Geelong is now a better side without champion Tom Hawkins

Tom Hawkins’ determined pursuit to get back from injury has been gutsy and inspiring for his teammates. But the eye and the numbers clearly outline which way the Cats should go.

The eye can see it and the stats show it too: Geelong is now a better side without Tom Hawkins.

That is not to kick one of the club’s all-time greats on the way out. Instead, it is a credit to how the Cats forward line has adapted and the improvement of 22-year-old key forward Shannon Neale.

Champion Data numbers reveal that the Cats average 17.7 more points in the 12 games without Hawkins than their 12 appearances with the goalkicker – albeit Hawkins did miss two clashes against North Melbourne and one with West Coast.

Geelong is also converting more chains and inside 50s into scores without Hawkins in the side, with the Cats boasting the best attacking profile of any side over the last six weeks according to the stats gurus.

Geelong has a record of 9-3 without Hawkins and is 7-5 with him this season.

In Hawkins’ absence, Neale has been growing by the game, with his commanding qualifying final performance against Port Adelaide – taking nine marks, three of those contested and kicking 2.2 – perhaps his best yet considering the high stakes.

The Geelong games record holder’s determined pursuit to get back from his mid-foot joint and ligament injury has been gutsy and inspiring for his teammates.

Tom Hawkins at Cats training on Monday. Picture: Michael Klein

Picture: Michael Klein

And the continued help and guidance which Hawkins has provided to the young talent who has ousted him typifies the retiring champion’s immense selflessness on and off the field.

It is cruel that he appears destined to miss out at the very last hurdle — on Wednesday night on Channel 7, Geelong coach Chris Scott ruled Hawkins and Cam Guthrie out of their preliminary final clash.

Playing Hawkins, 36, in a preliminary final — or a grand final if they make it — with just one competitive match under his belt in three months would be an unnecessary risk, especially with the Cats’ dynamic forward line firing on all cylinders.

It might be a different story if Neale or the Cats were underperforming, but the 203cm big man has kicked a goal in every game since he replaced Hawkins in round 16.

Compare that to Hawkins, who was struggling to have an impact when he was in the side, booting six goals in eight games and being held goalless in four of them before his unfortunate injury.

In the game he did go down, Carlton stopper Jacob Weitering kept him to just three disposals – all ineffective – in 62 per cent gametime.

Neale doesn’t have the presence or strength of Hawkins, but his running capacity and athleticism gives the Geelong attacking set-up a different look.

Hawkins made an exciting start to his VFL return a fortnight ago with a strong contested mark and a trademark snap goal out of the ruck.

Hawkins celebrates his ruck goal in the VFL. Picture: Michael Klein

The 359-game veteran’s 10 touches and 1.3 were better than the numbers suggest, missing a few chances in front of goal, but he probably needed to bang the door off its hinges to get a look-in considering the qualifying final effort of Neale.

The last time coach Chris Scott had to make an agonising call on a key forward, it was Hawkins who was the beneficiary.

A 23-year-old Hawkins got the nod over Cam Mooney late in the 2011 season, which Hawkins ended with a coming-of-age performance in their premiership win against Collingwood.

Now 13 years on, Scott is staring a Coleman Medallist, five-time All-Australian and 11-time leading goalkicker in the face.

But as the master coach said ahead of their qualifying final against Port Adelaide, he won’t be swayed by his glittering record nor by Guthrie’s.

“We are not in a position where we can get sidetracked by the quality of those names up on the magnet board,” Scott said a fortnight ago.

“Clearly their best has been important to us and they have been two of our best players over a long period of time, but we’ve got to deal in the reality of the current situation.”

That reality is an uncomfortable truth, but one that has the Cats well placed for life after Hawkins.

Originally published as Geelong is now a better side without champion Tom Hawkins