. I'm 100% right and it's the greatest crime in AFL history

[@LaVieDeReine86]

The symmetry of our score ending in 63 and Port scoring 44 to denote the drought being broken.

[@TrueFootyAFL]

Haha this is a great observation

[@CatsandCars-f2r]

Mad respect to True Footy, the amount of work he puts into these videos that isn't acknowledged insane

[@TrueFootyAFL]

Thanks mate that’s very kind

[@tikkletehpikkle1758]

07-08 cats on their day beat any team. EVER.

[@metacus9777]

Yep. There were no passengers in those teams.

[@BobLazar1]

Literally unfair how good they were

[@aondaatje]

Except Hawthorn in the GF

[@lloydklumpp5650]

Aberations happen

[@aondaatje]

@@lloydklumpp5650 yep. 2022 was definitely an aberration

[@MusiCatsKing]

Thanks so much for doing this. Much is said of our "strong culture" and "lifestyle." It's more than that. Our club actually has a character clause in our club policy. E.g. a misogynist and alleged sexual assaulter, who wrongly avoided jail in the US, Jordan De Goey, wanted to come over and the media was trying to push the idea (probably in an attempt to sabotage our club). Thankfully, Geelong did their due diligence and declared we're not interested. We are Geelong, the greatest team of all.

[@MurfsYT13]

These are bloody brilliant mate. I could watch these types of videos all day.

[@themaster7552]

I think one reason why they were so dominant in 2022 is because they changed their coaching staff after 2021, pretty much all of their assistant coaches were defenders, and getting fresh faces in like Eddie Betts, who also had fresh ideas and had different perspectives, was what helped them go from that shitty chipping sideways defensive game-plan, to a more attacking game style. They changed coaches the right way, a lot of clubs (Carlton) make the mistake of just sacking the head coach because they ain't winning, but keep all the assistant coaches, and the new head coach will just be given the same ideas by those assistants, and the club will keep losing games. That's one thing Geelong got right.

[@alessio1994]

Great video! Greetings from 🇮🇹 and Go Cats!!

[@ibislover2000]

i’d love a similar video to see how teams like brisbane 01-04, hawks 08-15 and tigers 17-20 were created and made - list moves, draft, coaching etc

[@maxshiraz3447]

Geelong's history goes back more than 126 years. AFL needs to recognize pre-VFL history

[@michaelk1262]

ok nuffy

[@RobKieranz]

Love you Colin

[@OwlJohlson]

Just like to say, in the depressing moments of the AFL off-season and no footy you bring joy to us all and keep the season alive beyond its ending. You are a legend ❤

[@TrueFootyAFL]

Thanks mate that means a lot! Glad I've been able to add some value!

[@rainlori]

Excellent video, as always. Melbourne Football Club 1858 Geelong Football Club 1859 The two oldest.

[@klokar21]

This is your best video yet, well done.

[@lawlordummett2851]

The 11.23 is a bit misleading considering the amount of rushed behinds in the 08 grand final

[@klokar21]

The AFL changing the rules so no team could rush the ball out of bounds or for a behind is proof of how bad of a game 2008 was.

[@Gimmo2197]

Let’s assume 6 were rushed at 17 generally missed they still would’ve beat the hawks but hey it was the hawks day and no one can take that away from them

[@drunkpaulocosta]

​@@klokar21 you forgot the AFL bot taking every single flag under Bomber and Dank combo off the club. Absolutely baffles me why people treated Jobe how they did and the Dons. When you guys robbedthe league for nearly 10 years under the same 2 Team Doctor/Coach combo Actually half the reason I don't watch footy anymore. No point if proven and admitted(Club admitted cheating with Dank in 09 a flag year) So it's a stone cold fact. And if they did it that year they did it every year since Dank joined in 07. Bombers fans were ashamed of our club. Geelong fans are still proud of this era. It's absolutely sad

[@chemistryset1]

The sentiment here is bang on - Geelong fans have walked through the valley of the shadow of death but were finally delivered an Era. It was not an easy path.

[@radstevens]

great video mate, well done and GO CATS!

[@ytQrash]

As a Cats fan since the day I first saw an AFL match, this was great! Succinct yet detailed. P.S. I'm already subscribed and have enjoyed all the content so far.

[@EDD8209]

Great video as always cats fan though you didn’t mention how we changed the game. Play on at all costs moving it quickly. Also everyone snaps around the corner nowadays but it was originally known as the J curve. Stevie J brought this shot into the game now everyone does it.

