Cats make a point, keep laughing even though Mad Monday is earlier than they’d like

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.