Geelong Cats debutant Brad Close joins first kick first goal club against Fremantle Dockers
Even in his wildest dreams, Geelong Cats rookie Brad Close would hardly have been able to believe he’d have this start to his AFL career.
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Geelong Cats debutant Brad Close has joined the elite “first kick, first goal” club after a stunning start to his first AFL game.
The 21-year-old, just three days shy of his 22nd birthday, took a mark 40m out just 23 seconds into his first game for the club against Fremantle.
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After a false start, Mitch Duncan cleared the ball down to Gary Rohan, who chipped it in to Close.
As he came in, he struck it beautifully, kicking it straight down the middle, with his teammates swamping him.
“That is not even close to missing, that is right through the middle,” Anthony Hudson said in commentary.
Jason Dunstall agreed: “Look at the players get around him, absolutely brilliant. Love the sheer joy of a first gamer coming in and getting involved. That’s a thrill the likes of which he hasn’t experienced before.”
While he’s not the first player this year to join the club, it was a brilliant moment with Close the seventh fastest player to kick their first goal.
"That's not even CLOSE to missing!"
— AFL (@AFL) July 27, 2020
Brad Close joins the first kick, first goal club 🙌#AFLFreoCats pic.twitter.com/gW1utpVvp3
. @GeelongCats recruit Brad Close joins the VFL-AFL first kick, first goal club. A typically nice finish against @freodockers. Loved watching him play at @GlenelgFC. Has real class and game awareness. Should play a lot of AFL footy.
— Andrew Capel (@andrewcapel) July 27, 2020
New Cat Brad Close not even CLOSE to missing! Perfect start for Geelong #AFLFreoCats #AFL pic.twitter.com/anQr13JW7y
— PointsBet AU (@PointsBet_AU) July 27, 2020
First kick. First goal. A new addition to the club, Brad Close. 👠#AFL #AFLFreoCats
— Damien Peck (@damopeck) July 27, 2020
Bizarrely, Close was the only goalscorer for either team at the first quarter break.
Arguably more incredibly, it took until 4.16 remaining in the second quarter for the next goal.
At halftime it was Geelong 2.9 (21) to 0.3 (3) up over the Dockers.
The last time a team scored less than Freo's 0.3 in a first half... was when the Dockers were on the other side of the equation...
— Chris Robinson (@CJKRobinson) July 27, 2020
Brisbane's 0.1 against Freo in R14 2014.
David Mundy the only Docker to feature in both games#AFLFreoCats
While wayward kicking may normally be an issue, it’s not all that surprising with the rain absolutely pelting down, making marking, catching and kicking difficult.
In fact, just before the first quarter break, Jed Bews took a horrendous shot at goal, shanking it across the field.
At halftime, the On The Couch team tried to make sense of the kicking.
Demons great Garry Lyon said the stadium surfaces are too good nowadays.
“I think back in our day, there used to be a little mud around,” he said. “There used to be a bit of mud and just made that ball a bit more … I meant the boys are flat out trying to get the ball on the boot.”
Lions premiership winner Jonathan Brown said the issue was “they didn’t kick through the ball”.
Originally published as Geelong Cats debutant Brad Close joins first kick first goal club against Fremantle Dockers