Geelong – most loved to most disliked?

[Seeds]

Plenty of people had the Cats as their second-favourite team during the flag era of 2007-11 and rightly so. They played (and still do play) fast, attractive footy and had a great sense of camaraderie between teammates and coach. A lot of neutrals appeared to enjoy the success that Geelong enjoyed after having so many years without a flag.

Now just quickly going through the gameday thread and how the tide has turned. There were West Coast supporters vehemently barracking for Freo (!) simply because they didn't want to see Geelong win. Countless number of posts about the lopsided umpiring too, and how the victory was a win to the umps/AFL/etc.

Why are Geelong being disliked? Is it because they have been too good for so long? (Probably an unfair reason to dislike them) Or is it because they have appeared to have been getting an armchair ride by the umps/AFL for some time?

Don't know what the stats are after tonight but before this game we had more frees against then frees for this season. Which means that more than half the teams in the comp are getting a better ride from the umps then Geelong. End thread.

 

[Roy boys]

Ok mate. But in all honesty sitting equal top during a rebuild is mighty impressive, you can admit that.

being on top with all your experienced jets is massive. You and hawthorn have both introduced multiple young players but your not rebuilding.

 

[Duskfire]

Steve Johnson pisses even me off as a Geelong supporter, so I can understand peoples dislike of him. But I feel Geelong has enough good humble players in other areas to make up for him. In particular since they play quite an attractive brand of football. But each to their own.

 

[bumsonseats]

Plus once again the Cats' key players have been found out as precious douchebags, divers and duckers. Makes them completely unlikeable. Almost miss the way they used to play, are now a shadow of what they once were.

Must be a Scott brothers' thing

 

[Roy boys]

Guthrie????

weird i know.

 

[bumsonseats]

I respect Geelong, but hate how every 2nd person was a Cats supporter when they started winning premierships.

G.Ablett crying when he didn't win the Brownlow and Selwood's disrespect when Hawthorn beat them in the finals last year......they pinched it from us....
self righteous.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

We're not even in the top 3 in the free kick count. Big Footy overreaction at it's best.

Their ducking is a blight on the game.

I wonder if you say the same about Pendles? Same action as Selwood.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Hated for them a decade. Their diving/ducking/staging has been a blight on the game for a long, long time.

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Don't hate Geelong collectively but rather a few individual players and their antics.

Selwood- Brilliant footballer but his ducking and that shoulder shrug to draw free kicks is irritating.

SJ- Diver, cracks the sads when he gets tagged.

On the other hand, I'm a big fan of Horlin Smith and Guthrie.

 

[hutchy31]

Don't know what the stats are after tonight but before this game we had more frees against then frees for this season. Which means that more than half the teams in the comp are getting a better ride from the umps then Geelong. End thread.

I must have misread the thread title - is it actually "Why do Geelong get more frees than everyone else?"

Incidentally, your response could be indicative of the contribution some Geelong-supporting BF posters are making to this change in public opinion.

 

[HappyChappy35]

Couldn't give a rats arse how much we're liked/disliked; the more of the latter, the better. Some people are obviously sick of us winning. It says a lot when supporters of other clubs are more upset about tonight's result than the Freo fans I've come across.

This thread seems to have lured a disproportionate number of Pies, Hawks, and drug cheat supporters from their holes. Their tears are absolutely delicious.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

How does Varcoe seriously get a game?

 

[bumsonseats]

Can't see how any neutral could ever barrack for a Ross Lyon coached team

Ross Lyon / Paul Roos football is the greatest threat to the future growth of the code

Give me a choice of HawthornGeelong attacking style of football vs Sydney/Freeo style of football and u have to admire the way that Geekong play. Can't stand Paul Roos (and protege) defensive congested crap.

Hoping for a Haw/Geel vs Syd/Freeo GF with good triumphing over evil

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Couldn't give a rats arse how much we're liked/disliked; the more of the latter, the better. Some people are obviously sick of us winning. It says a lot when supporters of other clubs are more upset about tonight's result than the Freo fans I've come across.

This thread seems to have lured a disproportionate number of Pies, Hawks, and drug cheat supporters from their holes. Their tears are absolutely delicious.

At the start of the game, I couldn't give two shits who won but the armchair ride you got tipped most neutral supporters to supporting Freo.

