Geelong star Tom Hawkins set to play in round 1 against Collingwood

Collingwood might have to rethink its defensive strategies for round 1 after some positive news out of Geelong ahead of Friday night’s showdown.

Tom Hawkins will play in round 1. Picture: Mark Wilson

Superstar Geelong forward Tom Hawkins has had a “ripping month” of training and is set to line up against Collingwood on Friday night as the Cats start their campaign for back-to-back premierships.

Ollie Henry will also get to face his old team after crossing from Collingwood and former GWS Giant Taylor Bruhn will join him in making their Geelong debuts against the Magpies at the sold-out MCG.

But Cats coach Chris Scott confirmed veteran midfielder Mitch Duncan and Gold Coast recruit Jack Bowes wouldn’t play as they continue to recover from calf problems.

Hawkins, a five-time All-Australian, had foot surgery just a month after his team’s premiership triumph last year and had been under an injury cloud heading into the season opener.

But Scott confirmed that after a strong month of training, the 34-year-old would join fellow superstar forward Jeremy Cameron in the Geelong line-up, albeit with reduced expectations.

“He‘ll play. That was my hope and not quite expectation, but that was my suspicion probably about a month ago, and he just had a ripping month,” Scott said of Hawkin on Thursday.

“We don‘t expect him to be as good [in] round one as he will be as the year evolves, but he’s well and truly good enough to play. The last month has given us confidence, which is exciting.

Ooft, Friday night looking ʟᴀʀɢᴇ 👀

General public tickets for our Round 1 clash are officially SOLD OUT!

Members don't fret, you will still be able access general admission areas by scanning your membership and we need you at the 'G! 🎟 pic.twitter.com/9duKwVPlwn

— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) March 15, 2023

Cameron is expected to play but could skip the match as his partner is still yet to deliver the couple‘s first child, which is due any day.

Max Holmes also plays his first game since missing last year’s Grand Final after suffering a hamstring injury in the preliminary final and Scott was full of praise for how the 20-year-old handled himself.

“I couldn’t hold Max in higher regard. One, for the way he handled the situation in the moment, it is hard to help players through that. I think we did what we could but it was really a matter of Max handling the situation well and he did that perfectly, I thought,” he said.

“His response to pre-season and his evolution towards the player that we think he can be has been brilliant. Behind all of that, the reality of elite level sport, and there are so many examples of this, if you really pushed me on it: I‘d love to get Max the ultimate success. But that can’t cloud our thinking, we’ve still got to do what’s right for the team.

“He‘s had to do the work and earn his spot in the team. He has well and truly done that.”

Max Holmes of the Cats (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

The last time the two teams met was in last year’s qualifying final, which the Cats won by six points on the way to the flag.

On Wednesday, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said his team would go in as underdogs but stole a line from his old coach Leigh Matthews, one his former Brisbane teammate and Cats coach Scott would be aware of, to give his team a chance.

“Leigh Matthews used to say, ‘If it bleeds, we can kill it’,” McRae said.

“It might be too early to say that, but Chris (Scott) might get a laugh at it.

“But we‘re in a position, like they are, where we’re ready to go.

“I‘ve been watching (Geelong) and it’s hard to get a gauge on teams this year, but I know when they bounce the ball on Friday night both teams will be ready.”