1995 AFL Grand Final

The 1995 AFL Grand Final took place on September 30, 1995 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between AFL clubs Carlton and Geelong. Carlton defeated Geelong by 61 points, scoring 141 points to 80 with 93,670 people in attendance. It was Carlton's 16th premiership, making it the most successful club in the league's history, its sixteenth win in a row, and its twenty-third win for the year, then a record.

Match Summary

It was billed as having the potential to be a classic - the best Grand Final in years, when the top 2 sides of 1995 were due to clash in their first Grand Final. Geelong, bridesmades in 1989, 1992 and 1994, looked like it had its best chance at a premiership since 1963, after crushing Footscray and Richmond in the previous 2 weeks of the finals. Carlton, on the other hand, were the standout team of 1995 - the first team ever to win 20 home and away matches.

What eventuated was a fizzer. More heartbreak for long-suffering Cats fans, but probably a fitting end to such a great season from Carlton. The Blues had 4 goals on the board almost before Geelong could blink, and even after the Cats wobbled through the last 2 goals of the opening term, the match was over at half time with the Blues dominating to lead 10.8 to 3.10.

The game will be remembered by the brilliant play of Greg Williams, deserving winner of the Norm Smith Medal, and also for Stephen Silvagni keeping champion Geelong full forward Gary Ablett goalless.

Still, a bit of an anti-climax in a game that promised so much.

Teams

Aussie rules team | title = Carlton
backpocket1 = Michael Sexton
fullback = Stephen Silvagni
backpocket2 = Ang Christou
halfbackflank1 = Matthew Hogg
centrehalfback = Peter Dean
halfbackflank2 = Andrew McKay
wing1 = Milham Hanna
centre = Brett Ratten
wing2 = Anthony Koutoufides
halfforwardflank1 = Dean Rice
centrehalfforward = Earl Spalding
halfforwardflank2 = Matt Clape
forwardpocket1 = Greg Williams
fullforward = Stephen Kernahan (c)
forwardpocket2 = Brad Pearce
ruck = Justin Madden
ruckrover = Craig Bradley
rover = Fraser Brown
interchange1 = Scott Camporeale
interchange2 = Adrian Whitehead
interchange3 = Glenn Manton
interchange4 =
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = David Parkin

Aussie rules team | title = Geelong
backpocket1 = Tim McGrath
fullback = Ben Graham
backpocket2 = Michael Mansfield
halfbackflank1 = Brad Sholl
centrehalfback = Steven Handley
halfbackflank2 = Paul Brown
wing1 = Aaron Lord
centre = Paul Couch
wing2 = Leigh Colbert
halfforwardflank1 = Leigh Tudor
centrehalfforward = David Mensch
halfforwardflank2 = Shayne Breuer
forwardpocket1 = Billy Brownless
fullforward = Gary Ablett (c)
forwardpocket2 = Peter Riccardi
ruck = John Barnes
ruckrover = Liam Pickering
rover = Garry Hocking
interchange1 = Grant Tanner
interchange2 = Ken Hinkley
interchange3 = Adrian Hickmott
interchange4 =
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = Gary Ayres

tatistics

core

Goal kickers

Norm Smith Medal

The Norm Smith Medal was won by Carlton's Greg Williams who kicked 5 goals and had 31 disposals.

External links

* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/games/1995/CAGE19950930.html Match details at Rleague]

ee also

* 1995 AFL season