[@jeremybean-hodges6397]

That was great, but it was really only our gameplan for two years. After that, Lyon and Clarkson changed the game again.

[@Swizzy-D]

Unreal mate, you’ve done a fantastic job encapsulating how we Catters fans all felt from 2022. The constant heartbreak of Finals losses, the ever mounting criticism, the media hounding the club to stop bucking the trend and to finally commit to dropping down the ladder to get top draft picks. 2022 vindicated the entire club. It may well be the end of a very long and very fun era but we appreciate you shining a spotlight on it for us. So thankyou! P.S: Would love for you to continue this as a series style thing for multiple other teams. Would love to hear more about teams like the 3 Peat Lions, the Bloods 2005 win and culture that set them up long term for success, the greatest team ever to never win it in 2009-2010 St Kilda The under”Dogs” 2016 Premiership win, the Dees 2021 Curse breaker. Any one of them or all of them would be fantastic content.

[@joelmeeke6180]

Why do you think they’re no longer that powerhouse. Because we fall out of finals last year 2023. We did that in 2015 too then got going again. It’s our superior club culture is our reason. Our saviour Frank Costa… one of his biggest values is to never stay complacent… always look to improve in all areas… plus surround yourself with good people…. And “character first talent second”. These are some of the building foundations of our rebuilt culture since 1999. That culture doesn’t just go over night just because we’ve had one of our biggest leaders in Selwood retire. I’m getting fucking frustrated with people falling into the weird trap of believing the jealous critics that “that’s it Geelong powerhouse era’s over”. Not even sufficient enough proof to prove that!

[@gwilkes5325]

Legit, I did a few predictions this year, and obviously without some outside factors like injuries, random surges from lower teams, etc. I couldn’t have Geelong lower than 6th, still got a good list, experienced, and with 9 games I think at Kardinia, I’m almost certain they’re gonna bounce back right into finals

[@davidng8870]

And 2006 too as the video says. I mean they might not win but you can never count them out

[@dhenderson1810]

Good recruiting played a huge part.

[@melukaussie7128]

Amazing insight, especially coming from an unbiased perspective. As a Geelong supporter, I am sick of innuendoes from other supporters that we cheat, who pay players on the side as we offer less salary etc. In this day and age that is impossible with how much scrutiny each club gets in the terms of financial and other aspects of running these clubs. So, thank you! Geelong has a great Culture and I believe that is the core of a club's success. On top of that, the turnaround was Brian Cook who I believe will do the same for Carlton as he has done for West Coast and Geelong. Carlton is a pure example of bad culture with great talent! Also not to forget the late Frank Costa who has invested so much money into our Club. People have to remember Geelong were on the brinks of collapse in the not so past. We may have had to merge or to this day be no existent. Which for the second founding AFL team after Melbourne only be 24 hours, would have been a travesty. Anyone that wants to hate on this comment or Geelong, I couldn't care less to be honest. LOl True footy, I watch most of your videos anyway, regardless on the topic or which team. They are all so insightful and interesting.! Bring on 2024, cannot wait for the season to begin as it will be close! Good luck to all teams and GO Cats!!!

[@TimTorinoWPGJets]

There’s no team I loathe more than Geelong. Hawthorn and Richmond’s dynasties didn’t annoy me the way Geelong smashing teams every week from 2007 onwards did. I would rather Collingwood win the flag every year than Geelong ever win again. Go Lions 🦁

[@melukaussie7128]

Tim, can I ask why the hate in Geelong? Funnily enough, I think Brisbane are a great team. Contended for years and will win a flag in the not so distance future. I will be heading to Brisbane for the game! GO Cats!

[@denggarambang1151]

Go Cats!

[@PaddyOC19]

and to think we were close to having an extra 3-4 premierships... there would be no debate in the best team dynasty ever

[@Ozvideo1959]

Well, I'm a pretty old, long time Cats fan, and the only year we could genuinely say the premiership got away from us, is 2008, and to a lesser degree, 2010, all the others, we were in the mix, but we, for one reason or another, were found wanting.

[@PaddyOC19]

@@Ozvideo1959 I think 2013 is definitely close considering we had a reasonable lead at 3qt and almost sent it to extra time but Varcoe missed a relatively simple kick on the run. 2019 PF too was really unlucky, we were on a roll but finished the half with 7.8 and could have easily had a few extra goals which would have silenced the tigers. 2020 was just frustrating but that was definitely a winnable one too in my opinion.

