From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by James Podsiadley
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THIS is the stage where the next Jimmy Bartel, the next Steve Johnson and the next Gary Ablett are born.

On Sunday, our VFL side has the chance to emulate the feats of our 2002 and 2007 premiership teams when it faces powerhouse Port Melbourne in the VFL grand final.

This is the last opportunity for Cats fans to get their footy fix for the next six months.

What a great opportunity to get along to Etihad Stadium and watch the blue-and-white hoops battle it out for some silverware.

I know at Geelong, any form of team achievement is cherished. The guys who played in the 2002 VFL premiership still talk about their triumph a fair bit around the club and it's the subject of a lot of banter.

From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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VFL grand final coaches Gary Ayres and Matthew Knights were at Essendon when they last sat together. It was October, 2007.

..Knights had just been appointed to replace Kevin Sheedy and Ayres was a senior assistant.

Not for long. Offered a role in "opposition analysis'', he declined and moved to Port Melbourne.

"I worked with Matty for a couple of years at Essendon until he gave me the arse,'' Ayres said yesterday, light-heartedly, as he and Knights took questions at a press conference at Etihad Stadium.

Five years on, the former AFL coaches and champion players are eyeing the VFL premiership, Ayres with his spirited, stand-alone Borough and Knights with Geelong.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Alex Oates
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GEELONG survived a final-quarter surge from Werribee to book a place in Sunday's VFL grand final.

In a nail-biting finish at North Port Oval yesterday, the Cats held firm in the final minute to clinch a five-point victory, 16.12 (108) to 15.13 (103), and a crack at Port Melbourne.

A relieved Geelong coach Matthew Knights admitted his team almost ran out of legs after leading by eight goals in the second term.

"Full credit to Werribee for coming back so hard when I thought we held them at bay for three quarters with good quality football, but they clearly won the last quarter," Knights said.

The Borough booked their place in the grand final with a solid win over Williamstown on Saturday and Knights is well aware of the opposition's quality.

"Obviously their record speaks for itself," Knights said.