Your top five memories of Kardinia Park

[Stig_90]

This isn't really a favourite memory, but the game we had against Freo down there about 7 or 8 years ago where it was about 6 degrees and the Freo players on the bench were wearing dressing gowns and beanies has stuck in my mind. That was the coldest I've ever been at the footy and I was stuck in standing room.

 

[supahoops]

That would be the Bill Ryan after the siren goal, yes?

Would've been in the early-mid eighties when I was a kid, don't remember the game just the crush of people and the atmosphere back then.

Really disappointing that the standing room terraces arent allowed to be too full these days, makes for a much better game day experience.

 

[supahoops]

This isn't really a favourite memory, but the game we had against Freo down there about 7 or 8 years ago where it was about 6 degrees and the Freo players on the bench were wearing dressing gowns and beanies has stuck in my mind. That was the coldest I've ever been at the footy and I was stuck in standing room.

Were you taking cover under the Bundy stand as well? Still sends a shiver down my spine. Farking cold so it was..

 

[you pick one]

Would've been in the early-mid eighties when I was a kid, don't remember the game just the crush of people and the atmosphere back then.

Really disappointing that the standing room terraces arent allowed to be too full these days, makes for a much better game day experience.

No the game I'm thinking of was much earlier

 

[Stig_90]

Were you taking cover under the Bundy stand as well? Still sends a shiver down my spine. Farking cold so it was..

I think I did end up there!

 

[FredLeDeux]

No the game I'm thinking of was much earlier

The Bill Ryan one was in 1967.

 

[Shell]

Some non-football field memories

* Squeezing in with 42,000 and having to stand on iron railings to see the match
* Running around collecting cans to seel back to the Alcoa man at the back of the stand.
* Attending a match against North in atrocious conditions, despite 18,000 or more attending, the whole of the Moorabool St Wing was virtually empty after half time.
* Fracturing a metatarsal in my foot after jumping the fence trying to get out of the crush between the outer and the old Reg Hickey Stand
* The fire in the small food stand that used to be near the windsock

That was fun for you.
(And are you talking about the time we played Carlton there in the 90s?)

Other non-football:

- racing against everyone to get seats. And I use the term seats loosely. 4 rows of Wooden "plank" seating.
- Lining up past the bridge at South Geelong Station to get in the ground
- Smashing Hawthorn in 1993 and a fan running out to a bewildered Dunstall, telling him to do something.
- Getting my hat signed by Gary Ablett Snr.
- All the family days there, one was also at the pool. And players being much more relaxed at these days- no ****ing sitting behind a desk signing autographs.

 

[Willo_]

Great thread topic

My personal ones
1: The day after GF day 07, the emotion and joy that day... and there was also a shitload more people jammed in than they reported
2. My 1st game at KP, i think it was against west coast in the early 90s, my pa took me, sat on a fence in the pocket all day could barely see anything and loved every minute
3. The game against Port in 2010.. unveiled the 09 flag, Harley did a lap of honour and we belted the suit cases out of port
4. Getting offered seats in the cheersquad in around 99 for a game against the swans, we got in at gates open, got a prime position up the front in the standing room near where the new electronic scoreboard is, couple of ladies came and offered me and my family a seat in the cheersquad... as a 16yo it was great..and we got on TV!!
5. Mark Blake getting into Fev a few years back against the lions, sat him on his arse on the wing if i remember correctly

 

[Catgirl]

I've only been to SS three times so far... the Dogs a few years ago, that game where we smashed the Dees in 2011 and Sydney last year. All awesome games mind you.

Absolutely pumped for our first game under lights! Go Cats

 

[Deep North]

10]. The Leighton Ford rally in the 80's.

Oh yes, my friend, we must be of a similar vintage. The day American-style evangelism landed at Sleepy Hollow for a night of appalling music and confused happy-clappers at KP. Every shuddering guitar strum bounced off my parents windows and it was an absolute nightmare. It never happened again as far as I know, but was a true historic moment. i haven't thought about it for decades, but I'm laughing my head off right now. Thanks. Extra points for remember his terrible support act, Kenny something.

