Geelong’s weaknesses exposed in 24-point loss to Hawthorn

Geelong might be on top of the ladder but against Hawthorn, the ball movement was non-existent, a once-lethal forward line has lost its edge, and when the stars battled, the second tier wasn’t prepared to take up the slack.

Alistair Clarkson talks to his players during the clash with Geelong. Picture: AAP Images

Alastair Clarkson is the ultimate pressure test for a team with lofty premiership ambitions.

Geelong came up the highway believing it could seal a perfect 5-0 MCG record and frank its reputation as a bona fide challenger.

It departed tail between legs, the grand coaching master again highlighting the weaknesses that still exist within this side despite its ladder position.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE ‘SACKED’ PODCAST

For the third time in the past four outings Clarkson orchestrated victory over a Cats side which, having lost its breathing space atop the ladder, is now in a mini-slump.

The Cats have lost three of their past five matches and look decidedly mortal.

The beauty of Geelong’s white-hot start to the season is there is still time to tinker and no need to panic.

STAT WATCH: HOW HAWKS DEFEATED CATS

SUPERCAOCH: ALL THE SCORES FROM ROUND 18

But at a ground where so many of the club’s weaknesses have been exposed in recent years, the warning signs were obvious.

Ruckman Rhys Stanley was again well beaten, the ball movement was non-existent, a once-lethal forward line has lost its edge, and when the megastars battled the second tier wasn’t prepared to take up the slack.

Geelong’s season is reflected in Gary Rohan’s fortunes.

Gary Rohan form has dropped off in recent weeks. Picture: AAP Images

Everything he did turned to gold early in the year but as Geelong surged late the ball spilt over his head in a 50-50 contest he just had to win.

Instead James Frawley, magnificent all day, peeled off his man and went harder than Rohan.

Instead of Rohan winning that battle and passing to Frawley’s man the Cats conceded the telling goal to Tim O’Brien only seconds later and the game was pretty much done.

Rohan now has only three goals in his past seven games, Geelong has lost to Port Adelaide, the Bulldogs and the Hawks since late June and a once-rampant team is only a game clear on top.

The Cats were under constant pressure against the Hawks. Picture: AAP Images

To sheet home all of Hawthorn’s gains to Clarkson’s coaching discredits the Hawks players who have now won three consecutive clashes.

Liam Shiels was simply superb in his 200th game, the firestarter in the midfield who mixed 29 touches and seven tackles with 2.1.

Ben McEvoy’s impact echoed louder than his pure statistics and James Sicily (on Tom Hawkins) and Frawley (on Esava Ratugolea) both had the better of their battles.

The Hawks have now beaten Collingwood, Fremantle and Geelong in successive weeks to remain very much in the finals picture.

By rights Hawthorn should have put its foot to the throat of Geelong by half time, boasting a 23-point lead that could have been double that margin.

Tim O’Brien celebrates a goal with his Hawthorn teammates. Picture: AAP Images

With the Cats’ ball movement stifled and the Hawks continually breaking into space, the Hawks poured on eight consecutive behinds.

Mitch Lewis’ goal on the siren at least gave them some breathing space, but it could have turned into a rout instead of a hard-fought battle.

RUCK AND ROLL

Geelong’s ruck issues aren’t going anywhere as Rhys Stanley went up against old stager Ben McEvoy.

By half time McEvoy was the highest ranked player on the ground with 27 hitouts and seven possessions, while Stanley had a single possession and just 15 hitouts.

Stanley had his chance to shine late in the third term with a huge pack mark — which he pushed wide as one of three easy set shots the Cats missed in the space of two minutes.

At his best he can be commanding but he remains a frustratingly inconsistent player.

HAWKS FRONT SIX OPTIONS

Alastair Clarkson continues to spin the magnets as he seeks greater firepower and on Sunday’s output there are clear signs of progress.

Mitch Lewis performed manfully on All Australian contender Mark Blicavs with 3.1 as well as handing one away, also crashing the packs when he couldn’t mark the ball.

Tim O’Brien has been thrust forward in recent weeks and bookended the contest with a pair of goals, while Jack Gunston had more spring in his step after a quieter year.

HAWKS WAIT ON IMPEY’S KNEE SCAN

Alastair Clarkson says the club’s dethroning of ladder leader Geelong is affirmation the club’s rebuild is on track despite the loss of star defender Jarman Impey to a knee injury.

Impey’s knee buckled in an ugly hyperextension on the MCG wing, with the Hawks fearing he might have ACL damage as well as a torn lateral ligament.

The lateral ligament alone will likely be enough to put him out for the year, but that initial damage has made it hard to diagnose the ACL issue until he has scans.

He has been in spectacular form for the Hawks, who have now won three straight games and are only a win and percentage out of the eight.

The Hawks were able to shut down Geelong’s spectacular ball movement and hit the scoreboard themselves with Mitch Lewis (three goals) leading the charge.

Clarkson’s side takes on premiership challengers Brisbane in Tasmania next week, aware they are in the thick of it after a strong month of footy.

Tom Mitchell will not return this year from a broken leg, Clarkson saying the surgery to remove a plate from his leg had set him back enough to end his season.

But with Liam Shiels brilliant in his 200th game and the kids like Lewis, Ollie Hanrahan and James Worpel again strong, Clarkson knows his side is building.

Alistair Clarkson chats to his players during their win against Geelong. Picture: AAP Images

“Geelong are the highest scoring team in the comp and we kept them to eight goals. Both sides kicked poorly at goal but we were delighted we were able to restrict them because they are a very potent scoring side. We have still got some work to do in our game and it sounds silly when you have beaten a side that has taken all before it, but it’s just an opportunity for us to get belief,” he said.

“The direction we are going in is the right one with the emergence of the younger players we have injected into this side. They continue to show they are going to be important in the next wave of success for this footy club.”

Impey hyperextended his knee charging forward to take a rebounding mark but the club can only hope for the best given his diagnosis was not clear-cut Sunday night.

“We are not really certain at this point in time. When the knee buckles in that manner you always fear the worst. We think there has been some lateral ligament damage but we just have to hope when they scan him there is no ACL damage.

Jarman Impey is helped from the ground by Hawthorn medical staff. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s a difficult one, sometimes when the lateral ligament is damaged it’s an unusual mechanism and they are not certain whether the ACL is implicated as well so we are at the mercy of the scan.”

Clarkson believed Ben McEvoy clearly won the ruck battle but also paid tribute to 200-gamer Liam Shiels after his best-afield display.

“Pup has been a special player for our footy club in a different way. He has been a great teammate and done it for in his 200 games. He has been a real warrior for our club and probably sat in the shadow of some decorated players at our club but he has been a special player for our footy club in a different way.”