Geelong greats discuss missed opportunities and the chance at greatness for the Cats

Garry Hocking is one of the greatest players in Geelong Football Club history, but he says individual honours are “irrelevant” without a premiership as the Cats prepare for another preliminary final.

Geelong players after the 1992 Grand Final defeat. Photo: Mike Dugdale

Joel Selwood has it.

Tom Hawkins has it.

So do Harry Taylor, Gary Ablett and Mitch Duncan.

It’s a premiership bond, explained Cats champion Garry Hocking.

But it’s one that’s missing for the Geelong group of decades past.

He’s a straight-talker, Hocking.

He called individual accolades “irrelevant” and said team success was everything.

Geelong famously made four grand final in seven seasons without tasting the ultimate success.

Hocking played in each of those defeats.

Saturday night’s clash against Brisbane will mark five preliminary finals in eight seasons for the Cats without making a grand final.

That’s an excellent run for any club, more so given it’s come off premierships in ‘07, ‘09 and ‘11.

Billy Brownless after the 1995 defeat.

But near misses don’t count for much, Hocking said.

“It lives with you forever,” Hocking said.

“I’d rather put my head on the pillow as a premiership player and got something for everything I put in.”

Hocking said grand final defeats in ’89, ’92, ‘94 and ‘95 “haunt you”.

There are similarities across both eras, namely the thread of missed opportunities — but Chris Scott’s side have presented for another look at Grand Final glory.

Hocking said there’s “a big void … with some of those groups that I played with”.

“You play for the reunions … the mateship, the bondship,” Hocking said.

“What do we celebrate? None of us really get together except if you’re good mates with each other and you might have a beer and that sort of thing.

“This is where the players can fulfil that.

“One of the things for us was the sheer fact we didn’t win one. It’s so disappointing.”

Hocking is a four-time All-Australian and his four Carji Greeves medals are the equal-most in the club’s history.

But individual honours were “irrelevant”, he said.

“People introduce you as four-time this, four-time that … that’s warm and fuzzy in your stomach … but you don’t play for that stuff,” he said.

“When people win them and they get introduced as a premiership player, it really hurts deep down.

“The other individual awards and honours … it’s irrelevant. The only relevant thing is being able to have a bond with another group of players.”

Garry Hocking with the trainers during the bruising 1989 decider.

Three players (Selwood, Taylor and Mark Blicavs) have played in each of the ‘13, ‘16, ‘17 and ‘19 preliminary final defeats, while another nine (Duncan, Hawkins, Cam Guthrie, Jed Bews, Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson, Jake Kolodjashnij, Sam Menegola and Rhys Stanley) have played in three.

Dangerfield is hoping to avoid the unwanted tag of playing in the most preliminary finals (counting his one with Adelaide in 2012) without a grand final appearance.

“Through the whole scenario, it’s quite similar,” Geelong great Peter Riccardi said of the eras.

Riccardi played in each of the 1990s defeats.

“I would have loved to have win one, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t lose sleep at night over them,” he said.

He urged the group to enjoy the moment.

“It could be a long time before another prelim comes up or another finals series,” he said.

“Like Chris Scott said, it’s a privilege to be there.”

Riccardi said the Cats were “playing as good as they have been” this year and they should be confident against Brisbane.

Larrikin Billy Brownless was one of four players to feature in each of the grand final defeats.

This weekend will be Selwood’s 10th preliminary final — the most of any player in VFL/AFL history.

Geelong players leave the MCG after its 2016 preliminary final defeat. Picture: Adam Trafford

“They’re bloody hard to win,” Brownless said.

“Would you rather be in 10 prelims over the last 12, 13 years or would you rather just be in one like Melbourne footy club or someone like that?

“That’s how I’d look at it.

“We all get critical and say, ‘Should have won that one, should have won that one’ (but) prelims are harder than the grand finals sometimes.”

Hocking is hoping the Cats can bury its preliminary final ghosts.

“Basically what you play for is a premiership and we got nothing for it,” Hocking said.

“Hopefully the Cats can capitalise on the chances they’ve created.”

Only then would this group have it.

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Originally published as Geelong greats discuss missed opportunities and the chance at greatness for the Cats