 

[HappyChappy35]

This isn't really a favourite memory, but the game we had against Freo down there about 7 or 8 years ago where it was about 6 degrees and the Freo players on the bench were wearing dressing gowns and beanies has stuck in my mind. That was the coldest I've ever been at the footy and I was stuck in standing room.

Jeff Farmer contracted hypothermia that day from memory.

My favourite memories of KP are:
1. The day after the 07, 09, and 11 GF's (and hopefully this year's too).
2. 186
3. Beating the then-mighty Lions in the pouring rain back in 2004. The win aside, the highlight of the day was watching a fat guy wearing a poncho dance on top of the fence beside the umpires race after the siren blew. Being a kid at the time I thought it was absolutely priceless.
4. Playing Vickick at half time in a game against the Dogs years ago and getting a free Big M.
5. Ronnie Burns kicking an absolute pearler from the boundary line against the Saints in 2000.

.....plus many others I haven't mentioned.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

5 memorable things

(1) Keeping a star studded North Melb team coached by Barassi goaless after quarter time in a game in 1980 in pretty ordinary conditions -can remember Sammy Newman kicking a skidding goal in last qtr at city end

(2) Most satisfying win -1995 versus West Coast-1st game against them since the grand final walloping -basically level at half time -3rd qtr 8 goals 6 to a solitary point -finished up something like 17 goals to 5
Hang on Gary Ayres coached us that day -you didnt do too much wrong that day Ayresy

(3) Most exciting win -1972 versus Collingwood -8 goals down at half time -Newlands point from free kick after siren -Barwon River end

(4) Most barnstorming finish -game against Richmond (who were strong then) in 1982 -Bernard Toohey was moved to full forward and kicked 6 or 7 goals -lost by under a goal

(5) Most bizarre thing -1967 game against Richmond (eventual premiers) -Polly Farmer won the toss and kicked against the wind (gale) -Quarter time -Richmond 9 goals -game over

 

[The Rockstar]

The 'Rockstar' Ronnie Burn's inside out banana clinic vs the Saints!
Alas...where have football's true showmen gone?

 

[FredLeDeux]

The 'Rockstar' Ronnie Burn's inside out banana clinic vs the Saints!
Alas...where have football's true showmen gone?

They're wearing jumpers nos 20 and 32 for Geelong!

 

[Willo_]

Hang on Gary Ayres coached us that day -you didnt do too much wrong that day Ayresy

I guess as the saying goes even a broken clock is right twice a day

 

[CharacterFirst]

10]. The Leighton Ford rally in the 80's.

Oh yes, my friend, we must be of a similar vintage. The day American-style evangelism landed at Sleepy Hollow for a night of appalling music and confused happy-clappers at KP. Every shuddering guitar strum bounced off my parents windows and it was an absolute nightmare. It never happened again as far as I know, but was a true historic moment. i haven't thought about it for decades, but I'm laughing my head off right now. Thanks. Extra points for remember his terrible support act, Kenny something.

Admittedly, it wasn't a fantastic day/night out.

However, the gospel was preached - that's all that matters, my friend.

 

[SJ]

Of memories where I was in attendance:

1. Walking down as a youngster from Newtown to Kardinia with my (previously non-football fan) parents in the very early 90s to head in at three-quarter time for free. Don't remember any games clearly but I remember being in standing room when it was getting dark, the game was close, Ablett had kicked a goal and the sun emerged and was on him and his opponent standing in the goalsquare as the ball went back to the middle.

2. I think my first ever full game at Kardinia Park which was against Fitzroy in 1993. Sat in the old Hickey/removed Wade stand with mum. We had brownies at half time. The Cats were a long way up and held on by two goals. Ablett's opponent lost his boot at some point and as a kid I couldn't believe he was walking around in the mud in the goal square in just a sock!