[@drunkpaulocosta]

Well Dank joined in 07 You aren't gonna be more gutless than Bombers fans and support your teams ADMITTED drug cheating are you? Like Geelong admitted what Dank accused them of. And that was buying PEDs off him in 09(because he had proof of that) He claims it's the only reason he was brought there is 07 as an advisory role. And then team doctor by 09 You guys really do not have the balls or integrity as fans to kick up a fuss like we did. We called for the club to sack players and coaches involved. We turned on our greatest ever player for letting it continue when he took over. What has Geelong done as a club to fix the biggest crime in AFL history

[@drunkpaulocosta]

That's what it is. You guys and your players aren't heros. They let you down. They cheated you and everyone else out of a genuine season. And they did it for a decade nearly. Actually makes me sick. And why I don't watch footy anymore. AFL had to have known

[@WFierce]

@@drunkpaulocosta Dank never 'joined'. He was never employed by Geelong, and certainly not as club doctor. Steve Hocking met with him once in '09, on a recommendation, and declined to hire him. Robinson admitted to 'consulting' with Dank during his time at the club, but that was as close as he got. As to what Geelong 'admitted', it was purchasing Actovegin from a company linked to Dank (whatever that means). Actovegin was approved by ASADA, WADA, and the AFL's chief medical officer. It's not cheating because it wasn't a banned substance.

[@Sammy25100]

Great video, really well done here! I love this video essay style content.

[@michaelk1262]

As a Cats fan i was rock hard for about 13 minutes of this video (went soft when 2008 came on)

[@drunkpaulocosta]

Yeah Steroids will do that to ya...

[@drunkpaulocosta]

Doctor Drug Cheat him self Dank joins in 07. Geelong go from a club who had 6 average seasons under Bomber to the greatest team ever. Yeah fugg off mate. Pack of gutless wonders. Real ones actually remember this shid happened. You just got caught after the fact And your club even admitted the 09 season they got Dank to dope the players. Literally a Flag year. Gronks the lot of ya. Enjoy your stole flags mate

[@davidng8870]

That one really hurts bc I reckon if they won it they would be widely accepted as the best team of the modern era. It would be threepeat plus one. But as it is it’s hard to say they were better than the 2001-03 Lions

[@BDub2024]

I have two words for BRIAN COOK. He did his magic at Eagles before being shifted out... Then Geelong... now Carlton. And surprise surprise they're back contending for premierships again.

[@Ozvideo1959]

I agree, and you could throw in Stephen Wells too, he's very good at spotting talent.

[@BDub2024]

Remember he organised the grand stands and ground development at Geelong... playing cricket there etc.

[@my2cents198]

And Frank Costa

[@ThePatster93]

Been a fan for a while now but your quality of content has had a massive jump up the last month or so. Keen to see more! I am hesitant to share this one with my mates cause im already labeled as a one eye geelong nuffie... can i request a video on Adam Goodes so i can share your channel? 😂

[@teddownum7428]

Excellent vid, Jesse. Thanks!

[@davidng8870]

I remember picking Geelong as my team to support in around 1992 when first introduced to the game due to their moniker and their attacking style (saw them putting Richmond or North to the sword in the first game that I attended). Regretted my choice many times up to 2007, there were some dark days such as when Steven King was our best player. But by God they have delivered since Edit: remembering all this as well I feel bad for the Saints. I remember in 2004 when both sides made the prelim they were actually seen as the better side, at least in terms of a brighter immediate future if not long term. But they couldn’t get over the hump and Gehrig fell off and then when they rose again in 2009 we beat them. Couldn’t capitalise on that window and have been mediocre since 😢

[@Haunted.23]

Just saying in the 2008 grand final our accuracy was fine. The afl actually implemented the deliberate rushed behind rule because of that game. Hawthorn just rushed it through every time, we weren't kicking points.

[@colincolenso]

Geelong took 2023 to do a rebuild, back on the top of the ladder in 2024 with 7 straight wins. LOL 18 straight years of being competitive. They've changed the way AFL teams think about team building.

[@GeelongFan24]

There back in the run 💪💪

[@kurt72oct]

Thank You for a wonderful video

[@disco_duckbill]

lol, one-peat premiers, how cute

[@PiesFooty]

Good stuff, Jesse!

