Geelong to sweat on Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan punches as Joel Selwood battles ankle injury

IT was a horror night for Geelong with Tom Hawkins facing the prospect of another suspension for jumper punching, and Mitch Duncan also has a nervous wait. WATCH, VOTE

Tom Hawkins could be in strife for his jumper punch on Dane Rampe. Picture: Getty Images

GEELONG was savaged for its lack of discipline after last night’s loss to Sydney as forward Tom Hawkins faces the prospect of another suspension for jumper punching.

To add to the Cats’ woes, captain Joel Selwood will face a race against the clock to recover from looked like a nasty ankle injury in time for Saturday’s clash with Richmond.

Midfielder Mitch Duncan could also be in trouble for his blow on Swans forward Tom Papley as the Cats were left reeling from a horror night at Simonds Stadium.

The loss will have a significant impact on the Cats’ hopes for a double chance if GWS, Richmond and Port Adelaide all win this weekend.

And they will be sweating on the availability of Hawkins, Duncan and Selwood for next week’s crucial match with Richmond.

The Cats are hopeful Selwood will prove his fitness and take on the Tigers.

But Hawkins is in danger of being rubbed out for the next two games if he is cited for his jumper punch to Dane Rampe because of his bad record.

The forward was suspended for a similar incident earlier in the season against Adelaide, and last year also served a one-match penalty for striking GWS’ Phil Davis.

Hawkins also remonstrated with Callum Mills with a fist to chest, but the force appeared minimal.

Injured teammate Daniel Menzel said he has his fingers crossed Hawkins will be cleared by the match review panel.

“You don’t like seeing it and you do think, ‘Tom, don’t do that’, because you do see guys go for little incidents,” Menzel said.

“You’d hate to see him miss again with it but I don’t think there was that much in it ... I don’t think it was excessive force.”

Duncan also has a nervous wait for the MRP findings for his round-arm hit on Papley, which gifted the Swans a second shot at goal after Dan Hannebery kicked the first goal of the final quarter.

Carlton premiership great Mark Maclure said if the AFL was serious about eradicating punches in the game then Hawkins and Duncan had to be suspended.

“I think they should suspend them because if you’re going to finish it off (punching), finish it off, because it just keeps coming and coming,” Maclure said on Fox Footy.

“If you don’t want to stop it, give them a $1500 fine.

“Two different mindsets from two different clubs. One is Sydney, who have no fines. The other blokes just want to punch the hell of people.”

Dean Towers gets into Mitch Duncan after the Cat gave away a free kick in the last quarter. Picture: AAP

Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos said Duncan was in “huge trouble” for his strike on Papley, and former St Kilda and North Melbourne start Nick Dal Santo believed he was in more trouble than Hawkins.

“I just get the sense that (Hawkins) wants to hurt someone, then he remembers that he’s not allowed to do what he wants to do and he gives him a little one,” Dal Santo said on Fox Sports’ AFL Today.

“I think Mitch Duncan is in more strife, it had more force in it. I think he’d be looking at one (week)”

Roos said Duncan’s ill-discipline and the two-goal play in the last quarter ended any hope of a Geelong comeback.

“They’ve given two goals away that they shouldn’t have given away,” Roos said.

“(It was a) crucial time. They were back in the game. They lost the plot.”

Cats midfielder Cam Guthrie said the team would have to cop the criticism.

“To give two goals up, pretty much within a minute, leaves us (open to) the outside footy world saying that was a pretty undisciplined performance,” Guthrie told SEN radio.

“Sometimes that’s all it takes, a couple of little incidents within a minute period and that could be the game gone, and it pretty was much from there.

“I think we’ve just got to remind each other that it’s not really worth it in the end. The way we want to beat up on teams is on the scoreboard and not through punches.”

Joel Selwood is helped from the ground after hurting his ankle. Picture: Getty Images

But Cats coach Chris Scott disagreed with the decision to award Papley a free kick.

“I have looked at it, and (you can) have an opinion on these things,” Scott said.

“I think that if the umpire that paid it has a look at the vision I have looked at, he will be disappointed that he paid it. That’s OK, mistakes happen.”

Scott said Selwood sat out the final quarter when the result was beyond doubt to ensure he didn’t further damage the imjury.

“They (the medical staff) are actually confident,” Scott said.

“I am actually confident enough to say now he will be fine.”

“Clearly in the last quarter (the question) was around whether we should keep pushing him through, making his chance of playing next week lower.”

Originally published as Geelong to sweat on Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan punches as Joel Selwood battles ankle injury