Match Summary
The Cats outscored the Port Adelaide Power 5.7 to 2.2 in the opening term, before kicking five goals in the first 12 minutes of the second quarter to build a 52-point lead. Geelong excelled in their defence - which had been the best in the competition all season - keeping the Power to their lowest score of the year. The backlines, led by Matthew Scarlett at fullback, repeatedly turned defence into attack, rushing the ball forward to support the forward line. Half-forwards Paul Chapman and Steve Johnson kicked four goals each and set up numerous others. Johnson was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best-on-ground in the Grand Final after the Cats’ triumph. Chapman's day included a sensational high mark over Port Adelaide captain Warren Tredrea during the third quarter. Key forwards Cameron Mooney (five goals) and Nathan Ablett (three) also performed strongly. Power players Kane Cornes and Domenic Cassisi performed reasonably well against Geelong stars Jimmy Bartel and Gary Ablett, Jr. respectively; however, Geelong was still able to dominate the midfield with Joel Corey, James Kelly, Joel Selwood and Cameron Ling all making solid contributions and Brad Ottens and Steven King both performing strongly in the ruck.
The match ended with Geelong winning by the score of 24.19 (163) to 6.8 (44), recording the greatest winning margin in AFL Grand Final history, 119 points. This broke the previous record of 96 points set by Hawthorn against Melbourne in the 1988 VFL Grand Final; it was also, at the time, Port Adelaide's heaviest defeat in an AFL match (this record was surpassed in 2011). Geelong's 417 disposals was also a Grand Final Record. Meanwhile, Port Adelaide became the only finals side in history to have more handballs than kicks. Geelong scored 17.10 from Port Adelaide turnovers, while the Power scored just 1.2 from the Cats'.
The Cats' win ended a 44-year premiership drought for the club. The last flag had come in 1963, and since then the club had lost five Grand Finals. It was also the first premiership won by a team from Victoria since Essendon's 2000 victory.
Read more about this topic: 2007 AFL Grand Final
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