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AFL 2024: Recap news, SuperCoach scores after Geelong defeats Hawthorn on wild Easter Monday

Geelong is unbeaten after holding off Hawthorn on a wild day at the MCG when play was almost called off due to severe weather. Recap a crazy day and the SuperCoach stars.

Josh Barnes and Al Paton
6 min read
April 1, 2024 - 7:29PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
James Sicily of the Hawks looks dejected.
James Sicily of the Hawks looks dejected.

Lightning strikes caused a delay of longer than 40 minutes during the Hawthorn-Geelong Easter Monday, with players ordered from the field at three quarter-time.

Players exited the field at 5.29pm, as they stood in position to start the final quarter, and the game resumed at 6.11pm.

See full stats and SuperCoach points in the match centre above

Players and coaches of both sides completed huddles at the final break and were in position on field to start the final term when an umpire on the bench called for them to leave the field.

An announcement was then made at the MCG explaining that players would be leaving the field for safety reasons after lightning strikes in the area.

Geelong led at the final change by 36 points as players headed into the changerooms beneath the MCG for a break of a minimum of 20 minutes to let the weather pass.

Hawthorn challenged the Cats after play resumed but the final margin was the same as it stood before the break in play.

If players didn’t return to the field, Geelong would have been given the full four points given the game made it past halftime.

The game had been largely played in dry conditions, despite forecasts for torrential rainfall, until late in the third term when the heavens opened.

Extremely heavy rain fell at three quarter-time before the players were called from the ground.

A similar break in play occurred last season when the lights went off at the Gabba in a game between Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions, causing a major stoppage in play.

While the players went into the rooms, two pitch invaders entered the field.

Both were eventually tracked down by security.

6:49pm: FULL-TIME SUPERCOACH LEADERS

A monster game from James Worpel couldn’t get the Hawks over the line. Conditions may have influenced the scores with only three players topping the ton.

148 – James Worpel

104 – Connor Nash

100 – Mitch Duncan

99 – Tom Stewart

95 – Zach Guthrie

93 – Mabior Chol

Cheapie watch: Massimo D’Ambrosio finished with 66 points and Jhye Clark scored 68. The big winners were coaches who traded in Cats forward Oliver Dempsey, who finished with 22 disposals, six marks, seven tackles and 86 SuperCoach points.

Oliver Dempsey got busy all over the ground. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Oliver Dempsey got busy all over the ground. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

6:45pm: CATS WIN

Geelong is unbeaten in 2024 after a wild day at the MCG.

The final margin is 36 points, which makes the win sound a lot easier than it was.

In an extra blow for Hawthorn Nick Watson limped off with 30 seconds left.

6:33pm: THAT MIGHT BE IT

Tom Hawkins kicks his fourth goal after a gift handball from Jeremy Cameron who marked in the goalsquare, and the margin is back out to 32 points despite all the Hawks’ efforts.

6:25pm: SOME MAGIC FROM THE WIZARD

Hawthorn teenage star Nick Watson – known as the Wizard – curls through a beauty and the momentum is all Hawthorn’s way since the restart.

The margin is 20 points and the Hawks have won nine clearances to zero in the final term.

6:12PM: HAWKS’ PERFECT RESTART

Play has resumed in torrential rain with a quarter to play following a 46-minute delay caused by lightning fears.

And the Hawks have made the perfect start with a goal to Jack Ginnivan to cut the margin to 30 points. They couldn’t, could they?

In some positive news for the Cats Tom Stewart is back out there.

5:57pm: RESTART TIME SET

The AFL says the game will restart at 6.11pm.

5:25pm: THREE QUARTER-TIME SUPERCOACH LEADERS

After the Hawks closed the gap to four points early in the third term Geelong heads into the final quarter with a 36-point lead. And the rain has arrived at the MCG.

101 – James Worpel

79 – Cam Mackenzie

77 – Mitch Duncan

76 – Tom Stewart

75 – Mabior Chol, Max Holmes, Zach Guthrie

73 – Connor Nash, Brandan Parfitt, Tanner Bruhn

5:14pm: STEWART IN THE ROOMS

Some big news for Geelong and SuperCoach with Tom Stewart taken down to the rooms for a concussion test.

The champion defender copped a knee in the back of the head from Mabior Chol as he flew for a high mark.

Stewart is currently leading the Cats with 76 SuperCoach points.

5:10pm: HAWKS ACTIVATE SUB

Harry Morrison is into the game for Hawthorn and Henry Hustwaite has been subbed out. The pre-season SuperCoach special managed eight disposals and 41 SuperCoach points in his first game for the year.

5:06pm: CATS GO BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG

Geelong has answered Hawthorn’s challenge with four goals in seven minutes and all of a sudden the margin is 29 points again.

4:55pm: HAWKS KEEP COMING

Mabior Chol kicks the first goal of the second half after a brilliant lead-up play from Massimo D’Ambrosio. The margin is four points!

4:40pm: GINNIVAN TACTS REAR HEAD AGAIN

David King has teed off at the umpiring after two obvious high tackles on Jack Ginnivan went unpenalised.

There were 11 high contact frees in the game to halftime, but – “by sheer coincidence”, King said – Ginnivan hasn’t received any.

“They have two sets of rules, it’s as simple as that. The guy in the long sleeves gets nothing.”

