THE CATTERY started out as a labour of love, and remains that, by creator and principal contributer Ben Jensen in mid season 2002. His aim was to make the best 'Unofficial' Geelong Football Club site on the net.

A consultant by day and webmaster by night, he created his first website back in 1996 whilst at the time studying Engineering and Science at Deakin University in Geelong. Many of his creations have now been decommissioned, but some live on, including vic.youngengineers.com.au and www.benjensen.com. Sadly, 'The Gamma Quadrant', a popular site with fifty thousand visitors over seven years, is currently 'off the air'.

After a very brief stint (by design!) making web-based operations manuals for water facilities, the chartered engineer soon decided it was about time he combined his love of the Cats with his skill and 'had a go' at making what he hoped would be one of the best unofficial Geelong sites out there.

Ben can't remember ever NOT supporting the mighty Cats, let alone when he first started barracking for the team wearing the blue and white hoops. Practically Ben's entire family supports Geelong; even the cousins in Sydney. Unfortunately he married into a mixed family of Carlton and Essendon fans but he retains first and last rights over any offspring.

One of his earlier memories is of his father explaining the rules of the game by drawing a big oval football field, and drawing in the positions in each spot, with 'JACKO' at full forward. The remainder of those early memories revolve around Gary Ablett Senior, Billy Brownless (his first ever official favorite player), and Garry 'Buddha' Hocking.

After living elsewhere in Victoria and the world Ben remained proud of his Geelong roots and never misses an opportunity to show his allgience, and especially loves a stroll down from the top end of Collins Street on a Monday morning after a win sporting a Geelong tie and maybe even a jacket and scarf on special occassions. Now living in Geelong again after fifteen years away.

Ben would love to hear your feedback, suggestions and hopefully contributions to The Cattery.

Contact Ben at thecattery@keldar.net

As seen in:

http://www.theage.com.au/handheld/realfooty/articles/2007/03/09/1173166987116.html

http://footyalmanac.com.au/?author=63

Ben and Rod Jensen, pictured in 2012 at a Geelong v Hawthorn pre-match function

   

THE CATTERY is more than just a one man band these days. A regular contributer for the past two years has been up and coming sports journalist MARK HEENAN, currently a freelance writer for AAP. Although a Bomber fan, which we definitely hold against him, 'Heeno' makes it to most mid-week press conferences representing The Cattery and AAP.

Some recent examples of Mark's work: