Geelong returns to its powerful best to address a mid-season slide and flog the Hawks
A few Cats veterans have shown the Cats still have some serious punches to throw in 2024, putting the young, in-form Hawks in their place.
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Geelong has reminded the competition the Cats still boast the ability to throw some serious punches this season, with milestone man Gary Rohan having an early impact and Tom Stewart back to his best touch.
Getting his game going with a spectacular grab on the wing, the former Swan in his 200th slotted two in rapid time to gift his side early dominance against a young, in-form Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday evening — match control it never relinquished to win by 51 points.
The Hawks provided a measure of response after half time, but the Cats would always have the answer to any momentum going the other way, feasting on a heap more forward entries (63-40) and marks inside the arc (22-8).
Winning its fourth game at home for the year, the Cats jumped to fourth on the table with Stewart amassing a game-high 26 touches and 11 marks, and Jeremy Cameron and Brad Close kicking eight majors between them.
With Sam De Koning also kicking a brace in his new role in the ruck, including a blinder of a banana, Mitch Duncan providing drive and pressure with 15 first-half touches and Patrick Dangerfield proving his hamstrings are fine after a beautiful pick up in the second, the Cats appear to have addressed a disappointing mid-season slide in typically comprehensive style.
And it came with its most productive forward in Tyson Stengle being held to a five-possession goalless opening half as Close stepped up to slot a series of delightful snaps in his place.
With relentless pressure, the Cats simply gave the Hawks – on their third visit to Kardinia Park since 2006 – no room to move as its forward line was rarely visited in the opening half.
The Hawks dropped simple marks in important positions, lacked the appropriate defensive pressure and produced momentum-killing turnovers in its back half, with Stewart’s tackling at times utterly ferocious.
The returning Shaun Mannagh also had 11 tackles to three quarter time in a fine return to the big time.
You wouldn’t have known Hawthorn had been on a 7-1 tear since early May; the very same weekend the Cats’ season began to slide.
After a big statement beyond half time against a rattled Bombers team from a few dubious decisions last Saturday night, kicking 10.5 to just 2.3, the Cats’ strong form continued with one of their most dominant quarters of the year on Saturday.
A 29-7 quarter time scoreline perhaps did not fully tell the tale with the Cats bossing all facets of the game.
Especially in the forward line where the Cats had a clear edge in entries (17-10) and marks (7-0) for the term.
In fact it was an opening 10 minutes of wasted opportunity for the home team with three Jeremy Cameron marks failing to register a goal, with similar efforts from Shannon Neale, Stewart and Mark Blicavs, exposing Hawthorn’s lack of height and its absent captain James Sicily.
The Hawks had been put on the backfoot with Geelong’s pressure and it took almost eight minutes to enter its forward half, moving the ball by foot much slower than Geelong’s slick transition.
Duncan was strong early with nine touches for the quarter while emerging star Ollie Dempsey had 10 on the wing.
Unable to convert, the Cats’ scoring style flipped through quick handball, with Rohan set up by a Stengle assist to kick his first on the run, following it up moments later with a mark on the lead.
De Koning was also a recipient of the Cats’ smooth transition, waltzing into an open six-pointer.
Fortunately for the visitors, they got some late respite with James Worpel selling some candy to a quietish Max Holmes and converting from close to the paint of 50.
Worpel and teammate Dylan Moore were easily their side’s best amid a white and blue onslaught.
The Hawks finally recorded its first inside 50 mark through Mitch Lewis in the opening minutes of the second, but the Hawks continued to fumble as Cameron, De Koning, Close and Neale put the game almost beyond the visitors’ reach.
The Cats were back to their offensive best on their home deck with their second successive 100-point plus score, as they took a comfortable 42-point lead at the final break.
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