The Cats are Gone | Thebigtip

The Pussycat Dolls will no longer take their talents to Kardinia Park

Mark this day in your calendar. In fact, Geelong supporters get down to Skilled Stadium, burn a bag of Whiskas and scatter them in a kitty litter bin.

The Geelong Cats as we know them are gone.

Not since the Geelong Supercats (NBL) lost Ray Owes, Shane Heal and Bobby Locke, yet kept 42 year old Cecil Exum have we seen such a rapid departure / decline of personnel.

Not since the collapse of the Pyramid Bank has the Bellarine Peninsula looked so desperate.

Geelong of 2007 was the greatest team I have seen this millennium. Granted they beat a Port Adelaide team who got a brutal, uncivilized and uncouth mauling in the Grand FInal - much akin to my efforts at teppanyaki on Saturday.

But this Geelong team of 2011 - 2012 are looking a bit like the dregs on the dancefloor of the Lyric Nightclub at 5am.

It hurts me to write this, as I pinpoint the magical quarter where Geelong were the finest team on earth at their peak; 3rd quarter, Round 2, 2008, at the Docklands against the Bombers.

Never have I seen such a demolition job where the opposition actually played reasonable football. In fact, it was the best 99 point loss in AFL history.

But when you scope out the player list that day, you will see that within 3 years, not much has changed in the make-up. 

The ship be sinking and this will come to Geelong supporters as a tight and unexpected slap in the face (much thanks to Natasha for that at the Year 12 Formal After-Party.... the bruises remain, both physically and mentally)

Gold Coast Gary is all but a done deal. Today he will announce that he is heading north to join his broother in the the building industry and have a kick on the side. On a good note, this means we may not need to see his Dad wear that stupid hat to any grand-final soon.

Brad Ottens is getting creaky, Shane Mumford seems to be more of a smooth mover these days. Heck, even Sam Jacobs would take Otttens to the cleaners.

Stevie J is now a liability of the forward line. Think he would be like the last years of a Jeff Farmer. You select him, but you wonder why.

Cam Mooney has reached the end of his All Australian afterglow. Think Dermie in his season at the Magpies.