by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
MILESTONES
50 games: Danyle Pearce (PA)
Longest Premiership Drought: Geelong has not won a premiership since 1963, making it the sixth-longest wait by any club in the history of the game. The longest waits are Sydney/South Melbourne (72 years, 1933-2005), St Kilda (69 years, 1897-1966), Western Bulldogs / Footscray (53 years, 1954-current), Fitzroy (51 years, 1945-96) and North Melbourne (50 years, 1925-75).
Longest Premiership span, player then coach: Mark Thompson (GEEL). Should Geelong be successful this week, Mark Thompson will be part of a premiership 23 years after he played in Essendon's 1984 premiership team. This will be the seventh-longest span in the history of the game, behind only Leigh Matthews (32 years, 1971-2002), Kevin Sheedy (31 years, 1969-2000), Frank Hughes (28 years, 1920-48), Jock McHale (26 years, 1910-36), Norm Smith (25 years, 1939-64) and David Parkin (24 years, 1971-95).
Captain and Coach of a Premiership: Mark Thompson. Should Geelong be successful this week, Thompson would become the seventh person in the history of the game to captain and then coach a premiership team, having captained Essendon's premiership team in 1993. He would join Percy Bentley (captain Richmond, coach Carlton), Reg Hickey (captain and then coach of Geelong), Ron Barassi (captain Melbourne and then coach Carlton and North Melbourne), David Parkin (captain Hawthorn and then coach Hawthorn and Carlton), Leigh Matthews (captain Hawthorn and then coach Collingwood and Brisbane Lions) and John Worsfold (captain and then coach of West Coast).
Longest Grand Final span, player then coach: Mark Williams (PA). Mark will coach Port Adelaide this week, 26 years after his first Grand Final appearance as a player for Collingwood in 1981. This is the sixth-longest span in the history of the game, behind only David Parkin (36 years, 1963-99), Jock McHale (34 years, 1903-39), Leigh Matthews (33 years, 1971-2004), Kevin Sheedy (32 years, 1969-2001) and Frank Hughes (29 years, 1919-48).
Brothers in Premiership Teams: Gary & Nathan Ablett. Should Geelong be successful this week, Gary and Nathan Ablett would become the 19th set of brothers in the history of the game to play together in a premiership team, joining Jim and Mick Grace (Fitzroy), Arthur and Fred Leach (Collingwood), Ted and George Lockwood (Collingwood), Robert and George Weatherill (Richmond), Syd and Gordon Coventry (Collingwood), Frank and Len Murphy (Collingwood), Albert and Harry Collier (Collingwood), Les and Peter Hardiman (Geelong), Gordon and Doug Strang (Richmond), Dick and Tom Reynolds (Essendon), Harold and Chris Lambert (Essendon), Lou and Ron Richards (Collingwood), Sted and Phil Hay (Hawthorn), Alistair and Stewart Lord (Geelong), Leigh and Kelvin Matthews (Hawthorn), Chris and Brad Scott (Brisbane Lions), Peter and Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide) and Chad and Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide).
Brothers in Premiership Teams, twice: Chad & Kane Cornes & Peter & Shaun Burgoyne (PA). Should Port Adelaide be successful this week, Chad and Kane Cornes and Peter and Shaun Burgoyne would become the ninth and tenth set of brothers in the history of the game to play in a premiership together on two separate occasions, having all played in the successful 2004 side. From the list above, the would join the Grace brothers (1898-99), Lockwood brothers (1902-03), Coventry brothers (1927-30), Murphy brothers (1928-30), Collier brothers (1927-30 and 1935-36), Hardiman brothers (1931 and 1937), Lambert brothers (1946 and 1950) and Scott brothers (2001-02).
Premierships with Different Clubs: Cameron Mooney (GEEL). Should Geelong be successful this week, Mooney would become the 26th player in the history of the game to have played in premiership with two clubs, having been a member of the successful Kangaroos' side in 1999.
