Gryan Miers’ cheeky goal act after fake Lionel Messi tweet furore

Geelong’s Gryan Miers was thrust into the spotlight this week after a fake tweet, he took his chance to pour some fuel on the fire.

Gryan Messi. Photo by Michael Klein.

Gryan Miers saw his opportunity and didn’t miss.

The Geelong forward was thrust into the spotlight this week after a fake tweet gained traction on social media.

Watch every match of every round of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Miers was placed alongside soccer megastar Lionel Messi in a fake quote that was accredited to Gerard Whateley.

The fake post has an AFL360 publicity shot of Whateley holding a football with the quote: “Gryan Miers is to AFL what Leo Messi is to soccer. Messi may kick more goals, but Miers scans the field just as well. Maybe even better than Messi does.”

Whateley wasn’t happy and called for the post to be removed in a series of tweets before taking to the airwaves on SEN and pleading with his audience to track down the culprit and have it taken down.

On Saturday night however Miers couldn’t help himself as he celebrated his 100th game in the league in the Cats’ 18.14 (122) to 7.3 (45) thrashing of the Bombers.

Miers got the night started in style by slotting the opening goal of the game, but it was his celebration that really caught the eye.

The Cats livewire pulled off Messi’s patented celebration as he looked up to the sky and pointed two fingers to the heavens.

“There is nothing messy (‘Messi’) about that,” Jobe Watson said on Channel 7 in reference to the internet drama during the week.

The little boy from Grovedale!

Gryan Miers makes the most of a messy forward line, and scores!#AFLCatsDonspic.twitter.com/csyYsjpk6Q

— 7AFL (@7AFL) July 15, 2023

Miers wasn’t finished there as he fuelled the Cats forward surges, racking up three score assists as the Bombers found themselves down by 46 points at quarter time.

It took until the second quarter for the Bombers to kick their first goal of the contest as they went into the halftime break down by 44 points.

The Cats were in complete control of the contest as they nullified every facet of the Bombers game and made them pay going forward.

Gryan was on fire in the first half. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

The win pushes the Cats into fifth spot on the ladder.

They’ll have a chance to strengthen their premiership credentials next weekend when they go up against the third placed Brisbane Lions.

A substantial loss for the Bombers will see them drop from fifth on the ladder to eighth place after the Adelaide Crows missed their chance to move into the top eight in a loss to the GWS Giants.

With six rounds to go the Bombers are desperate to force their way into September action and snap their ugly finals winning drought.