1994 AFL Grand Final

The 1994 AFL Grand Final took place under overcast skies on October 1, 1994 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between AFL clubs Geelong (looking for its first premiership since 1963) and West Coast (looking to repeat its 1992 premiership success). West Coast won the match by 80 points in front of a crowd of 93,860 people.

Match Summary

During the leadup, the West Coast Eagles (who finished atop the table in the premiership season and won both its home finals) were the red-hot favourites over the Geelong Cats, who finished the year in 4th place and won through to the decider after winning 3 tough finals, including 2 last gasp after the siren wins over Footscray and North Melbourne. It was a 'replay' of the 1992 AFL Grand Final contested by the same teams, which saw West Coast become the first non-Victorian team to win the AFL Premiership.

It was an entertaining first quarter, which saw West Coast stamp its authority early by bursting out of the blocks, before some stirring football by Geelong towards the end of the quarter saw them lead by a point at quarter time.From then on, though, the match was a whitewash. With Geelong's champion full-forward Gary Ablett well held and star Geelong midfielder Garry Hocking injuring his thigh (yet remaining on the ground), the Cats were in trouble as West Coast started to dominate. Billy Brownless took the mark of the match in the 2nd quarter and goalled, but it was the only highlight for the Cats in the term as the Eagles booted 4 of their own to lead by 23 points at half time.

Even though they dominated from quarter time onwards, the Eagles still did not take full advantage of their chances until late in the match, with the game still in the balance for much of the 3rd quarter. The last term was all the Eagles though, as they stormed home and steamrolled the Cats, kicking 8 final quarter goals to 1, winning the match by 80 points, with 20.23.143 being the Eagles highest score of the year.

It was West Coast's 2nd premiership in 3 years, and the Cats 3rd Grand Final appearance without success in 6 years. West Coast's next success came 12 years later, when they won the 2006 AFL Grand Final against the Sydney Swans. It would take until 2007 for Geelong to finally break its duck and win its first AFL Premiership since 1963, when it defeated Port Adelaide in the 2007 AFL Grand Final.

Teams

Aussie rules team | title = West Coast
backpocket1 = David Hart
fullback = Michael Brennan
backpocket2 = Ashley McIntosh
halfbackflank1 = Guy McKenna
centrehalfback = Glen Jakovich
halfbackflank2 = John Worsfold (c)
wing1 = Peter Matera
centre = Don Pyke
wing2 = Chris Mainwaring
halfforwardflank1 = Peter Wilson
centrehalfforward = Jason Ball
halfforwardflank2 = Brett Heady
forwardpocket1 = Chris Lewis
fullforward = Peter Sumich
forwardpocket2 = Shane Bond
ruck = David Hynes
ruckrover = Dean Kemp
rover = Tony Evans
interchange1 = Ryan Turnbull
interchange2 = Drew Banfield
interchange3 = Chris Waterman
interchange4 =
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = Mick Malthouse

Aussie rules team | title = Geelong
backpocket1 = Steven Hocking
fullback = Stephen O'Reilly
backpocket2 = Steven Handley
halfbackflank1 = Michael Mansfield
centrehalfback = Tim McGrath
halfbackflank2 = Ken Hinkley
wing1 = Shayne Breuer
centre = Paul Couch
wing2 = Peter Riccardi
halfforwardflank1 = David Mensch
centrehalfforward = Billy Brownless
halfforwardflank2 = Adrian Hickmott
forwardpocket1 = Liam Pickering
fullforward = Gary Ablett
forwardpocket2 = Leigh Tudor
ruck = John Barnes
ruckrover = Mark Bairstow (c)
rover = Garry Hocking
interchange1 = Andrew Wills
interchange2 = Paul Brown
interchange3 = Leigh Colbert
interchange4 =
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = Malcolm Blight

tatistics

core

Goal kickers

Norm Smith Medal

The Norm Smith Medal was won by West Coast's Dean Kemp who had 23 disposals and kicked 2 goals.

External links

* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/games/1994/GEWC19941001.html Match details at AFL Tables]

ee also

* 1994 AFL season