100 MOMENTS IN THE HOOPS – PART EIGHT: MATCH WINNING MOMENTS
Final instalment of Ford partnership series celebrates Geelong’s most iconic game-deciding plays.
As Geelong Football Club marks its 100-year partnership with Ford in 2025, the eighth and final chapter of the ‘100 Moments in the Hoops’ series turns the spotlight on the match winning plays that have forged the club’s successful culture.
Across the eight-part series, fans have revisited milestone moments, heartwarming stories and the Cats’ greatest on and off-field successes – all paying tribute to the people who shaped the club’s legacy. Now, the final instalment highlights the clutch performances that defined crucial victories.
Moment 80: Morrison seals AFLW debut win
Number one draft pick Nina Morrison wasted no time proving her worth in Geelong’s 2019 inaugural AFLW match against Collingwood. In front of a packed crowd, she notched 22 disposals, six clearances and eight tackles – earning an AFLW Rising Star nomination – before kicking the final behind of the game in the last quarter. That solitary point was the difference, as the Cats held on for a thrilling one-point win.
Moment 81: Ablett’s ‘Hand of God’ in 1994
Gary Ablett Senior produced magic in the 1994 Preliminary Final against North Melbourne, despite being well held for most of the game with just four disposals and two goals deep into the fourth quarter. With scores level and time expiring, he plucked a quick kick to the goal square with one hand – dubbed the ‘Hand of God’ – and slotted the after-the-siren goal that sent the Cats to the Grand Final.
Moment 82: Prespakis sparks AFLW resurgence
After a disappointing 2022 Season 6, Georgie Prespakis led the Cats’ Season 7 revival against Richmond in a low-scoring defensive battle. She kicked Geelong’s only two goals of the match, including a long-range set-shot in the final minute that put the side four points clear. The victory set the tone for a stellar campaign that saw the Cats return to the AFLW Finals.
These iconic plays join 97 others in the definitive list of Geelong’s greatest moments, celebrating a century of partnership with Ford and the indomitable spirit of the Hoops.
