AFL: Geelong too slick for Hawthorn
Geelong put a March disappointment behind them with a dazzling defeat of Hawthorn by 61 points.
Geelong put a March disappointment behind them with a dazzling defeat of Hawthorn by 61 points in a performance far zippier than the opening game of the resumption round 24 hours earlier.
The Cats thumping 17.6 (108) to 7.5 (47) win did not have the late tension of the draw between Richmond and Collingwood but the football Geelong played was faster and free-flowing.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick noted on Thursday night the heavy dew at the MCG exacerbated the ring rust on offer in the draw. And it is worth noting night matches at the home of football through winter are rare.
Certainly the conditions at Geelong appeared less heavy given the way the Cats galloped away from their rivals after halftime to square their win-loss ledger after a 32-point defeat to the Giants in round 1.
Even without a fan in attendance, the Cats demonstrated the brilliance that has made them such formidable opponents on home turf dating back to 2007.
Dual-Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett clearly relished the three-month break and was best afield, gathering 21 touches.
Cats skipper Joel Selwood pushed him close with an impressive performance.
In an encouraging sign for the Cats, they were able to kick 17 goals despite a negligible impact from key forwards Tom Hawkins and Esava Ratugolea.
Instead it was Geelong’s smaller forwards who did the damage. Grien Miers kicked three goals and Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Atkins and Ablett were among the multiple goalkickers.
Ruckman Rhys Stanley celebrated the birth of his daughter Sloane on Wednesday and followed up with a lively performance in the middle of the ground while also kicking two goals.
With clashes at home against Carlton and the Gold Coast to come in two of the next three rounds, Geelong have an opportunity to establish themselves as a frontrunner.
Playing in Geelong for the first time since 2006 — such is the rivalry, the MCG is always the preferred option to maximise crowds — Hawthorn fell away badly after challenging for a half.
The Hawks were strong winners over Brisbane in March but managed just one goal after halftime in a disappointing performance and failed to score in the last term. Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne will be assessed by the Match Review Panel for a sling tackle on Dangerfield midway through the third term. The Hawk was penalised for a dangerous tackle and, while there appeared no malicious intent, the Cat’s head did clunk into the turf.
As was the case in the opening night of the resumption round, every player, coach and umpire took a knee in a gesture acknowledging support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Cats pounced immediately with Luke Dahlhaus kicking a goal within 21 seconds of the opening bounce. It set the tone for the night. Geelong were away to a three-goal advantage before the Hawks scored their first goal when Ollie Hanrahan ran onto an open ball in the square.
Burgoyne, the oldest player in the competition, was even closer when he added another from the goal line soon after as the Hawks showed signs of settling into foreign territory.
It was an encouraging opening term for many reasons. To see some ageing champions flourishing after the forced shutdown was a plus. But it also suggested the dour struggle between Richmond and Collingwood might prove an outlier instead of the norm.
It was lively and entertaining, the type of match fans have come to expect between the two great rivals. Perhaps footy is not dead after all.
The scoring rate did slow in the second term as Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson opted to deploy additional men in the Cats’ attacking arc.
When Jonathon Patton clinched the lead for the visiting team shortly before halftime, it seemed another classic between the two rivals might eventuate.
But from then on Geelong dominated, reeling off six goals in succession including one from Patrick Dangerfield in his 250th match.
The old firm was superb, with Ablett particularly creative, either when kicking goals himself or setting up opportunities for his teammates.
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