Jack Ginnivan watches the replay. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Jack Ginnivan watches the replay. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

4:33pm: HALFTIME SUPERCOACH LEADERS

Here come the Hawks! Another Mabior Chol goal with 20 seconds left in the half cuts the margin to 11 points. SuperCoach leaders:
67 – Tom Stewart

65 – Cam Mackenzie

63 – James Worpel

57 – Karl Amon, Tanner Bruhn

55 – Zach Guthrie

54 – James Sicily

Everyone’s favourite SuperCoach recruit Massimo D’Ambrosio has 24 points at halftime, narrowly mising a set shot at goal in the second term.

4:25pm: HAWKS LIFTING

Mabior Chol runs down Zac Guthrie and converts, then Mitch Lewis takes a MASSIVE pack mark 30m out – and kicks the Hawks’ fourth goal of the second quarter.

The margin is 17 points and the Hawks have momentum.

4:22pm: TIGER INJURY DISASTER

Interrupting Hawks v Cats with some breaking injury news that is just cruel after Richmond’s breakthrough win yesterday. Tom Lynch and Noah Balta are both set for lengthy stints on the sidelines after both were hurt in the final minutes against Sydney.

4:14pm: HAWKS’ SHINING LIGHT

Young midfielder Cam Mackenzie is giving Hawk fans something to get excited about on a tough afternoon.

He now has two goals from eight disposals, and 46 SuperCoach points halfway through the second quarter. James Worpel is the leading scorer on the ground with 51.

3:55pm: QUARTER-TIME SUPERCOACH LEADERS

Geelong had 15 inside-50s to seven and eight scoring shots to two in a dominant opening term. Jason Dunstall described it as “an avalanche” on Fox Footy.

Here are your SuperCoach leaders:

44 – Oliver Henry

37 – Tom Hawkins, Tanner Bruhn

36 – Karl Amon

35 – Zac Guthrie

33 – James Worpel, Cam Mackenzie

Massimo D’Ambrosio has 13 points from four disposals, James Sicily nine, Oliver Dempsey 11 and Jhye Clark six at the first change.

3:50pm: IT’S A GEELONG BLITZ

Henry has another and Tom Hawkins boots his second and suddenly it’s seven goals to one.

Quarter-time can’t come quick enough for Hawthorn.

3:43pm: HENRY 1 SICILY 0

Oliver Henry claims a big win against opponent James Sicily by nailing him in a brilliant tackle – then converts the holding the ball free kick with a sublime set shot from 45m out on an acute angle.

Hot start for the Cats who lead four goals to one.

3:38pm: HAWKS GAME PLAN WATCH

Hawthorn seems keen to move the ball a lot quicker this week.

They are still racking up touches after winning the ball at half-back but there is much more intent to switch then try to go forward.

It’s not working every time but it’s a lot more exciting to watch than what the Hawks dished up a week ago.

3:32pm: STEWART LOVING NEW ROLE

Tom Stewart is lining up on a wing at centre bounces then drifting back to be the Cats’ quarterback.

And it’s working a treat early with some touches around the middle of the ground and two intercept marks deep in defence.

Stewart has 19 SuperCoach points seven minutes into the first quarter, fourth on the ground behind Hawks goalkicker Cam Mackenzie (28), Mitch Duncan (23) and Tyson Stengle (21).

Meanwhile Oliver Henry appears to have a job following James Sicily around all afternoon.

Tom Hawkins celebrates an early goal in game 350. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Tom Hawkins celebrates an early goal in game 350. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

3:38pm: JEZZA LIMPING

Jeremy Cameron is hobbling after landing awkwardly in a marking contest. He has waved trainers away but we’ll keep an eye on that one.

3:20pm: CATS’ SURPRISE MOVE

We’re away at the G – and Tom Stewart is lining up on a wing.

He gets an early touch as the Cats go forward – and Tyson Stengle bends a banana through for the first goal of the day.

3:18pm: HAPPY 350th TOMAHAWK

What an absolute legend.

Tom Hawkins with his family on the MCG before game 350. Picture: Michael Klein
Tom Hawkins with his family on the MCG before game 350. Picture: Michael Klein

3:10pm: SUPERCOACH WATCHLIST

Massimo D’Ambrosio’s 37,000 new owners will get their first look at their new SuperCoach recruit today. Adding the coaches who brought the former Bomber in last week, he has been added to almost 90,000 teams following a blistering start to the season, and now features in 62 per cent of SuperCoach teams.

Cats rookie Oliver Dempsey was recruited by almost 10,000 coaches this week and enters the game with a Break Even of -71, while Jhye Clark was in 58 per cent of teams to start the season. He has had a bit of a slow start with scores of 13 and 60 so coaches will be looking for a lift today to ensure a big price rise after lockout ends.

We’ll also be watching to see if either team has a plan for oppositng star defenders Tom Stewart and James Sicily.

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Oliver Dempsey warms up on Easter Monday. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Oliver Dempsey warms up on Easter Monday. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Originally published as AFL 2024: Recap news, SuperCoach scores after Geelong defeats Hawthorn on wild Easter Monday

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/supercoach-news/afl-2024-follow-live-updates-supercoach-scores-on-easter-monday/news-story/232fba3ea64736c002c7b47c75f1d8c7