History: Geelong's Greatest Midfielders

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Greatest Midfielders


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This thread will Highlight some of the Great Geelong Players of the past and present who have been acclaimed by all as greats of the game. Feel free to contribute if you want to do a profile. Hope you enjoy reading about some of our magic past players.​
 
Re: History: Geelongs Greatest Midfielders

No 32. Gary "Buddha" Hocking

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Their just insn't enough superlatives to describe a player like Gary Hocking. I can remember watching many games with just amazing performances by this tough man. In a team that boasted many Champions this man of steel just quietly went about his job of winning the ball. If a contested possession was needed or a pack was forming you would most likely find Gary Hocking in the middle of it winning the ball.

He was fearless in the way he attacked the ball. A parallel in today's team would be Joel Selwood. Buddha did the hard ball get to perfection and in so much, the fans loved him.

Gary Hocking played 274 games for the Geelong Football Club in the AFL between 1987 and 2001. He represented Victoria on numerous occasions in the State of Origin series and played in four losing Grand Final sides (1989, 1992, 1994, 1995).

Always the Bridesmaid

There was a period where Buddha was playing so well that he finished in the top 4 for the Brownlow Medal on many occaisions. How I remember hoping like hell he would win it. His consistency over a period was recognised by the club in 1995 when, after former-captain Bairstow's departure at the end of 1994, Hocking was given the captaincy role for the 1995 season. However early in the season, he stated his intentions to give up the captaincy to concentrate purely on playing.

Team Of the Century

Buddhas tenacity, hardness, consistency and quality was rewarded in 2001 when he was named ruck-rover in Geelong's Team of the Century. A great honour given the fact there have been other quality ruck-rovers in Geelong's history.

In the late 1990s (1998) Hocking was part of a promotion with cat-food company Whiskas, where for a short period of time he changed his name by deed-poll to "Whiskas". He announced this on The Footy Show. This was to help lessen the financial burden that the Geelong Football Club was facing at the time.

After his playing career, which ended in 2001, Hocking moved into the coaching arena. In 2005, he coached Peel Thunder Football Club in the WAFL, a team which was struggling and managed to win just 4 games for the year in 2005. In one match, Hocking employed a tactic where every player on the Peel team was stationed in defense for a centre-bounce. Known as a "full-flood", this was viewed as a farcical situation, and one that Hocking wanted to use with his team down by a massive margin. Hocking has promised never to use the tactic again, and has said that in this one instance, it was appropriate for the circumstance.

In 2006, Hocking has taken up the coaching reins at Geelong Falcons Under 18s.

He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame on March 8th, 2008.

Awards

Club Captain for three games in 1995
Selected in the 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1995 grand final teams
Best and Fairest 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1996
Represented Victoria seven times
Finished in top three for the Brownlow Medal count between 1991-5
All-Australian in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1996
Geelong team of the century

Gary Hocking STATS:

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Not Buddhas finest moment.....

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Re: History: Geelongs Greatest Midfielders

No. 6 Peter Pianto

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Peter Pianto (25 November 1929 - 19 February 2008) was an Australian rules footballer and coach with Geelong in the VFL.

Pianto played as a rover and was a premiership player with Geelong in 1951 and 1952. During his career he was a best and fairest winner, All-Australian and Victorian interstate representative. He polled well in the Brownlow Medal counts, finishing fourth in 1952 and second in 1956.

As coach his best performance was in the 1967 season when he steered Geelong to the Grand Final where they lost to Richmond.

In recent times he was a member of the club's history and tradition committee.

Peter played 121 games and kicked 144 goals over seven years with the Cats. He was a brilliant rover who was recruited from Eaglehawk. Pianto was chased by four league clubs, but settled on Geelong because of its country atmosphere. Often he seemed to have the ball on a string and was an accurate running drop kick apart from the occasions when he erred by running too fast.

One of his most memorable efforts was a five goal performance in the 1953 semi final against Collingwood when he gave a sustained exhibition of speed, courage and cleverness. He was an outstanding contributor in the 1951 and 1952 premiership winning sides.

Peter played for Victoria nine times and won the club best and fairest in 1953. He then coached Colac and Claremont as captain-coach for three years. He coached Geelong from 1966 to 1970 which included a grand final appearance as 1967. Peter is a member of the Geelong Football Club hall of fame and team of the century.


Career Highlights

* Geelong's Carji Greeves Medal winner 1953
* Geelong Premiership Player 1951, 1952
* VFL represntative in 9 interstate games
* All Australian Team 1956
* VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century 2007
* Geelong Team of the Century - Forward pocket


Cats legends pay tribute to Peter Pianto

Daniel Fogarty

23Feb08

CATS legend Peter Pianto was a character who loved his family and loved life, mourners at his funeral heard yesterday.

Hundreds of mourners, including Cats greats Bob Davis, Doug Wade and Gareth Andrews, packed St Mary of the Angels Basilica to pay their respects to the Geelong premiership player and coach.

* Video tribute from BOB DAVIS and GARETH ANDREWS
* The Peter Pianto photo tribute

They heard of a life that touched people from all walks of life.

Among those who knew him well was his nephew Father Dennis Crameri who conducted the service.

Fr Crameri recalled a recent visit to see Pianto in Geelong Hospital _ he followed the sound of Bing Crosby to find his room.

``Peter was someone who gave himself in so many ways,'' Fr Crameri said

The priest delivered some words on behalf of Pianto.

``To the Geelong Football Club, thank you for the opportunity you gave me to play . . . the opportunity to coach the club.

``To my own family, you are a great mob. To my own children, sorry to be leaving you. You know how much I love you. I am so proud of you all.''

Fr Crameri said Pianto was a man who never forgot his roots, always reminding people that he came from Eaglehawk.

``You can take the boy out of the borough, but you will never take the borough out of the boy,'' he said, referring to the nickname of the Eaglehawk Football Club.

Pianto's son Steve said, while his Dad was never one to brag, he always let his family know he was once a champion.

``They used to call me the bullet, son,'' Mr Pianto said.

``Gee, he used to make us laugh.''

Mr Pianto said one of his favourite stories involved the time his Dad thought he won the Brownlow Medal.

Pianto played music at bush halls with fellow Cats player Ron Hovey.

On the night of the Brownlow count he was playing at Modewarre.

Pianto had arranged for a reporter from 3GL to interview him if he won.

When the reporter arrived, Pianto shouted: ``I've won the Brownlow.''

He soon learned he had come second.

Football was a big part of Pianto's life.

A Cats jumper and an Eaglehawk jumper with the number six on it were part of the altar decorations during yesterday's service.

As the service drew to a close a photo montage flashed across two large video screens for the congregation to view.

To the sound of Nat King Cole's Unforgettable and Perry Como's Magic Moments , photos showed many aspects of the legend's life, including his wedding, his daughter's wedding, a newspaper article from early in his career, premiership photos and proud photos of Pianto holding fish he had caught.

A photo of Pianto in pink shorts drew much laughter from mourners.

Pianto's coffin left the church to the sound of the Cats' theme song.

Former Geelong and Eaglehawk players formed a guard of honour as Pianto's coffin left the church.

Pianto passed Kardinia Park one last time as his coffin was driven past the ground he played and coached many games at on the way to the Highton Cemetery.

Family and friends later gathered at the Alex Popescu Room for a wake.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/02/23/11617_news.html
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