Source: Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release
MILESTONES
50 games: Danyle Pearce (PA)
Longest Premiership Drought: Geelong has not won a premiership since 1963, making it the sixth-longest wait by any club in the history of the game. The longest waits are Sydney/South Melbourne (72 years, 1933-2005), St Kilda (69 years, 1897-1966), Western Bulldogs / Footscray (53 years, 1954-current), Fitzroy (51 years, 1945-96) and North Melbourne (50 years, 1925-75).
Longest Premiership span, player then coach: Mark Thompson (GEEL). Should Geelong be successful this week, Mark Thompson will be part of a premiership 23 years after he played in Essendon's 1984 premiership team. This will be the seventh-longest span in the history of the game, behind only Leigh Matthews (32 years, 1971-2002), Kevin Sheedy (31 years, 1969-2000), Frank Hughes (28 years, 1920-48), Jock McHale (26 years, 1910-36), Norm Smith (25 years, 1939-64) and David Parkin (24 years, 1971-95).
Captain and Coach of a Premiership: Mark Thompson. Should Geelong be successful this week, Thompson would become the seventh person in the history of the game to captain and then coach a premiership team, having captained Essendon's premiership team in 1993. He would join Percy Bentley (captain Richmond, coach Carlton), Reg Hickey (captain and then coach of Geelong), Ron Barassi (captain Melbourne and then coach Carlton and North Melbourne), David Parkin (captain Hawthorn and then coach Hawthorn and Carlton), Leigh Matthews (captain Hawthorn and then coach Collingwood and Brisbane Lions) and John Worsfold (captain and then coach of West Coast).
Longest Grand Final span, player then coach: Mark Williams (PA). Mark will coach Port Adelaide this week, 26 years after his first Grand Final appearance as a player for Collingwood in 1981. This is the sixth-longest span in the history of the game, behind only David Parkin (36 years, 1963-99), Jock McHale (34 years, 1903-39), Leigh Matthews (33 years, 1971-2004), Kevin Sheedy (32 years, 1969-2001) and Frank Hughes (29 years, 1919-48).
Brothers in Premiership Teams: Gary & Nathan Ablett. Should Geelong be successful this week, Gary and Nathan Ablett would become the 19th set of brothers in the history of the game to play together in a premiership team, joining Jim and Mick Grace (Fitzroy), Arthur and Fred Leach (Collingwood), Ted and George Lockwood (Collingwood), Robert and George Weatherill (Richmond), Syd and Gordon Coventry (Collingwood), Frank and Len Murphy (Collingwood), Albert and Harry Collier (Collingwood), Les and Peter Hardiman (Geelong), Gordon and Doug Strang (Richmond), Dick and Tom Reynolds (Essendon), Harold and Chris Lambert (Essendon), Lou and Ron Richards (Collingwood), Sted and Phil Hay (Hawthorn), Alistair and Stewart Lord (Geelong), Leigh and Kelvin Matthews (Hawthorn), Chris and Brad Scott (Brisbane Lions), Peter and Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide) and Chad and Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide).
Brothers in Premiership Teams, twice: Chad & Kane Cornes & Peter & Shaun Burgoyne (PA). Should Port Adelaide be successful this week, Chad and Kane Cornes and Peter and Shaun Burgoyne would become the ninth and tenth set of brothers in the history of the game to play in a premiership together on two separate occasions, having all played in the successful 2004 side. From the list above, the would join the Grace brothers (1898-99), Lockwood brothers (1902-03), Coventry brothers (1927-30), Murphy brothers (1928-30), Collier brothers (1927-30 and 1935-36), Hardiman brothers (1931 and 1937), Lambert brothers (1946 and 1950) and Scott brothers (2001-02).
Premierships with Different Clubs: Cameron Mooney (GEEL). Should Geelong be successful this week, Mooney would become the 26th player in the history of the game to have played in premiership with two clubs, having been a member of the successful Kangaroos' side in 1999.
Source: Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release
Article last changed on Friday, September 28, 2007 - 7:48 AM EDT