[@3mmzy]

Loved this

[@VCS7083]

"The cats would up from 12th to make a prelim final against the lions" Sounds familiar

[@anthonyvincenzo-]

Love this type of Vid

[@AlexWilliams-yd4dv]

Great vid mate

[@vampyresgraveyard3307]

Geelong was the only team to beat Collingwood in 2011, 2 regular season games and the grand final, i tipped Collingwood all games that year except when they played Geelong i tipped Geelong to beat Collingwood because i support the cats.

[@gggumball]

and in the end it worked out! crazy

[@BDub2024]

Every dog has its day, even the Geelong cats. They had a long period of no flags. What goes around comes around and they have a great era. You look at Essendon and the opposite is happening.

[@swordiexd]

I love your channel, and I love the work you put into videos, but this one was missing some absolutely crucial things that were needed to be said. You really rushed through this video, this deserves multiple parts, starting all the way back in the mid 1990's when Frank Costa acquired the club in $8 million dollars in debt to 2023 where they will be back in 2024.

[@VitaminXism]

Great video

[@therealENENRA]

Carn the mighty cats!!

[@6Thouxaan]

Far Out, remember when Bomber and Ablett left , the whole city thought. it was over

[@ethanmason2001]

Although Geelongs AFL run has been super impressive (from a Hawks fan 😢), not finishing lower than 12th sounds like they haven’t even won the spoon, which they definitely have but only when it was a 12 team comp

[@eyeballbilly]

decimated by the second world war and travel restrictions when they almost kicked us out of the league hence those spoons

[@klokar21]

No other team has a longer drought for a wooden spoon than Geelong, their last spoon was in 1958, the next longest drought is your boys in 1965, then it is Sydney by a mile in 1994, goes to show why Hawthorn and Geelong are the two greatest sides of the AFL era.

[@Taj-2452]

mate its gonna be a loooonnnnngggg time before we get awarded a spoon. we might of had a shit year last year but we were plagued with injuries. i think this year we can be a threat to the 8 but dont really see us doing much more than that.

[@DesyncGaming.]

Nice vid, you should have touched on how important a lot of their father son picks have been though, Other than the brief mention of Gaz.

[@EDD8209]

Only father son we had that would of gone in the top ten was hawkins. Gaz and Scarlett wouldn’t have gone in the top thirty or forty. People forget Ablett wasn’t a super star in junior footy.

[@jimhaze87]

Awesome Stuff.. Great Content Well Done.. Go Cats..

[@markuswilmes3694]

Different team without j Selwoods leadership and demand for effort

[@BDub2024]

Yeh but look at Eagles 10 years of playing finals in the 90s... then a couple years back and they back into contention again with flag in 2006, Ended up being 18 years of power for West Coast.

[@gggumball]

uhh but was it? didn't they have a bad 2000 and 2001?

[@BDub2024]

@@gggumball 2 bad years out 18 for sure. What's your point. I think Geelong has missed out on finals 3 times in their block of 15. Its inevitable that a side will get injuries sometimes and take it as an opportunity to reset, as no doubt Geelong has.

[@gggumball]

@@BDub2024 since 2007 Geelong has missed 2 finals. I watched something on the Eagles 2000 season being really odd with a big win immediately followed by a huge loss, followed by another big win. That was just off topic, my point is that I personally don't consider a time when a team is in a double digit position to be considered a teams powerful era

[@joelmeeke6180]

And after the 2024 Quarter Finals, Geelong proves the growing insane critics wrong again, were now just as much favs for the flag as the other teams left in it this year. And with continued burgeoning talent and confidence for the future again. Its just pure jealousy from the growing number of critics, trying to tear us down! But also stupidity and amnesia from some Geelong supporter buying into the critics commentaries.

[@Adrian-vd4te]

aids team and aids town just a sold out team to win flags you can keep them...karma bus hits hard

[@spindoctor6385]

It would be a pretty easy argument to make that they actually underperformed during this period. Four flags in 15 years of consistent top four finishes, with a core group of elite players playing most of it is a little bit light on. If they had not won in 22 (I usually hate "what if" arguments but I am making one anyway) then it would easily be looked at as a big waste of talent. No flag between 11-22 is not a good result. While it is hard to complain about four flags, it could have been better.

[@Ozvideo1959]

And IF they'd won in 2008, your point wouldn't even matter.

[@spindoctor6385]

@@Ozvideo1959 There is still a decade without a flag with that list, even without my "what if" argument and with yours.

