In part one of a two part series, VFL correspondent Nick Wade goes through the unique and interesting aspects of the Bendigo Bank Cats’ captivating 2007 home and away season.

Record breakers

Geelong had a propensity of breaking records weekly as its all-conquering reign built momentum throughout the season.

In both encounters against North Ballarat this season, the Cats went on a record-breaking crusade.

The round 18 battle in particular, touted as one of the matches of the season, fizzled out into a landslide as the Cats posted their highest score against the Roosters – 21.15 (141) – and steamrolled their way to their biggest winning margin against the Roosters – 71 points.

Against Tasmania in round 10 at Skilled Stadium, the Cats surpassed their previous biggest winning margin against the Devils with a 72-point hiding. Furthermore, the Cats restricted the Devils to 3.8 (26) – the side’s lowest ever score.

When competition leaders Geelong and Williamstown clashed in round 12 at Burbank Oval, the Cats rose to the occasion and unleashed some of the best football produced since their 2002 premiership.

The Cats blew Williamstown apart with an eight-goal first quarter, and finished up kicking their highest score ever against the Seagulls – 19.15 (129).

In round five, Casey Fields emerged as happy hunting ground for the Cats.

After kicking fifteen straight goals (without kicking a behind) at the venue last season, the Cats obliterated the Scorpions with a resounding 81-point hiding, inflicting one of the biggest wins against the side.

Father sons

Saturday 19 May was the only time in the club’s history where seven club father-sons played on the same day at the same venue.

Geelong’s VFL side played a curtain raiser to the AFL side’s clash with Fremantle at Skilled Stadium.

Matthew Scarlett, Gary Ablett, Nathan Ablett and Mark Blake suited up for the AFL clash, while Tim Callan, Tom Hawkins and Tom Couch played in the VFL.

Emerging patterns

Geelong’s VFL side finished the home and away season as the most prolific scorer and the most miserly defender.

The side boasted the highest percentage by more than 15 per cent, as it went on to record its best home and away season result since the 2002 premiership year.

The VFL Cats were the only team to score above 2100 points, while they were the only team to concede less than 1500.

A quick glance at the AFL ladder reveals exactly the same scenario – the highest scoring team, lowest conceding team and the undisputed kings of percentage.

So uncanny were the similarities going into the split round weekend, both sides had scored and conceded, on average, nearly identical figures.

The VFL Cats’ average score was 114.50 points, while the AFL Cats’ average score was 115.72 points.

The VFL Cats’ average score against was 80.90 points, while the AFL Cats’ average score against was 76.27 points.

Another glaring similarity, the Cats’ VFL percentage peaked at 157.64 after the side’s 81-point belting of Casey in round five, which has been the sustained figure of the AFL side’s percentage all season.

The Cats’ VFL percentage has remained around the mid-to-high 140’s all season.

Highest number

Against Werribee in round 19, University Blues utility Andrew McArthur became the ninth VFL-listed player this season to make their VFL debut.

The 19-year-old was the 21st VFL-listed player used by the Cats this season and wore number 67 – the highest number ever worn by a Geelong VFL player.

Incidentally, the Cats’ VFL list this season has more players on it than ever before (23 players, up from 20 last season and 11 in the previous years).

In terms of players used, the Cats have used two more players this season than they did last season – 49 to 47.

Twenty-one AFL players qualified last year for the VFL finals, while this year 19 have qualified.

Luck of the draw

In terms of unique season facts, this one takes the cake.

Playing in a draw is something some players may never experience in their careers, but many players down Williamstown experienced them in high abundance this year.

Williamstown was involved in successive draws in round two and three this season, but what’s more remarkable is the side’s reserves team also drew in round one.

Spare a thought for Collingwood colt Brent Maccaffer, who was promoted to the seniors from the reserves after round one.

He played in three draws in three weeks. Talk about a hollow feeling, he must have been completely gutted.

Before this season, Williamstown had only recorded 33 draws in its illustrious history of 2105 VFA/VFL matches.

To put this into perspective, the only instance successive draws has occurred at AFL/VFL level was in round one and two in 1911, when Carlton played in successive draws, before losing in a thriller in round three.

Prolific stat winners

Paul Koulouriotis sent the statisticians scampering last year when he continuously reeled in high-30 possession performances.

This year’s model of Koulouriotis was speedy wingman Kane Tenace, who consistently gathered over 30 possessions every week, including one phenomenal effort against Frankston at Skilled Stadium.

It goes without saying that his 48-possession haul was the biggest in the side’s history, but not the highest in the VFL since the competition received a revamp in 2000.

Former Geelong rookie Andrew Carrazzo accumulated 51 possessions running around for the Northern Bullants against Tasmania two years ago.