 

[bumsonseats]

Couldn't give a rats arse how much we're liked/disliked; the more of the latter, the better. Some people are obviously sick of us winning. It says a lot when supporters of other clubs are more upset about tonight's result than the Freo fans I've come across.

This thread seems to have lured a disproportionate number of Pies, Hawks, and drug cheat supporters from their holes. Their tears are absolutely delicious.

Might want to lose that chip on your shoulder.....In the few posts I have read, most Hawthotn supporters have expressed their respect for your club.

 

[SuperCats9]

How does Varcoe seriously get a game?

Been asking the same thing for 2 years now.

 

[Jedstar]

Respect the club for being so good for so long, however I absolutely detest a few players from their current squad. That's about it really. And the fact that they pantsed us continuously for so many years (often in the dying moments). So much heartache. But since the prelim last year it's died down a bit overall.

It's a different kind of feeling to what I experience for clubs like Sydney or Essendon which is more akin to a pure and seething hatred.

 

[The_Todd07]

Don't know what the stats are after tonight but before this game we had more frees against then frees for this season. Which means that more than half the teams in the comp are getting a better ride from the umps then Geelong. End thread.

First time we've had more frees than our opposition since Round 14

 

[I am Jack]

Can't see how any neutral could ever barrack for a Ross Lyon coached team

Ross Lyon / Paul Roos football is the greatest threat to the future growth of the code

I only agree because the AFL is an entertainment.
If it was purely a sport, then I'd disagree.

 

[Duskfire]

Respect the club for being so good for so long, however I absolutely detest a few players from their current squad. That's about it really. And the fact that they pantsed us continuously for so many years (often in the dying moments). So much heartache. But since the prelim last year it's died down a bit overall.

It's a different kind of feeling to what I experience for clubs like Sydney or Essendon which is more akin to a pure and seething hatred.

Its weird but I think the general animosity between Hawks and Cats have dropped off alot. I know from my point of view I look at Hawthorn with alot of respect and see them as very similar to Geelong in some ways. While Sydney and Dockers... blergh.

 

[master bate]

Overall it's just jealousy that the nothing club from sleepy hollow turned into a superpower.

Whether it's rational to hate them because of the following things or not is largely irrelevant:

- Tom Hawkins being such a lump that he's unstoppable in certain situations whilst ordinary in others
- Neil Balme, Chris Scott, Brian Cook combined humility of 0
- Stevie J's stupid antics, not so much against Crowley but in other games
- Joel Selwood's quacking
- Cameron Ling's endless Geelong references
- Tom Harley, see Cameron Ling but multiply by about 8500 times
- That Tom Harley ever existed
- That they are the only Victorian team with a home stadium and getting a tremendous financial result from it and a tremendous football result from it and that owning it hasn't run them into significant debt but thanks to government investment in building the thing has done the opposite
- Every cats fan I know thinks they are a footy expert and isn't afraid to tell you about it
- Travis Varcoe, he's just annoying
- Josh Caddy
- That Billie Smedts doesn't get more games, thus exposing Geelong to how the rest of us live

All up though they aren't a thing on Hawthorn!

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Its weird but I think the general animosity between Hawks and Cats have dropped off alot. I know from my point of view I look at Hawthorn with alot of respect and see them as very similar to Geelong in some ways. While Sydney and Dockers... blergh.

It's only dropped off because 3/4 of geelongs 2007-2009 bandwagon has disappeared

I still say most of the shift flinging began down the highway

 

[Empire_Persian]

I don't dislike Geelong, but I was supporting Fremantle tonight.

Partly because I want to see somebody beside Geelong-Hawthorn-Sydney-Collingwood win the premiership.

 

[Chaisa]

I still have dickloads of respect for Geelong. Very admirable club.

With me I suppose there is some tall-poppy syndrome where I'm kinda sick of the same old teams succeeding, but meh, still like them more than most Victorian clubs.

 

[Duskfire]

It's only dropped off because 3/4 of geelongs 2007-2009 bandwagon has disappeared

I still say most of the shift flinging began down the highway

Well its dropped off for me because I prefer Hawks over Sydney and Dockers. hawthorn are like a neccessary evil and really, they have been such a constant opponent to Geelong in the last ten years that it becomes just natural to like and respect them.