Geelong premiership player Cameron Mooney believes atrocious shot at goal cost Cats 2008 grand final victory

CAMERON Mooney wanted to start a “blue” at halftime of the 2008 Grand Final to rattle Hawthorn, but had his plan thwarted by an atrocious shot at goal.

CAMERON Mooney wanted to start a “blue” at halftime of the 2008 Grand Final to rattle Hawthorn, but had his plan thwarted by an atrocious shot at goal.

The former Geelong forward said he was thinking about running through Hawks defender Grant Birchall, who was standing the mark, after kicking a goal which would have given the Cats a two-point lead at the main break.

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“I was so excited about what was coming I tried to kick the leather off the ball. I kicked it off the inside of the foot and completely shanked it,” Mooney told Fox Footy’s Open Mike.

“It was by far the worst moment of my career.”

Cameron Mooney on the set of Open Mike.

Mooney said he ran into goal thinking: “(Birchall) you poor bugger, you’ve got no idea what’s coming your way.

“I had Hodgey and Campbell Brown mouthing off at me. I knew these two boys would come running at me and I thought she’s going to be on.

“I had Chappy and Johnno (Steve Johnson) out the back who I knew could handle themselves pretty well. They were riding shotgun.”

Cameron Mooney takes his frustration out on Luke Hodge.

Mooney finished with 2.3 and said the miss from 5m haunted him at halftime as the Cats went on to throw away the premiership.

“I’ve probably cost us back to back. God it hurt for a long time, it really did.

“Without being rude or arrogant … we were the best side that year by a long way. We lost one game for the year, but we got to the end of the year and as a group we were pretty tired.”

Mooney said Chapman and Mathew Stokes probably shouldn’t have played the Grand Final and other teammates were underdone.

Open Mike is broadcast at 9.30pm on Monday night.