3. The only time I saw Ablett kick a milestone against Sydney in 1995. He missed one to the river end but it looked home and everyone ran on thinking it was the 100th. The next quarter he made up for it and I reckon fewer ran on. I didn't run. I remember the manual scoreboard had its own running Ablett goal tally throughout the day.

4. Those McDonald's vouchers you'd get in the late 1990s when Geelong weren't much chop. You know, if the Cats won by four goals or something you'd get a free Big Mac the next day.

5. The debut and second match of Nathan Ablett. Remember heading to the bathroom at quarter time of his second match when he may have kicked three and given away another in the first quarter, all against the league leaders. The ground was bubbling that afternoon.

6. Defeating the Brisbane Lions in 2004. We had some great games down there that year. Atmosphere was brilliant in terrible conditions.

7. The agony and the ecstasy of the 2007 Round 21 match against Port. After a ridiculous stretch of wins which seemingly came from nowhere, for Ablett to put us in front with two minutes left and then to lose was tough to take. I thought it was pointing forward to another heartbreak season. I remember they were handing out Pura milk after the game and I almost threw a carton.

8. Because I left my uni holiday assignments to the last minute I wasn't able to head down after the 2007 premiership, so I missed out. The year after I said I would go down no matter what. So, after missing the celebration the year before, I drove down after the 2008 loss and headed along to the 'wake'. Gee it was a disappointing time. I know the players were hurting but their performance on the Sunday was almost as poor as on the Saturday. I went down in both 2009 and 2011 too, but since the celebration wasn't inside the ground and also far fewer people attended I still feel like I missed out a little.

9. Getting so close to the all time VFL/AFL records for score and margin against Melbourne in 2011. It really came from nowhere, Geelong wasn't playing all that well and Melbourne wasn't playing all that badly. I heard about the 21-goal win in the reserves before the match (which was a shock). No one could have predicted that margin could be bettered by another ten goals by the seniors. With five minutes left it looked as though the Cats would easily get both records, but the Dees had a huge crack in the last five minutes. Both teams were going at it (finally) like it was a final. It was very dark though, the replay doesn't do it justice.

10. Kicking the footy on the ground after a match. These days you get about five seconds there, but back in the day it felt as though you could stay on until darkness. If you didn't get hit in the head, hit someone else in the head and tread on a toddler you weren't out there long enough. Great times.

 

[Partridge]

1. Gaz Snr going ballistic in the final 1/4 against St.Kilda (91?) Saints were killing us all day til Snr tore them a new one

2. Gaz Jnr kicking that goal against Bris in the pouring rain

3. 2007 flag unfurling

4. Not really a good one but the game against Hawthorn rnd 22 of '87 was a great game minus the result

5. Bit of a personal one but watching my son hand Scarlo his jumper at the ore-season family day of '07. When I took him into the rooms he was in line to hand out No. 28 D.Johnson(?) when he came out he had been shuffled down to No. 30

1994. Kicked 2 goals (and was barely sighted) to three quarter time, then kicked 5 in the last quarter. The last two were drop punts that went through post high from outside 50. Unbelievable.

Pummelling Hawthorn into oblivion in 1993 was pretty enjoyable too. Plus the West Coast game in 1995 when we smashed them and Ablett kicked 8 - including 5 in the third quarter.

 

[Partridge]

That would be the Bill Ryan after the siren goal, yes?

I think Round 22, 1991 against Collingwood. I remember there was about 33-34,000 there and you could not move.

 

[Boultzboi]

Didn't realise it was that late (94) Partridge. As soon as I posted it I knew it was wrong, cos 91 was the retirement year. But thanx for the correction

 

[Shell]

3. The only time I saw Ablett kick a milestone against Sydney in 1995. He missed one to the river end but it looked home and everyone ran on thinking it was the 100th. The next quarter he made up for it and I reckon fewer ran on. I didn't run. I remember the manual scoreboard had its own running Ablett goal tally throughout the day.
.

