Australian Football

Match Report

It seems that Geelong and Hawthorn simply do not know how to put on a bad show. The two most successful sides of the last eight years gave more than 80,000 fans yet another classic encounter at the MCG on Easter Monday. Ultimately the Cats prevailed for the 12th time in the last 13 encounters between the two powerhouses, a statistic that does the Hawks absolutely no justice.

The final margin was 19 points, but for the vast majority of the match, as has been the case so many times before, the result was anyone's guess. In fact, with Hawthorn five points ahead at the eight-minute mark after a Jack Gunston goal had changed the lead for the seventh time in the match, the Channel Seven commentators unanimously declared the Cats as "gone". But within five minutes, Jordan Murdoch had restored the lead for Geelong, and the Hawks would not regain it. Tom Hawkins, who was having a big day, kicked his fourth at the 16-minute mark and followed up with another two minutes later to put the Cats 17 points clear.

Cyril Rioli clawed it back to 11 points but Corey Enright and Stevie Johnson put the result beyond doubt with goals deep into time on. First-gamer Mitch Hallahan kicked a late goal as the Hawks pressed for one final time but the Cats prevailed in the end in a true "blockbuster".

Best for the Cats were "Stevie J" (34 disposals, 10 marks), Jimmy Bartel (nine marks, 25 possessions) and Tom Hawkins with his five goals, while Hawthorn's better players included Jack Gunston (three goals, nine marks), Jonathan Simpkin (26 touches, six marks) and Sam Mitchell (26 disposals, three tackles).

Geelong's reward is top place on the ladder as the league's only undefeated side after five rounds but they will face an immediate challenge to that mantle when they travel to the Adelaide Oval next Sunday to take on Port Adelaide. A Cats' loss would see the Power grab top spot. The Hawks will lick their wounds and look to set things right with a win over 11th-placed Richmond. But Alastair Clarkson's men will not want to take the game lightly, as Hawthorn have succumbed to the Tigers in each of the last two seasons.

GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 5; Johnson 3; Murdoch, Enright 2; Varcoe, Guthrie, McIntosh
Hawthorn: Breust, Gunston 3; Hallahan, Rioli, Duryea, Hale, McEvoy, Smith

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Geelong: Johnson, Hawkins, McIntosh, Bartel, Duncan, Rivers, Selwood
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Gunston, Breust, Birchall, Simpkin, Hill

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Geelong: Hawkins, Johnson, Duncan, McIntosh, Bartel, Rivers
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Langford, Gunston, Simpkin, Hodge, Birchall

INJURIES
Geelong: Stokes (eye)
Hawthorn: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jackson Sheringham replaced Andrew Mackie at three-quarter time.
Hawthorn: Mitch Hallahan replaced Ben McEvoy at three-quarter time.

UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Meredith, Ryan

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Hamish McLachlan, Leigh Matthews, Luke Darcy, Tim Watson, Cameron Ling