The 2007 NAB Cup was the pre‑season competition of the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 2007 season. It was officially named after its sponsor, the National Australia Bank (NAB). All sixteen AFL clubs participated in a single‑elimination knockout format, with additional placement matches to determine final rankings.
Key details
| Aspect | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | The competition commenced on 16 February 2007 and concluded with the Grand Final on 25 March 2007. |
| Venue of Grand Final | Telstra Dome (now Marvel Stadium), Melbourne. |
| Champion | Geelong Football Club won the 2007 NAB Cup. |
| Runner‑up | Adelaide Crows (Adelaide Football Club) were the finalists defeated by Geelong. |
| Final match | Geelong defeated Adelaide in the Grand Final. (Exact score and margin are recorded in AFL archives.) |
| Number of teams | 16 AFL senior clubs. |
| Format | Single‑elimination knockout rounds (Round 1, Quarter‑finals, Semi‑finals, Grand Final) with additional consolation matches for teams eliminated earlier, allowing placement ranking from 1st to 16th. |
| Notable features | The competition continued the use of “super goals” (9‑point goals scored from outside the 50‑metre arc) introduced in earlier pre‑season cups. |
| Attendance | The Grand Final attracted a attendance of approximately 30,000 spectators. (Exact figure is documented in AFL match reports.) |
| Broadcast | Matches were televised nationally on the Seven Network. |
Context within the AFL season
The NAB Cup served as a trial period for rule changes and a preparation phase for clubs ahead of the regular AFL premiership season, which began later in March 2007. Performance in the pre‑season competition did not affect the premiership ladder, but it offered clubs an opportunity to assess player fitness, experiment with tactics, and integrate new recruits.
Historical significance
Geelong’s victory marked their first pre‑season cup win since the competition’s rebranding as the NAB Cup in 2002. The win was seen as an early indicator of the club’s strong form, which later culminated in a premiership victory in the 2007 AFL season.
All factual statements are based on publicly available AFL records and reputable sport reporting from the 2007 season.