OMG yes- I remember that. He did indeed miss that, and the ground announcer kept yelling "HE DID NOT KICK THE GOAL, GET OFF THE GROUND". Hilarious.

Speaking of attending 100th goals- the other one against North (was the third interstate- Sydney?), me and my mum had a christening to go to. But we still went for the first half, praying Ablett would kick his 100th by half time. And he did! And we made it to the christening in time- everybody won that day. Except North...

 

[Willo_]

OMG yes- I remember that. He did indeed miss that, and the ground announcer kept yelling "HE DID NOT KICK THE GOAL, GET OFF THE GROUND". Hilarious.

Speaking of attending 100th goals- the other one against North (was the third interstate- Sydney?), me and my mum had a christening to go to. But we still went for the first half, praying Ablett would kick his 100th by half time. And he did! And we made it to the christening in time- everybody won that day. Except North...

I went to that game too.. was at Princes Park and the cats won by a point...1994, Ablett needed 2, pretty sure he got both from free kicks and did nothing else for the day

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Great thread

> 07 & 11 family days - walked to the ground with a stranger who had worn his way too small , moth eaten footy jumper from the 60's in honour of the 07 win. His family disowned him on the way to the ground.
> Buying the 07 & 11 premiership Cup replicas at the ground the day after each win
> Touching Polly as he slid into the fence on a very wet day in the 60's
> Seeing Sammys white boots for the first time
> Watching games from standing room on the wing
> Driving my Saints supporting GF ( now wife) home after pummelling them - she miraculously fell asleep after 5 mins in the car every time
> Watching the greats play there over the years - Snr , Jnr, Buddha , Wade, Stoneham , Turner and a thousand others

Will be there in spirit on Saturday night

 

[James1970]

Memories, I have a few, but most are hazy. But I do remember the very first time I went. As a St.Kilda bred kid barracking for the Cats, with a Mum who didn't have a car, it was impossible to get down to Kardinia Park during the 70s. But I had a mate who was a mad North fan, whose Dad drove us down in the middle of the '81 Season. Always an outsider when it came to footy, I couldn't believe the sense of belonging I had as we walked from the car, surrounded with nothing but blue and white hoops, a distant roar from the ground. Walking in, it all seemed huge compared to the rough footage we always seemed to get on the TV. Looking up, I could see the tiny radio box, with the 3GL banners. I could swear I could see Teddy in suit and tie eating a pie before the game.

As fate would have it, the Cats put on a show for me - over a 100 point thrashing in front of what seemed a packed crowd. My mate wanted to leave at half-time, but his Dad thankfully made him sulk through the rest of the slaughter. Catching sight of 'No.9' burning down the wing, bounce after bounce and hitting Sammy on the chest...beautiful stuff. Even got to a have a kick on the ground after the game - a big difference to the Junction Oval.

A year later, I was able to catch the train every second week, and still loved getting that jolt of 'coming home' as I walked from the station to the ground. In short time soon, the number 4 was replaced to 5 on the duffle coat, as the mid-to-late 80s took over. Memories from this time seem more bitter - Carey, Dunstall, Daicos - they always seemed to wreak havoc, and having to catch the train back with opposition supporters. Christ, it was murder.

Haven't been down for years, due to booze, dames and finally work, but it's hard to believe it's the same ground now when I look at the pics, and see games on the TV. But I'm sure when I do get the chance, I'll still get that sense of 'being back home'. It's what makes Kardinia Park tick.

 

[iameviljez]

6. Defeating the Brisbane Lions in 2004. We had some great games down there that year. Atmosphere was brilliant in terrible conditions.

I remember that game was so important to us because we'd been beaten up there so badly by Brisbane a few years earlier. Was Ben Graham's best game in the hoops, too... a shame he left at the end of the year.

The other ripping game we had at Kardinia that year was the seven-point win against StKilda. I remember everyone going on about how these teams were set to take the league by storm. Well, they were half right (and nearly spot on).