[@Ozvideo1959]

@@spindoctor6385 A decade isn't that long, especially when you are giving yourselves a chance every year. Plenty of teams have been earmarked as starting a "dynasty" that never happened. Melbourne springs to mind, after 2021 all the pundits were peddling the dynasty line. Same with Collingwood in 2010. Most times teams are only really at their best for a few years, if that.

[@spindoctor6385]

@@Ozvideo1959 A decade is a long time, especially when you are giving yourself a chance every year. That is why it is easy to say they under performed. They had a "dynasty" if you want to call it that but it ended in 2011, since then they are even in flags with Sydney, Melbourne, Collingwood, West Coast and the bulldogs and way behind both Hawthorn and Richmond. That is hardly part of a dynasty. You can celebrate constant finals and top four finishes, but the only real currency is premierships.

[@Ozvideo1959]

@@spindoctor6385 Yeah but you're conveniently skipping over the flags in 2007 and 2009. The truth is Geelong has been consistently at the top end of the competition for 20 years. Not too many other teams have that record.

[@brettr5547]

Dodgy real estate deals and brown paper bags and practically control AFL#VFL house

[@tommyandrewd]

Take out the 2022 Premiership and the video is probably why Geelong is the AFL’s biggest underachiever. Would also love a what if Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron never joined Geelong video.

[@Swizzy-D]

Now imagine if all those Home Finals were at Kardinia against MCG Tenants. Could very easily have won another 5 Premierships. Doubt Tigers get through us at Cattery as they couldn’t even beat us there in 2017 when they win the bloody thing, Hawks never bloody played us there. Dees had a horrible record there. Easy to say that when your Home field advantage gets taken away in Finals and gifted to the opposition who didn’t even earn it.

[@tommyandrewd]

@@Swizzy-D no Victorian team ever played finals at their (traditional) home ground except well Melbourne, they were always played at the MCG and later Waverley.

[@Swizzy-D]

@@tommyandrewd I know that, I’m just saying it plays a factor

[@michealriseley6261]

Having Bomber Thompson and the two blokes at the centre of the Supplements saga at Essendon surely helped. No one likes to talk about that though

[@mattfarrelly6314]

Because it’s a conspiracy theory with no actual evidence. Essendon did it and that’s all we actually know

[@aondaatje]

15 year powerhouse? 07-11 they where a powerhouse for sure then they didnt win anything for 11 years and snuck one in before coming back down the ladder.

[@patrickmilner4149]

Here's an unpopular opinion. Sydney didn't deserve to be in the grand final in 2022. Collingwood would have beaten the Cats in the 2022 grand final

[@lizardking9529]

Not unpopular, just a nuffy opinion. The Pies had their crack in week 1. Wrongfully had the home deck, the crowd, played out of their skins while the Cats weren't at their best and they still couldn't get it done. The way the Cats were on against the Swans they weren't losing to anyone that day.

[@Taj-2452]

how did they not deserve to be there? they won the games they needed to win therefore placing them in the grandfinal. pies lost to us fair and also to swans so they defs didn't deserve to be there either lol

[@drunkpaulocosta]

Drug cheating under Bomber Thompson and Doctor Dank You didnt fool anyone. Rattiest club in history

[@mattfarrelly6314]

Conspiracy Theorist. Get some evidence

[@seanlynch1185]

Comparing all the great teams Geelong stands out as having the worst forward line. It is 2nd rate. That's why I put other teams ahead of them.

[@tikkletehpikkle1758]

07-11 cats had a very good forwardline wouldn’t call it 2nd rate, even if it was they made up for it with a star studded backline and midfield that were likely better then any team from that era.

[@seanlynch1185]

​@@tikkletehpikkle1758 They only had Mooney as their established key position target (average) and the only elite player was Stevie Johnson in that part of the ground. Compare that to Lions, Hawks, even Tigers (if you include T.Lynch). If Tom Hawkins at the time (2007-20011) was the player he would become post 2011 then it would have looked a bit better'. The other great teams had super stars in their forward line. Even Port Adelaide of 2004 makes their forward line look 2nd rate.

[@EDD8209]

So Chapman isn’t elite? And a very very good second rate forward in Podsiadly plus Stokes and Byrnes not a bad forward.

[@seanlynch1185]

@@EDD8209 Cats forwadline wasn't shit but they just clearly don't rate alongside the other teams who were stacked. Lions and Hawks were stacked.

[@eyeballbilly]

if Nathan Ablett had the desire for the footy spotlight it woulda been different, check the tape on his 32 game career, he was one that got away