The Cattery NEWSLETTER NO 11 - SEPTEMBER 2007

FINALS EDITION

Ben Jensen 7 September 2007

FINALS TIME is here. Geelong go into the 2007 AFL Finals series in the best shape in well over a decade, if not since 1963. Losing just four games during the season, including three in the first five weeks, the Cats have rebounded spectacularly. Only a last second loss to Port Adelaide brought the winning run since round six to an end.

First up the Cats play the Kangaroos at the MCG in the first qualifying final. The winner progresses straight through to the Preliminary final, while the loser gets another chance but to make the Grand Final must travel to either Adelaide or Perth in the other Preliminary final.

GEELONG has recalled Jimmy Bartel and Max Rooke, leaving out the injured Matt Egan as well as Travis Varcoe. The Kangaroos have made just the one change, bringing back Michael Firrito for the suspended Kasey Green. Shannon Byrnes retains his place, probably at the expense of Varcoe, while Mark Blake again won out against fellow ruckman, ex captain Steven King.

If you're fortunate enough to have a ticket, might see you there, if not, hope you enjoy the game on TV.

BEN JENSEN

Proprietor - The Cattery

TEAM LISTS

TICKETS

Tickets start at $41.70 for Adults, $29.40 Concession, $10.50 kids, and go on sale from 9am Monday.

How to buy tickets:

Phone bookings: 1300 136 122 (Ticketmaster)

Internet: ticketmaster.com.au

In Person: Your 'local' Ticketmaster outlet

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS VIDEOS - FREE

COURTESY OF Google's Youtube, we've obtained some significant highlights of the season so far. The Cattery does not host any of these videos, merely links to the relevant Youtube site.

Link: 2007 HIGHLIGHTS

SELWOOD WINS AFL NAB RISING STAR AWARD

JOEL SELWOOD has won the AFL's NAB Rising Star award for 2007, and was awarded the inaugural Ron Evans Medal. Taken by the Cats with pick seven in the 2006 AFL National Draft, Selwood edged out Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury, Melbourne's Nathan Jones and Port Adelaide's Justin Westhoff in a near unanimous choice. Only former West Coast star Chris Mainwaring didn't give Selwood the maximum five votes.

Selwood is hoping to become the first ever winner to also win a Premiership in the same year, and plays in his first final this Sunday against the Kangaroos at the MCG. Geelong Football Club coach Mark Thompson declared Selwood the 'best first year player' he'd seen at the club earlier this season. But Selwood maintains the public statement didn't affect him. "It didn't really worry me, it didn't make me feel any more pressured or anything like that. It was better just getting it from him", he said.

The first Geelong player to win the Rising Star award in its fifteenth year history, the 19-year-old midfielder was presented the inaugural Ron Evans Medal by Andrea Evans at a function held at Melbourne's Crown Palladium today. He has also won a personal investment portfolio and a dedicated personal banker, courtesy of National Australia Bank.

OVERALL VOTING

1. Joel Selwood Geelong 44
2. Scott Pendlebury Collingwood 37
3. Nathan Jones Melbourne 17
4. Justin Westhoff Port Adelaide 10
5. Shannon Hurn West Coast 9
6. Jess Smith Kangaroos 7
7. Bryce Gibbs Carlton 6
8. Tom Williams Western Bulldogs 2
8. Patrick Ryder Essendon 2
10. Martin Clarke Collingwood 1

CATS SCOOP THE POOL WITH AFL ALL AUSTRALIAN NOMINATIONS

GEELONG has scooped the pool with an amazing nine out of fourty All Australian squad nominations. Next best represented were Hawthorn and Port Adelaide with four apiece. Led by midfield 'fab four', Geelong's nominations are:

• Defenders - Matthew Egan, Darren Milburn, Matthew Scarlett (3 out of 12)
• Forwards - Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney (2 out of 12)
• Midfielders / Ruckman - Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey, Cameron Ling (4 out of 16)

While the likes of Scarlett, Ablett and Bartel were assured, it is a fantastic effort for the likes of Egan, Milburn, Johnson and Mooney to be recognised for their efforts in the season so far. Joel Corey and Cameron Ling have had as much an impact in the midfield as Ablett and Bartel. Ruckman and pinch hitting forward Brad Ottens was not nominated, the selectors preferring Hamish McIntosh, Dean Cox and Brendan Lade.

Ottens faces Kangaroo McIntosh this weekend while Premiership duo Cox and Lade are keys to their sides, West Coast and Port Adelaide, chase for a second premiership cup.

Under a new format introduced this year, the All Australian selectors were asked to nominate the leading players in each section of the
field - forwards, defenders and midfielders / ruckmen - with the final team of 22 to be named on Monday September 17. The final team would comprise six of the 12 forwards named in the squad, six of the 12 defenders named in the squad and six of the 16 midfielders / ruckmen named in the squad. The four interchange positions would come from the remaining players not selected in the starting 18, to best fit team balance as if to play a match.

The All Australian selection panel is AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou (chairman), AFL Football Operations GM Adrian Anderson, Rod Austin, Kevin Bartlett, Mark Bickley, Gerard Healy, Chris Mainwaring and Robert Walls.

FULL SQUAD:

INJURY

GEELONG has had a fantastic run with injuries. Well, at least until the past couple weeks. Matt Egan of course, who broke a bone in his foot early on in the final round win over Brisbane, will miss at least the next three weeks but remains a slim chance of being fit for a Grand Final appearance, should the Cats make it through.

Jimmy Bartel missed the final two rounds of the season, after having his appendix removed. Bartel felt adbominal pain and upon further diagnosis was rushed to hospital. Football boss Neil Balme reflected on the timing of Bartel's misfortune. "We're lucky in the sense that this happened now and not in September. We expect Jimmy to miss one or two games and then be back.". .

Young prospect Stephen Owen suffered a serious knee injury late in the VFL season and unfortunately looks like missing most of next season after undergoing a knee reconstruction. Joel Reynolds, on the Rookie list after being delisted by Essendon last season, sadly looks to be lost to AFL football after requiring a knee reconstruction before his season really begun. Ineligible for the Rookie list next season, Reynolds will need to be drafted outright to resume his career.

Link: INJURY LIST

NAME A GAME - ENJOY ANY MATCH ON DVD FOR $34.95 (Wins listed only!)

Visit This Link for any other match of the past few seasons

ROUND 12 - GEELONG V BRISBANE DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 11 - ADELAIDE V GEELONG DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 10 - ST KILDA V GEELONG DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 9 - PORT ADELAIDE V GEELONG DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 8 - GEELONG V FREMANTLE DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 7 - GEELONG V WEST COAST DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 6 - RICHMOND V GEELONG - DVD $34.95 PLUS P&H (Mauling of Richmond)

ROUND 3 - MELBOURNE V GEELONG DVD A$34.95 + P&H

ROUND 2 - GEELONG V CARLTON DVD A$34.95 + P&H (Hawkins, Varcoe debut)

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Email: sjeffreys@firstclassaccounts.com
Web: http://firstclassaccounts.com

Free Plugs:

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