Grand occasion: Ominous Geelong reach the season decider

At the end of season 2021, the Cats were thought to be too old, with a dozen players on the wrong side of 30. They were too slow, too conservative, too careful, too predictable, too too for their own good.

Well, we are now at the sharp end of season 2022 and Geelong are, once again, in a grand final, after blitzing the Brisbane Lions by 71 points in a one-way procession at the MCG. With 15 wins in a row, this is very much their premiership to lose now.

Perhaps it’s unkind to say that; to invoke the ghosts of years of contention without a premiership in the decade since coach Chris Scott landed the flag in his first year, 2011. But he and his team will never get a better shot than this.

Tom Hawkins with Tyson Stengle.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images

The Lions may have broken a couple of hoodoos in winning two finals, including last week’s victory at the MCG against Melbourne. But this was a bridge too far. Too often, they have shown themselves unable to close space and defend the ground sufficiently.

Patrick Dangerfield, who has not always been at his best in finals, was magnificent for Geelong. He kicked the first goal of the match within a minute to steady the nerves. His second was brilliant, hooked from a full 48 metres, off a step and out of congestion.

He kept going from there, accumulating 28 disposals — bursting through packs, playing with customary fire and desperation, without for a moment looking haunted by the possibility of failure. It was a major statement from a premium player.

The Cats’ other big victory was against Lachie Neale, who had if anything raised his game in two finals to a level above his Brownlow-winning form. Between Tom Atkins, Joel Selwood and occasionally Mark Blicavs, Neale was blanketed, held to just nine possessions in a half.

And Tyson Stengle celebrates his goal.Credit: AFL Photos/Getty Images

By then, the game was almost done. But there is only so long any one player can carry a team, and the Lions were found wanting in too many areas. They look pretty – pretty wide open, to a quality team with a defence-first mindset.

And it was in defence where Geelong reigned supreme. By half-time they had made 13 intercepts, playing with a spare behind the ball. Tom Stewart, Jake Kolodjashnij, Jack Henry and Sam De Koning dominated the airspace.

It followed that the Lions’ vaunted forward line made no impact. Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood and Dan McStay didn’t get a sniff. Neither, for that matter did Charlie Cameron – the ball was rarely allowed to come to ground.

Very quickly, Brisbane began to make mistakes they couldn’t afford. Hipwood, so good against Melbourne but yet to touch the Sherrin, grassed a chest mark on the wing in the second quarter. Zac Guthrie pumped it to Gary Rohan, who opened his own account.

Two minutes later, Zac Bailey turned the ball over and the Lions were punished again, this time by the very lively Gryan Miers, who played his best game. The only blemish was Hawkins, who missed four set shots in the first half, three of them straightforward.

But Hawkins did get on the end of a coast-to-coast play that helped extend the margin to five goals at half-time, and when the match resumed, it was Hawkins who got the ball to Tyson Stengle, who wheeled and buried his second goal from deep in a pocket.

Cameron got one back from a free kick, but then Miers found Hawkins yet again, and this time, he threaded the shot. There would be no coming back for the Lions from there – not with so many players subdued; even less with the Cats running hot.

Eventually, Hawkins began to find his range, finishing with four goals to edge ahead of teammate Jeremy Cameron as the Cats’ leading goalkicker for the year. Hawkins is 34 and has played 325 games. He will be looking for his third premiership medal next week.

Captain Joel Selwood, who will go past Michael Tuck’s record of 39 finals next week, will be chasing a fourth flag in his 354th game. He still epitomises his team, and leads it superbly. Perhaps he really is immortal.

GEELONG 4.2 7.7 14.11 18.12 (120)
BRISBANE LIONS 2.0 3.1 5.2 7.7 (49)

Goals – Geelong: Hawkins 4 Stengle 3 Dangerfield 2 Rohan 2 Miers 2 Holmes Selwood Cameron Close Z Guthrie. Brisbane Lions: Hipwood 2 McCarthy Ah Chee Bailey Cameron Berry.

Best – Geelong: Dangerfield Miers Hawkins Blicavs Stewart Selwood. Brisbane Lions: Gardiner Berry Robertson McCluggage.

Injuries – Geelong: Holmes (hamstring). Brisbane Lions: Rayner (ankle).

Umpires: Rosebury Gavine Hosking.