THE BARWON Club Hotel is about as Geelong as Bobby Davis. Located on Moorabool Street, the pub is a five-minute stroll from GMHBA Stadium and in the centre of town a torpedo punt from the Cats' headquarters. But this week, the Barwon Club will be plastered in more red and white than the other local hotels. 

The hotel is owned by Matt and Jo McCartin, parents of Sydney defenders Paddy and Tom. Already preparations have seen them bring in extra Swans-themed paraphernalia than most pubs in the region, although there will still be plenty of blue and white. 

"We've got both, because at this pub you look out the windows and the GMHBA Stadium light towers are right there," Matt McCartin said this week. "We love the Geelong Footy Club because of what they do for the pub and we've been lifelong Geelong supporters too. It was only up until the boys went on their journeys that we started barracking for other teams."

The McCartins are intrinsically linked with Geelong the town and football club, adding an extra unique element to already one of the most endearing storylines of this year's premiership decider as the Cats take on the Swans for the flag.

Matt played for Geelong's under-19s side, was drafted by the club in 1993 and played a year in their reserves side. Jo is from Colac, also well in the Cats' catchment area. 

Their boys, including middle brother Charlie, all went to St Joseph's College in Geelong, and played at the local 'St Joey's' footy club, where Cats legends Matthew Scarlett, Cameron Ling and Barry Stoneham had all played. When he was older, Paddy accepted a scholarship to Geelong Grammar, itself a regular pathway for Cats greats, including Sam Newman. Paddy and Tom played at the Geelong Falcons in the NAB League, where former Cats great Michael Turner led their development program. 

GRAND FINAL MEGA-PREVIEW Cats v Swans, stats that matter, who wins and why

Before Paddy was drafted by St Kilda with pick No.1 in 2014, the McCartins were all Cats fans. The family revelled in the Cats' premiership successes of 2007, 2009 and 2011, and despaired in their surprise defeat to Hawthorn in the 2008 Grand Final. 

"We were members with a lot of other families," Matt said. 

"We were in the ballot to get tickets to the 2007 Grand Final which we got but we couldn't go to, but we went to 2008 (against Hawthorn) which was bad. Then we went to 2009 (against St Kilda) and Jo spent the last 10 minutes in the toilets because she couldn't watch anymore and couldn't bear it because her kids would've been heartbroken if they had another loss like '08. We took a bus with heaps of other families down to the game and had the time of our lives."

Paddy trained with the Cats in his draft year as part of his AFL Academy program, where Geelong star Steve Johnson joked McCartin should go easy in his draft year so the Cats could select him with a later choice.

The McCartins are very close friends with the Atkins family, with Paddy and Tom Atkins, the Geelong midfielder who has risen steeply in importance at Geelong this season, "thick as thieves". And if there needed to be any further tie to the Cattery, Paddy's girlfriend is Lucy Brownless, the daughter of Billy, who was pronounced the 'King of Geelong' after his famous goal after the siren in the 1994 finals. 

But this week the McCartins are all in on the Swans as they look to upset Geelong's 15-game winning streak in the biggest game of the year. Paddy and Tom have been crucial to Sydney's rise, with youngest brother Tom becoming one of the competition's leading key backs and oldest brother Paddy alongside him in the back half, intercepting and cutting off forward forays and returning to the AFL fold after his concussion issues at St Kilda. 

"We're just so proud of the boys. The thing is that everyone has a story – Tom has a story and so does Tom Atkins and so does every kid running around playing AFL footy or every other kid in general," Matt said. 

"The thing about Paddy's is it's probably been publicised a bit more. There was some fascination with him early being the No.1 draft pick and being a bigger kid and having diabetes and then along came the concussions. But every kid has a story and if you sat down and spoke to them all, there'd be a speed hump along the way they've had to overcome to get to where they are."

Tom McCartin had his own concussion in 2019 which revealed a bigger concern when neurologists diagnosed a damaged artery in his neck. Just three years into his career, McCartin was told he might never be able to play contact sport again. 

"They were really concerned about that but the more research they did they came to the conclusion it had been there from birth so there was a sense of relief there," Matt said.

SELFLESS SWANS The team-first mentality that has Sydney flying

Tom has played every game this season and Paddy has only missed one match, meaning the McCartin family have made plenty of trips to the Harbour City. "Thank God for Avalon Airport," Matt joked, with the Swans having also welcomed Charlie into their recruiting team in recent years for some scouting. 

"Charlie is the No.1 supporter so we're all in," he said. "They're just a great club in general. The other families we've met there have been great. It might be the case that when you do go to Sydney you might stay over and catch up with the other families and have a beer and something to eat and you tend to get to know people a bit quicker."

While the McCartins are at the MCG on Saturday – Paddy and Tom's player allocation got them tickets plus Matt and Jo picked up more through the members ballot – a Geelong-heavy crowd will pack into the Barwon Club Hotel. "It will be a great occasion," Matt said.