Geelong are your 2022 AFL premiers.
It’s a full stop on one of the most dominant teams for the best part of 15 years, always in the finals, always in the hunt, and proof that winning a flag is bloody hard work.
However, the Cats made it look easy on Saturday with an 81-point demolition of the Sydney Swans and it was party time from the start of the third quarter.
There’s already been a lot said, written and watched about the Grand Final but what did the Punters get from it?
We’ve put together a five-leg multi of hindsight for the final time in season 2022 in what we like to call – Five Lessons Learned.
(1) Geelong, the greatest team of all.
One of footy’s foundation clubs added their 10th premiership to the trophy cabinet at Kardinia Park and boy did they do it in style.
This was Geelong’s 16th win on the trot and an 81-point demolition of the Sydney Swans on Grand Final day is a bloody sweet way to celebrate.
For Joel Selwood, it was his first flag as captain, the fourth of his career, 26 disposals and a best on the ground in class and respect post-game from running out on the ground with young Levi Ablett, getting club all-rounder Sammy in the lap of honour to giving his boots to the Auskick kid on stage.
Veterans like Tom Hawkins booting three goals, Mitch Duncan 27 disposals and finally the likes of Jeremy Cameron and Patrick Dangerfield have reached the top of football’s Mount Everest
Need we not mention the efforts of Tyson Stengle’s four-goal effort, young guns in Sam De Koning, Zach Guthrie and Brad Close?
The Irish boys Zach Tuohy and Mark O’Connor…oh and Isaac Smith got himself a Norm…
There’s so much to be said and written about the Cats, everyone played their role on the day but while none will admit it on the day, the game was all but done and dusted at quarter time – no goals in the first nine minutes, followed by six unanswered to the Cats.
It was never in doubt.
(2) The New Norm
755 Ladbrokes Punters took Isaac Smith for the Norm Smith at $41 pre-game and would have been up and about on Grand Final day.
The former Hawk now has a fourth premiership medal and is the first Smith to win the Norm Smith (no relation as pointed out by Nathan Buckley)
It was a champion performance fitting for Grand Final day – 32 disposals, 11 inside 50s, 12 marks, five clearances and three goals.
In his acceptance speech, Smith paid tribute to his late Pop, Kevin who passed away during Grand Final week and you couldn’t help but be touched by the moment.
At 33 years old, he’s now the oldest player to have won the Norm Smith despite pointing out that Kevin Bartlett looked about 90 when he won it back in 1980 at age 32.
(3) Experience makes the difference.
Too old, too slow…too good.
Geelong brought that saying back to life.
With an average age of 28 on the Cats list, Geelong feasted on the young Sydney Swans on Saturday.
We’ve all made, seen, given the jokes about Geelong being a retirement home, but it was best summed up by the Cats social team after the Grand Final.
(4) Punter BOGs
A shout out to the following Ladbrokes Punters who made that one day in September, one to remember:
1,787 who backed Geelong to win the premiership during the season including one who had $10k on the Cats @ $2.10
35 Punters who backed the Cats 60 + @ $9.75
2,632 who backed Tom Hawkins for first goal at $8
755 who backed Isaac Smith for Norm Smith at $41
Geelong opens the betting for the 2023 premiership as the $5 favourite.
(5) Did Sydney even turn up?
Flight cancellations are quite frequent now, and it would have been forgiven if you thought Sydney’s plane was delayed on Saturday given how the Swans played.
It was obvious that Sydney played their Grand Final against Collingwood the week before but their performance on Saturday was pitiful.
Chad Warner and Tom Papley had a crack, the rest didn’t.
Buddy had four kicks for the day and one behind which was given the Bronx cheer from the crowd in a stinker of the day – but it wasn’t just Buddy, it was the Swans.
Sydney is young, and Sydney will learn but Sydney also owes the rest of the competition (minus Cats fans) an apology for making the Grand Final boring, resulting in some of the lowest TV ratings in years.
BONUS LESSONS
(6) Robbie Williams is the best ever.
There’s no going back from here.
Robbie Williams has set the standard for AFL Grand Final entertainment.
Not to mention the goal assist from Delta Goodrem late in his performance.
It was simply outstanding.
The bar has been set, the big day deserves big names, and we got it.
(7) Stop the Boats
It was best summed up by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the North Melbourne breakfast when he said “Stop the boats” after the Grand Final parade on the Yarra.
One of the great football events was ruined by a marketing thought bubble in which someone didn’t ask if it was a bad idea or not.
The Yarra is brown, the weather was overcast and no one could really see the players.
While Robbie Williams was the best pre-game show ever, the 2022 Grand Final parade joins Angry Anderson and Meatloaf for all-time flops.