AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
1980's & 1990's
1989
Round 6 - Geelong Cats (163) @ (171) Hawthorn Hawks - In a shootout at Princes Park, both teams combined for the 4th highest scoring game in AFL/VFL history. Geelong owned the 1st half, led by Gary Ablett (28 disposals, 3 goals) and Gavin Exell (9 goals) and led 108-59 at the half. But the Hawks sensationally fought back, led by Dermott Bereton (5 goals), Gary Buckenara (22 disposals, 5 goals) and Gary Ayres (30 disposals, 1 goal), and outscored the Cats 112-55 in the 2nd half to take the win. Geelong also featured Gary Yeates (3 goals), Gary Hocking (18 disposals, 3 goals) and Mark Bairstow (35 disposals, 3 behinds)). Hawthorn also featured Jason Dunstall (4 goals) and John Platten (28 disposals, 1 goal). The 163 points scored by Geelong set a record for the highest score in a losing effort (10, Official DVD, 1 Disc, CH7 - Morphett/McKenna, PAL)
Grand Final - Hawthorn (144) v (138) Geelong - In arguably the greatest Grand Final ever, the Hawks and the Cats went toe-to-toe for the title. Both teams were very physical, with the Hawks Demott Brereton and Robert DiPierdomenico both suffering from broken ribs due to hits in the game. The Hawks rebounded from an early deficit to lead by 33 points at the half and despite a strong 2nd half from the Cats, the Hawks held on for the win. The Norm Smith medal went to the Cats Gary Ablett who finished with a record-tying 9 goals (10, Official DVD, 1 Disc, CH7 - Cometti/Robertson, PAL)
The Final Story : 1989 Grand Final - A look back at the 1989 Final between Hawthorn and Geelong, told by the players and coaches themselves. Includes interviews and archive game action (8, Downloaded from the internet, 1 Disc, PAL)
1992
Round 7 - Geelong Cats (239) @ (75) Brisbane Bears - The Cats made history at the Carrara Oval as they set the VFL/AFL record for the highest score in a game. Led by Gary Ablett (9 goals, 27 disposals) and Paul Brown (6 goals, 13 disposals), the Cats scored 7 goals in the 1st quarter, 9 in the 2nd quarter, 7 in the 3rd quarter and 14 in the final quarter, with the record breaking kick coming from Bill Brownless (3 goals) as the final siren sounded. The Cats also featured Ken Hinkley (29 disposals) and Barry Stoneham (3 goals, 26 disposals) but were missing Gary Hocking to injury. The Bears were led by John Hutton (8 goals), in only his 6th game, and also Shane Hamilton (35 disposals) (10, Official DVD, 2 Discs, CH7 - Morphett/Robertson/Scott, PAL)
1993
Round 16 - Geelong Cats (132) @ (156) Essendon Bombers - In a record setting game at the MCG, Essendon held off the Cats with a big 4th quarter to take the win. Paul Salmon (18 kicks, 18 disposals, 10 goals, 10 behinds) and Darren Bewick (13 kicks, 16 disposals, 4 goals, 2 behinds) both had big games for the Bombers but the star was Geelong Full Forward Gary Ablett (25 kicks, 25 disposals, 14 goals, 7 behinds) whose 14 goals set a record for the most ever by a player on a losing team (10, 2 Discs, CH 7 - Landy/Robertson/Healey, PAL)