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Missing the AFL finals is a rare experience for Geelong’s footballers in the modern era, but they’re no stranger to Mad Monday frivolity and were never going to miss an opportunity to poke fun at the most contentious moment of the season.
Making their way into an eatery on the Geelong waterfront for their team’s annual end-of-season celebrations, Tom Hawkins and Cam Guthrie, both dressed as two goal posts, and Isaac Smith, dressed as Adelaide Crows’ Ben Keays, had an announcement.
“We have a performance,” they told the journalists and photographers waiting outside the Wharf Shed on Monday morning.
Soon after, the press pack were watching a live rendition of Keays’ shot at goal during the round 23 match against Sydney, and the notorious umpiring blunder that doomed the Crows’ chances of making finals.
It was not the only contentious moment from season 2023 relived on Monday morning. Max Holmes, dressed as AFL broadcaster Gerard Wheatley, arrived with Gryan Miers as soccer great Lionel Messi.
The two were referencing a social media storm that emerged mid-season when a quote was attributed to Whateley, comparing Miers to the soccer luminary. It was a comment that attracted widespread criticism for the broadcaster until he clarified that it was fake and he’d never made it.
Geelong’s Max Holmes and Gryan Miers dressed up for the end-of-season frivolity.Credit: Darrian Traynor
“Delete the tweet,” Holmes said, holding up a sign with Whateley’s response to the fake quote printed. (“I never said this and it should be removed #fakequote,” it read).
An amused Miers/Messi walked next to him, letting the sign, and his dressed-up pal, do all the talking.
Others who made their way to the cafe – the kind of place Geelong retirees frequent on a Monday morning for a cappuccino – were not as invested in the festivities.
“Didn’t kill myself this year with the dress-up,” Zach Tuohy admitted sheepishly, dressed in a black tracksuit set and red reindeer ears.
Geelong players arrive for their Book Week-style Mad Monday season wake.Credit: Darrian Traynor
After a season-ending loss to St Kilda, it’s perhaps no surprise this year’s theatrics were more subdued than last year’s celebrations.
On that occasion, about 11 months ago, the Cats’ players walked into the same cafe as 2022 premiers, many of them hobbling out of a retirement village mini-van dressed as their elderly alter-egos.
It was their way of gently returning fire at the critics who’d questioned the age of the club’s list before it became the oldest team to win an AFL premiership.
Many of the other arrivals this year were a mix of old and new pop culture references: a gaggle of Harry Potter characters; Homer and Marge of The Simpsons; three Kens from the wildly successful Barbie film; and Ted Lasso and Coach Beard from the wholesome sports comedy-drama Ted Lasso.
More to come.
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